How to prepare for the Alleyn's School 11+ exam

Exam format not yet verified. We have not confirmed this school's exam board or paper format from an official source. Where this guide describes the test, treat it as a working assumption and check the school's admissions page before relying on it.

The exam at a glance

Alleyn’s School’s 11+ for September 2028 entry uses the school’s own admissions process, with a paper-based written assessment covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. For families preparing now, that means broad, steady practice matters more than over-specialising in one area.

The school’s admissions information for the current cycle explains that candidates sit written assessments first, and that selected candidates are then invited to a further stage involving an interview and small group activity. In practical terms, children need to be ready for both the academic paper and a calm, sociable second stage if shortlisted.

Because the assessment is paper-based and split across standard timed sections, good preparation is usually about three things:

secure core skills in English and Maths;
regular familiarity with GL-style Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning question types;
careful timing, so your child can keep accuracy under time pressure.

On the day itself, parents should expect a formal exam session for the written paper, and for some children, a later invitation to return for interview and group activity. The school also runs open events and taster opportunities during the admissions season, which can help children feel more familiar with the school before assessment.

Registration and key dates

For Alleyn’s, registration is handled by the school through its admissions process rather than through a local authority test portal. The school’s admissions pages for the current cycle state that registration for the academic year 2027–2028 opens on 1 September 2026 and closes on 13 November 2026. For families aiming at 2028 entry, treat that as the best current guide to timing unless and until the school publishes the next cycle.

Based on the published 2027 entry information, the admissions timetable is typically as follows:

registration usually opens in early September;
the deadline is usually in mid-November;
the main 11+ assessment is typically in early January;
overseas testing, where relevant, may be scheduled separately;
shortlisted candidates are then invited to an interview and small group activity later in January.

For the published 2027 entry cycle, the school listed these dates:

11+ Open Afternoon: 30 September 2026 and 14 October 2026
Experience Alleyn’s Taster Afternoon: 2 October 2026
11+ and 16+ Open Morning: 3 October 2026
Music Department Open Day for potential 11+ Music Scholars: 21 October 2026
Overseas entrance examinations: 7 January 2027
Interview and small group activity for selected candidates: 23 January 2027

The school’s page also gives a typical main assessment date of 8 January 2027 for this cycle. If you are preparing for 2028 entry, it is sensible to assume a very similar pattern, but do check the school’s admissions page as soon as the new timetable is published.

Families should also note the school’s fee support information around registration: bursary applicants who are in receipt of Pupil Premium, Universal Credit or Income Support do not need to pay the registration fee.

Before submitting the form, it is worth having key details ready, such as your child’s personal information, current school details and any supporting information requested by the school. As independent-school processes can change slightly from year to year, always use the school’s current online guidance when the 2028 application opens.

Useful planning links:

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

Alleyn’s is an independent co-educational day school and admits pupils at 11+ into Year 7. The school says it offers around 150 places at this entry point.

Unlike many grammar schools, there is no local-authority catchment test process for Alleyn’s. Children apply directly to the school through its admissions route. In the material reviewed, the school does not publish a state-school-style catchment area or a fixed qualifying score for 11+ entry.

What the school does make clear is that its admissions process includes written assessment for all applicants, followed by further assessment for selected candidates. Parents should therefore think in terms of competitive selection across the full applicant group, rather than a simple pass mark.

The school also highlights support for lower-income families. In the admissions information reviewed, it states that bursary applicants receiving Pupil Premium, Universal Credit or Income Support do not need to pay the registration fee. If fee assistance may be relevant to your family, it is worth reading the bursary information early so that you understand the evidence required and any parallel deadlines.

If you are looking for an exact cut-off, pass mark or distance rule, the school does not appear to publish one on its admissions pages. The safest approach is to read the latest Year 7 admissions guidance carefully and contact the admissions team directly if anything is unclear.

A month-by-month preparation plan

For a child sitting the exam in January of Year 6, it is usually best to build steadily through Year 5 rather than beginning with heavy timed practice too early. A calm, consistent routine nearly always works better than bursts of cramming.

