The exam at a glance
For children applying for Year 7 entry at Claremont Fan Court School in September 2028, the entrance assessment is based on GL Assessment and is taken on paper. The test covers Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, so preparation needs to be broad rather than focused on just one strength.
The school describes its Year 7 admissions process as gently selective. In practice, that means the written assessment is only one part of the process. The school also says candidates attend an individual interview, and full assessment details are shared after the application deadline.
Because the paper uses standard timed sections across four subject areas, children do best when they can work steadily, read instructions carefully and keep going when a question feels unfamiliar. This is not an exam where cramming one topic at the last minute usually helps. Regular, balanced work across the autumn of Year 5 and into Year 6 is much more useful.
On the day itself, families should expect a school-run admissions assessment rather than a local-authority 11+ process. The school’s admissions page makes clear that applicants are invited into the next stage after applying, and that more detailed arrangements are sent later in the cycle.
- Exam board: GL Assessment
- Format: one assessment covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning
- Delivery: paper-based
- Other assessed element: individual interview
- Style of preparation: balanced practice across all four subjects, building accuracy and calm timing
Registration and key dates
Claremont Fan Court School runs its own admissions process, so families apply directly to the school rather than through a local authority 11+ portal. The school’s admissions page and its Year 7 application information explain that parents complete the school’s application process and then receive fuller assessment arrangements after the deadline.
For the most recently published Year 7 cycle on the school website, the application deadline is 3 November 2026. The school’s Year 7 information also gives an assessment date of 28 November 2026 and says that offers are made in late January. As of today, the page referenced by the school is for 2027 entry, not yet the 2028 entry round, so parents should treat these as the latest published dates and expect the 2028 cycle to be confirmed on the school website.
If your child is aiming for entry in September 2028, the safest approach is to start checking the admissions pages from the spring of Year 5 onwards. The school specifically encourages prospective families to visit in the spring or summer term of Year 5 or the autumn term of Year 6. It also says that junior and whole-school open events run throughout the year.
The school does not, on the pages reviewed, publish a separate list of mandatory application documents for Year 7 on the main admissions summary page. In practice, independent schools commonly ask for a completed application form and supporting school information later in the process, but parents should follow the school’s published instructions for the relevant year and not assume the requirements are identical from one cycle to the next.
If you want a quick overview page and reminders, you can also bookmark The Claremont Fan Court School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates) and sign up for Free email alerts for this school's key dates.
Who can apply: catchment and admissions
Claremont Fan Court School is an independent, coeducational school, and on the admissions pages reviewed there is no catchment area or priority area stated for Year 7 entry. That is useful for families coming from a wider area: the process is not presented in the same way as a state grammar school with postcode-based priority rules.
The school says that there are around 70 pupils joining from other schools each year. That gives parents a helpful sense that external entry at Year 7 is a normal part of the school’s admissions pattern, not just a handful of occasional places.
The admissions information also describes the Year 7 route as gently selective, using assessment papers and an interview. What the school does not publish on the pages reviewed is a pass mark, a standardised-score threshold, or a published ranking cut-off. Parents should therefore avoid any online claims about a “required score” unless they come directly from the school; if you need the latest position, the admissions team is the right source.
Because this is an independent school process, families should think about fit as well as test performance. The interview matters, and schools at this stage are usually interested in how a child will cope with the move to senior school, contribute in lessons and activities, and respond to a new environment.
- Catchment: none stated on the school admissions pages reviewed
- Priority area: none stated on the school admissions pages reviewed
- External Year 7 intake: around 70 pupils joining from other schools each year
- Selection process: written assessment plus individual interview
- Published pass mark: not published on the sources reviewed
A month-by-month preparation plan
The most sensible plan for this exam is a calm, steady build through Year 5 and into the autumn of Year 6. Because Claremont Fan Court School uses a GL-style assessment across four subjects, children usually benefit more from regular mixed practice than from intense bursts of work.
January to March of Year 5
Keep it light: around 1 to 1.5 hours a week in short sessions is enough for most children at this stage. Focus on reading fluency, secure number skills, vocabulary growth and a first look at Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning question types. There is no need for timed papers yet.
