How to prepare for the Chigwell 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

For September 2028 entry to Year 7, Chigwell School’s 11+ assessment uses the school’s own process. For this guide, parents should prepare for a GL-style assessment covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with a mixed delivery format.

The school’s admissions information for recent entry says the 11+ assessment is mainly online with an additional written English paper. That means children need to be comfortable with both screen-based answering and writing by hand in clear, organised English.

Chigwell also says it aims to meet candidates and parents before testing. In practice, families should expect the process to involve an application, a pre-assessment meeting or interview-style visit, and then the entrance examination itself.

Because the assessment draws on four subject areas, the most useful preparation is balanced and steady rather than heavily focused on one paper. Children do best when they build secure core skills first, then get used to timed sections and switching calmly between different question types.

Board/format: school’s own process, using a GL-style assessment profile
Subjects: Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning
Delivery: mixed; recent school guidance says mainly online plus a written English paper
What the day looks like: families should expect a formal entrance-test session, with earlier meetings arranged separately by the school

Registration and key dates

Chigwell runs its own admissions process, so parents should apply directly through the school rather than through a local authority 11+ portal. The school’s admissions pages for recent entry set out the application route and the entrance examination process.

A verified recent application fee is £180 including VAT. Parents should check the current admissions page before applying in case the school updates this for 2028 entry.

For 2028 entry, the school had not yet published the full set of dates at the time of writing. The most helpful official pattern comes from the school’s published dates for a recent entry round:

applications closed on Sunday 1 December 2024
meetings ran from November 2024 to January 2025
most meetings were held on Saturday 16 November 2024 and Saturday 30 November 2024
the final few meetings were in early January 2025
the 11+ entrance examination was on Saturday 11 January 2025
music scholarship auditions were in the week beginning Monday 13 January 2025
scholarship interviews were on Wednesday 22 January 2025 or Thursday 23 January 2025

For families applying for 2028 entry, that means the process typically appears to work like this: enquire and register in the autumn of Year 6, attend a family meeting before the test, and sit the entrance exam in January. If you want updates as soon as the school publishes them, use Free email alerts for this school's key dates.

It is sensible to prepare the usual admissions paperwork early: basic pupil details, parent contact details, the child’s current school information, and any documents the school asks for on its application form. Always follow the current online instructions on the school website, as independent schools sometimes update forms and supporting-document requirements from one cycle to the next.

For a simple overview page bringing together format and date tracking, see The Chigwell School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates).

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

Chigwell School is an independent, coeducational school and offers Year 7 entry at 11+. Independent-school admissions do not work in the same way as grammar-school catchment systems run by local authorities, and in the sources reviewed for this guide we did not find a published geographical catchment priority for Year 7 entry.

That means parents should not assume there is a fixed distance rule, inner area, or priority postcode list unless the school’s current admissions pages explicitly say so. If location matters to your family’s planning, check the school’s latest admissions information directly before registering.

The school’s published admissions process indicates that families are normally expected to engage with the school before testing, with candidate-and-parent meetings held ahead of the entrance examination in the recent round reviewed.

We did not find an official published number of Year 7 places for the relevant entry round in the sources checked for this guide, so it is best to treat competition levels as variable and ask the school directly if you need up-to-date availability information.

In practical terms, Chigwell is likely to suit families who want a broad independent-school application process rather than a single-score grammar-school ranking model. Preparation still matters, but so does helping your child come across as thoughtful, engaged and ready for senior school life.

A month-by-month preparation plan

The timetable below assumes a child is sitting the test in January of Year 6, which matches the school’s recent pattern. The aim is calm, regular preparation rather than cramming.

Month	What to do
March to May, Year 5	Start gently with core skills. Aim for 2 to 3 hours a week across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Focus on arithmetic fluency, reading comprehension habits, vocabulary building and puzzle-style reasoning basics. Keep sessions short and positive.
June to July, Year 5	Increase to 3 to 4 hours a week. Introduce GL-style question types in all four subjects. Begin small timed bursts of 10 to 15 minutes so your child gets used to pace without feeling rushed.
Summer holidays before Year 6	Keep momentum without turning summer into a boot camp. Three or four short sessions a week is usually enough. Read daily, revise number methods, and rotate reasoning practice so no area becomes unfamiliar.
September, Year 6	Move to 4 hours a week if your child is coping well. Start doing longer mixed sets. Review errors carefully: was it knowledge, vocabulary, timing or misreading? This is the month to spot weak areas early.
October, Year 6	Begin regular timed papers or paper sections. One timed task each weekend is realistic for many children, plus one or two midweek skills sessions. If written English is a weaker area, add one focused writing task each fortnight.
November, Year 6	Keep the routine steady at 4 to 5 hours a week. Practise switching between online-style multiple-choice work and handwritten English. Build exam stamina, but protect schoolwork and downtime.
December, Year 6	Consolidate rather than overloading. Use a small number of quality papers, mark them carefully and revisit mistakes. If the application deadline follows the recent pattern, make sure all admin is complete well before the end of term.
January, exam month	In the final week, reduce volume. Use short refreshers, light vocabulary review and one last confidence-building mixed exercise. Prioritise sleep, routine and calm.

The key point for Chigwell is balance. Because the assessment spans four areas, children who prepare only in Maths and English often find the reasoning sections expose gaps in familiarity and speed.

Subject by subject: what to practise

Maths

For a GL-style 11+ maths paper, focus on secure Key Stage 2 methods and the ability to apply them quickly. Common areas to practise include arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, simple algebraic thinking, measures, shape, data handling and worded problems. Children should get used to choosing the right method promptly rather than relying on trial and error.