January to March of Year 5

Keep it light and skills-based: around 1 to 2 hours a week in total is often enough at this stage. Focus on reading quality fiction and non-fiction, strengthening arithmetic fluency, and introducing a small number of Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning question types without time pressure.

Read widely and discuss vocabulary.
Secure number facts, written methods and word-problem habits.
Start short untimed reasoning exercises to learn method.

April to June of Year 5

Increase gently to around 2 to 3 hours a week. This is a good point to make preparation more structured.

Begin regular comprehension practice.
Add short English tasks on spelling, punctuation and clear written expression.
Work through Maths topics likely to appear at upper Key Stage 2 level.
Cover reasoning types systematically so your child learns the patterns.

July to August before Year 6

Summer is useful for consolidation, but avoid making every day feel like exam season. Around 2 to 4 hours a week is realistic for many children, split into short sessions.

Review weaker topics from the spring.
Introduce short mixed papers.
Practise working steadily across different subjects in one sitting.
Keep reading going throughout the holidays.

September of Year 6

Once the school opens registration, preparation usually becomes more exam-focused. Aim for roughly 3 to 4 hours a week.

Move from topic practice to mixed sections.
Begin timed practice in short bursts.
Check that your child can switch calmly between English, Maths, VR and NVR.
Book any open events or taster events that may help familiarity.

October of Year 6

This is often the month to increase realism without overloading. Around 4 hours a week is plenty for most children.

Use one timed paper or paper section each week.
Spend as much time reviewing mistakes as completing questions.
Build exam routines: skipping and returning, checking work, watching the clock sensibly.

November of Year 6

By now, the aim is consistency. Continue with around 4 hours a week, adjusting down if school is busy or your child is tiring.

Work on recurring errors.
Keep Maths methods neat and reliable.
Practise comprehension under realistic timing.
Use reasoning drills to keep speed and accuracy balanced.

December of Year 6

Do not try to learn everything at once. In the final month, shorter and calmer practice is often best: roughly 3 hours a week, tapering in the final days.

Complete a small number of realistic papers.
Review familiar question types rather than chasing obscure ones.
Prioritise sleep, routine and confidence.

The final week

Keep work brief and reassuring. A little light review is fine, but this is not the moment for long, stressful sessions. The goal is a child who feels prepared, not exhausted.

Subject by subject: what to practise

Maths

For Alleyn’s, children should be comfortable with upper Key Stage 2 Maths presented in a selective-school style: secure arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio-style thinking, measures, geometry, data handling and multi-step word problems. Because the paper is timed, accuracy with written methods and mental calculation matters.

Practise arithmetic little and often.
Use word problems that require choosing the right method.
Train your child to set work out clearly on paper.
Build confidence in checking answers quickly.

English

English preparation should cover both reading and written accuracy. In independent-school 11+ papers, this often means comprehension, vocabulary in context, grammar, punctuation, spelling and clear written expression. Even when a task looks straightforward, the real test is careful reading and precise answers.

Practise comprehension from varied texts, not just one style.
Build vocabulary through reading and discussion.
Review sentence control, punctuation and common spelling patterns.
Encourage concise answers that go directly back to the text.

Verbal Reasoning

GL-style Verbal Reasoning typically rewards familiarity with recurring question types. Children do better when they recognise the pattern quickly and apply a method they have practised before.

Work on codes, letter sequences, word relationships, vocabulary-based tasks and logical patterns.
Teach methods step by step before timing them.
Keep a notebook of tricky types and how to solve them.
Revisit errors regularly so the same mistakes do not repeat.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning usually involves visual sequences, shape transformations, symmetry, rotation, reflection and similarities or differences between figures. Many children improve quickly once they learn how to look systematically.

Practise spotting one change at a time: shape, position, shading, size or rotation.
Use short sets frequently rather than very long sessions.
Encourage your child to describe patterns aloud at first.
Move gradually towards timed work once method is secure.

Practice papers and mock exams

Practice papers are most useful when they are used as a diagnostic tool, not just as a score generator. After each paper, spend time identifying exactly what went wrong: was it a content gap, a timing problem, a misread instruction or a careless slip?