April to June of Year 5
Increase to about 1.5 to 2 hours a week. Start learning the common structures of GL-style questions. In Maths, check arithmetic accuracy and word-problem method. In English, build comprehension habits and precise spelling and punctuation. In reasoning, teach one question family at a time and revisit it until it feels familiar.
July and August before Year 6
Summer is a good moment to consolidate, not overload. Aim for 2 hours a week, spread across the week. Use short mixed tasks and one longer session. A child should start becoming comfortable switching between subjects rather than working in blocks of only one type.
September of Year 6
Move to about 2.5 to 3 hours a week. This is the point to begin some timed sections, but still not every session. Start with individual subject timings before attempting full mixed papers. Review mistakes carefully: rushing, misreading and skipped instructions are often as important as knowledge gaps.
October of Year 6
Keep to roughly 3 hours a week. Now use timed practice more regularly, including mixed papers that require subject switching. Continue to teach strategy: when to move on, how to mark a question to revisit, and how to keep working when the clock feels tight. If an interview is part of the process, this is also a good month to practise simple conversation about school, hobbies and favourite subjects in a natural way.
November before the exam
In the final weeks, quality matters more than volume. Around 2 to 3 focused hours a week is usually plenty. Use one or two final timed papers, then spend more time reviewing than testing. In the last few days, keep work short and confidence-building: mental arithmetic, vocabulary review, careful reading and a small number of familiar reasoning questions.
The final weekend
Do not cram. A rested child who recognises the question styles is usually in a much stronger position than a tired child who has done too many papers.
Subject by subject: what to practise
Maths
For a GL-style paper, Maths preparation should centre on fluent arithmetic, place value, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio basics, measures, shape and straightforward data handling. Word problems matter because they test whether a child can decide which operation to use, not just calculate quickly.
Practise short sets of mixed questions rather than long runs of one topic. Encourage neat working, quick checking and estimation so that children notice when an answer is obviously unlikely. Timed work should come later, once the method is secure.
English
English practice should include both comprehension and technical accuracy. In GL-style assessments, children often need to read carefully under time pressure, identify meaning from context and spot precise details. Spelling, punctuation and grammar knowledge can also be tested directly or indirectly.
Useful preparation includes reading a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, discussing vocabulary, summarising short passages and practising concise written responses where appropriate. A child who reads the question stem carefully is less likely to lose marks through avoidable mistakes.
Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning rewards familiarity with recurring question types. These can include letter and number codes, relationships between words, sequences, hidden words, vocabulary-based items and logic patterns. Children often find this subject improves once they learn the method for each question family and practise it repeatedly.
The best approach is to teach one type at a time, then mix types together later. Keep a notebook of patterns and traps. Vocabulary building is also important, because some questions depend on confident word knowledge.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning usually involves visual pattern recognition: rotations, reflections, similarities and differences, sequences, codes and shape-based logic. Many children improve quickly once they learn to look systematically for change in shape, size, position, shading and number.
Practise by talking through the rule before choosing an answer. At first, accuracy matters more than speed. Later, add timed sets so children learn not to spend too long on one difficult visual puzzle.
Practice papers and mock exams
Practice papers are most useful when they are used to diagnose, not just to generate scores. After every paper, look back at errors and sort them into three groups: knowledge gaps, method mistakes and rushing. That makes the next week’s practice much more targeted.
For this school, use materials that match a GL Assessment style across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Start with untimed or lightly timed work, then move towards full timed practice in the autumn before the exam.
A sensible pattern is:
- Learn the question type.
- Practise a short set untimed.
- Redo a similar set with light timing.
- Use a mixed paper.
- Review thoroughly before doing the next one.
If your child becomes anxious after papers, reduce the frequency and increase the review. One well-analysed paper teaches more than three rushed ones.
You can use these ElevenReady resources alongside your preparation:
- Free Claremont Fan Court School practice papers (one per tested subject, with answers)
- The Claremont Fan Court School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates)
- Free email alerts for this school's key dates
Mocks can also help, especially for children who know the content but need practice with pacing, answer-sheet discipline or simply working in a more formal setting. If you use a mock, treat the feedback as the main value, not the score itself.