Good practice includes short mental-arithmetic drills, mixed topic sets, and timed problem-solving sections. Encourage your child to show clear working in handwritten tasks even when the final answer is the only marked element, because it builds disciplined thinking.

English

Chigwell’s recent process says there is an additional written English paper, so preparation should cover both comprehension and writing. For comprehension, practise retrieving information, working out meaning from context, spotting inference, and commenting on language and tone in age-appropriate texts.

For writing, work on planning quickly, writing with a clear structure, and using accurate punctuation and varied vocabulary without sounding forced. The best preparation is regular reading, discussion of books and news, and short but frequent writing practice under light time limits.

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning usually tests how well a child can work with patterns in language and letters: codes, sequences, analogies, vocabulary links and logical word-based relationships. The biggest challenge is often familiarity. Once children know the main question types, their confidence and speed usually improve.

Practise in small sets first, grouped by type, then move to mixed sections. Build vocabulary steadily: reading, word games, roots and prefixes, and careful discussion of unfamiliar words all help.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning focuses on visual patterns, shape sequences, rotations, reflections, codes and similarities or differences between figures. Many children improve quickly here when they are taught to look systematically for one change at a time: shape, position, shading, size or direction.

Use worked examples at first, then timed sets. If your child tends to rush, teach them to pause and scan all the options before choosing. Accuracy matters as much as speed.

Practice papers and mock exams

Practice papers are most useful when they are used as a learning tool, not just as a score generator. Start with untimed familiarisation so your child understands the style. Move gradually to timed sections. Only use full papers once core methods are reasonably secure.

A simple routine works well:

choose one paper or section
sit it in realistic conditions
mark it promptly
sort mistakes into knowledge, vocabulary, timing or careless errors
redo the weakest questions a few days later

Because Chigwell’s process is mixed, include both screen-based practice and handwritten English work. That helps children adjust to changing pace and format.

Useful starting points:

If you use a mock exam, treat it as a rehearsal, not a verdict. The best mocks teach a child how to pace themselves, recover after a tricky section and stay composed in a formal setting.

On the day

Keep the morning simple. Lay out clothes, stationery if needed, and any confirmation emails the night before. Allow extra travel time so your child is not carrying your stress into the test room.

Breakfast should be familiar rather than ambitious. Avoid last-minute cramming on the journey. A far better use of that time is calm conversation and a reminder that one difficult question does not ruin a paper.

Because Chigwell’s recent process has been mainly online with an additional written English paper, remind your child before the day that different sections may feel different. That is normal. The goal is to settle quickly each time a format changes.

read the instructions carefully
keep an eye on timing without panicking
if stuck, move on and come back if allowed
check simple errors at the end of a section if there is time
treat each paper as a fresh start

After the exam, try not to do a detailed post-mortem in the car or at lunch. Most children feel better when the day can simply be over.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

For independent schools such as Chigwell, the post-exam process is different from the National Offer Day system used for state secondary admissions. Families normally receive the school’s decision directly from the school, and if offered a place, will be given an acceptance deadline and deposit information.

For the recent entry round reviewed, the school published dates for scholarship interviews and music scholarship auditions after the January examination, which suggests some decisions and scholarship steps follow quite soon after testing.

The verified notes supplied for this guide state that results were sent on a Thursday, but we did not find the full official published date in the reviewed source set, so parents should check the current admissions page for the exact timing for their year.

If your child is not offered a place, the school may be able to explain the next steps, such as a waiting list or whether any review route exists. Independent-school appeals and complaints processes vary by school, so always use the school’s own published procedure rather than assuming the grammar-school appeal system applies.

What has changed recently

Chigwell’s admissions page for incoming pupils due to join in September 2027 says the 11+ assessment is mainly online with an additional written English paper. That is the clearest recent format update we found and is important for preparation, because children now need confidence with both digital and handwritten elements.

The school’s recent admissions timeline also shows a structured pre-test meeting stage for candidates and parents, with most meetings taking place before the January examination. That is useful context for families used to schools where the process is only an exam.

We did not find any officially announced recent change to catchment rules or a published new Year 7 place number in the sources checked for this guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does Chigwell School use GL Assessment for 11+?

For 2028 entry, prepare for the school’s own process using a GL-style format across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Is the Chigwell 11+ exam online or on paper?

Recent school information says the assessment is mainly online with an additional written English paper, so children should prepare for both formats.

When is the Chigwell School 11+ exam usually held?

The recent published cycle had the 11+ exam in January, with the 2025 test held on Saturday 11 January 2025. Check the school site for the 2028 entry dates when released.

What is the Chigwell School registration deadline?

In the recent published round, applications closed on Sunday 1 December 2024. For 2028 entry, use the current school admissions page once it is published.

Is there a catchment area for Chigwell School Year 7 entry?

We did not find a published catchment rule for Year 7 entry in the sources checked. As an independent school, Chigwell may not use a grammar-style catchment system, but parents should confirm with the school.

How early should my child start preparing for Chigwell 11+?

A gentle start in Year 5 is sensible. Most children do well with steady practice from spring or summer of Year 5, increasing gradually in Year 6.

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Sources

Chigwell School admissions: new entrance examination process: School runs its own admissions process; Chigwell aims to meet candidates and parents before testing; for incoming pupils due to join in September 2027 the 11+ assessment is mainly online with an additional written English paper.
Chigwell School admissions: Independent coeducational school offering admissions information and Year 7 entry route via the school.
Chigwell School: School identity: Chigwell School is an independent coeducational school in Chigwell offering education through to Sixth Form.

Preparing for other schools in Essex

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.