A sensible rhythm is:

learn the topic or question type;
practise it untimed;
complete a short timed set;
review errors carefully;
return to similar questions a week later to check improvement.

For Alleyn’s, balanced practice matters because the assessment covers four subjects. It is easy for children to keep repeating the sections they already enjoy, but the stronger approach is to protect time each week for every paper area.

Useful resources:

If you use a mock exam, try to choose one for timing practice and exam temperament rather than for prediction. No mock can tell you exactly what will happen on the day, but it can show whether your child rushes, freezes, loses marks through presentation, or needs more stamina across multiple sections.

In the final few months, one well-reviewed paper completed properly is usually more valuable than several rushed papers done back to back.

On the day

Keep the morning simple. Aim for a routine your child already knows: enough time to get ready, a normal breakfast, and no last-minute teaching in the car or on the train.

Check the school’s instructions the night before.
Prepare any required stationery in advance.
Leave plenty of travel time.
Dress comfortably within the school’s guidance for the day.

Emotionally, the best message is calm confidence: this is a chance to show what they can do, not a test of their worth. Most children benefit from hearing something steady and familiar such as, read carefully, keep moving, and do your best.

If your child comes out worried about one section, resist analysing the paper in detail. Once the exam is over, it is usually kinder and more useful to let the day go.

If they are later invited back for interview or group activity, treat that stage as a chance for the school to get to know them. Politeness, listening well, speaking clearly and joining in thoughtfully all matter.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

After the written assessment, Alleyn’s invites selected candidates to the next stage of its process: an interview and small group activity. For the published 2027 entry cycle, this took place on 23 January 2027.

The school pages reviewed do not clearly publish a single universal 11+ results day in the way many grammar schools do. As an independent school, offers are made through the school’s own admissions timeline rather than through National Offer Day in the state system. Parents should therefore rely on the school’s current admissions communications for the exact sequence after assessment.

If your child is not offered a place, the next steps may include joining a waiting list or asking the school about its review or appeals route, if one is available. Independent schools do not follow the same statutory appeals framework as state schools, so it is important to read the school’s own admissions terms carefully.

If an offer is made, be ready to respond promptly and complete any acceptance steps by the date given by the school.

What has changed recently

For the current published cycle, Alleyn’s admissions pages show the timetable for 2027 entry, including registration opening on 1 September 2026, a mid-November deadline, January testing and a January interview stage for selected candidates. For families targeting 2028 entry, this is useful as a guide, but the school has not yet published the full 2028 timetable on the pages reviewed.

In the sources reviewed, there was no separately announced recent change to the core 11+ subjects tested: preparation still needs to cover Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

The school’s current admissions information also makes clear its registration-fee support for certain bursary applicants, stating that those in receipt of Pupil Premium, Universal Credit or Income Support do not need to pay the registration fee.

Frequently asked questions

How many Year 7 places does Alleyn’s offer at 11+?

Alleyn’s says it offers around 150 places for Year 7 entry.

Does Alleyn’s use the local authority 11+ test?

No. Alleyn’s is an independent school and runs its own admissions process through the school rather than a local authority grammar-school testing system.

What subjects should my child prepare for?

For 2028 entry, preparation should cover Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Is the Alleyn’s 11+ computer-based?

No. The assessment for 2028 entry is paper-based.

When does registration usually open?

For the currently published cycle, registration opened on 1 September 2026. For 2028 entry, early September is the best guide until the school publishes new dates.

Does Alleyn’s publish a pass mark or cut-off score?

The school’s admissions pages reviewed do not publish a fixed pass mark or cut-off score for 11+ entry. Check the latest admissions page for any updates.

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Sources

Alleyn's School Senior School 11+ admissions: Alleyn’s is an independent co-educational day school; 11+ entry is into Year 7; around 150 places are offered; candidates sit written assessments followed by interview and small group activity for selected candidates; bursary applicants in receipt of Pupil Premium, Universal Credit or Income Support
Alleyn's School website: School location and general description as a co-educational independent school for ages 4–18 with Senior School and Junior Schools.

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Written by ElevenReady from the school's published information and reviewed by a person before publishing. Last reviewed 4 October 2026. Exam arrangements change. Check the school's admissions page for the current year.