On the day
Keep the morning simple and predictable. Aim for plenty of time, a familiar breakfast and calm travel arrangements. Children usually cope better when adults are steady and matter-of-fact.
Before they go in, remind your child of only a few things: listen carefully, read every instruction, keep moving if one question feels hard, and check work if there is time. Long last-minute teaching rarely helps.
For a paper-based assessment, practical habits matter. Encourage your child to keep their place on the page, mark clearly and avoid leaving accidental blanks. If they tend to panic when time is called, practise the idea beforehand that no one finishes every section perfectly and that the goal is steady marks across the paper.
Because Claremont Fan Court School also uses an individual interview, it can help to frame the day as more than a test. The school is trying to get to know the child as well as assess them. A polite greeting, clear voice and thoughtful answers go a long way.
- Pack anything requested by the school the night before.
- Leave early so travel problems do not set the tone.
- Keep conversation light on the journey.
- Do not discuss difficult practice questions that morning.
- Afterwards, avoid a full post-mortem; let your child decompress first.
After the exam: results, allocation and appeals
For the latest published Year 7 cycle on the school website, offers are typically made in late January. As this is an independent-school admissions process, the sequence is not the same as National Offer Day for state secondary schools. Communication comes from the school, and families should follow the acceptance instructions and deadlines set out in the offer information.
The school’s admissions information reviewed does not publish a pass mark or a detailed score breakdown for Year 7 entry. If your child is not offered a place, the next step is to speak directly to the admissions team about whether a waiting list operates and what options, if any, are available.
Independent schools do not usually run appeals in the same statutory way as state schools. Any review or complaint process would depend on the school’s own policies, so parents should consult the school directly if needed.
If your child is successful, the period between offer and September is usually about transition: events, practical information and getting ready for the move into senior school. If the outcome is disappointing, try not to frame it as a judgment on your child’s ability. Independent-school admissions are about fit, cohort balance and school-specific selection as well as test performance.
What has changed recently
On the school pages reviewed, the main current point to note is that the published Year 7 admissions information is for 2027 entry, not yet the 2028 cycle. The school states the latest available deadline, assessment date and offer timing for that round, and families applying for 2028 should wait for the updated admissions page.
No other clearly announced recent change to the Year 7 exam board, subject set, catchment arrangements or number of places was identified on the official pages reviewed beyond the currently published cycle information.
Frequently asked questions
Does Claremont Fan Court School use GL Assessment for Year 7 entry?
Yes. For 2028 entry, the verified format is a GL Assessment paper covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, taken on paper.
Is there a catchment area for Claremont Fan Court School Year 7 admissions?
No catchment or priority area is stated on the admissions pages reviewed. This is an independent-school process run directly by the school.
How many children join Year 7 from other schools?
The school says around 70 pupils join from other schools each year. That suggests Year 7 is a significant external entry point.
Does the school publish a pass mark for the Year 7 assessment?
Not on the sources reviewed. If you want the latest detail on assessment outcomes, contact the school’s admissions team directly.
When should my child start preparing?
For most children, a gentle start in Year 5 is sensible. Build steadily across Year 5, then add regular timed practice in the autumn of Year 6.
Are interviews part of the process?
Yes. The school’s Year 7 admissions information says the process includes assessment papers and an individual interview.
Sources
- Claremont Fan Court School admissions: how to apply: The school runs its own admissions process directly; prospective families are invited to visit in the spring or summer term of Year 5 or the autumn term of Year 6; junior and whole-school open events are held throughout the year; the published admissions information currently points families to Year
- Claremont Fan Court School website: Claremont Fan Court School is an independent coeducational school in Esher with nursery, junior, senior school and sixth form provision.
Preparing for other schools in Surrey
- ACS Cobham International School · practice papers
- ACS Egham International School · practice papers
- How to prepare for the Caterham School 11+ · practice papers
- Charterhouse · practice papers
- City of London Freemen's School · practice papers
- How to prepare for the Cranleigh School 11+ · practice papers
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.