How to prepare for the Downside School 11+ exam

The exam at a glance

For 2028 entry, Downside School’s Year 7 assessment uses the school’s own process. ElevenReady’s verified information for this school says pupils sit a computer-based, timed paper covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, so preparation needs to be balanced across all four areas.

Downside’s own admissions information also says that Year 7 applicants are invited to an Assessment and Taster Day. During that process, pupils complete an online CAT assessment, and the Head meets each child. The school describes Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12 as its normal entry points.

In practice, that means families should prepare for two things at once:

a timed, computer-based test session, where children need to work accurately and at a sensible pace on screen;
an admissions day that is also designed to help the school get to know the child more broadly.

Because the assessment is sat on a computer, it is worth making screen-based practice part of your routine quite early. A child who is confident with the question types on paper can still lose time if they are not used to reading, selecting and moving through questions on screen.

What the day looks like, based on the school’s published admissions process, is likely to include the assessment itself, time in school as part of a taster experience, and a meeting with the Head. Downside also says that the CAT assessment and interview can be completed either on the initial visit or on a follow-up visit, which suggests some flexibility in how the admissions process is arranged for families.

Registration and key dates

Downside runs its own admissions process rather than using a local authority 11+ test portal. The school’s admissions process page asks families to arrange a visit and make contact with the admissions team, and its registration form is available through the school website.

For Year 7 entry, the school says registration is required at least 8 to 12 months before the intended start date. For children starting Year 7 in September 2028, that means families should not leave first contact until the last minute. A sensible approach is to begin the admissions conversation during Year 5 or very early in Year 6.

Downside’s published process for First Form entry says pupils are invited to an Assessment and Taster Day in January while they are in Year 6. The school also says the CAT assessment and interview may take place on the initial visit or on a follow-up visit.

We did not find a clearly published, school-specific closing date for 2028 entry on the pages reviewed, and we did not find a published date for when Year 7 decisions or results are issued. Parents should therefore check the school’s admissions page directly and, if needed, contact the admissions office for the current year’s timeline.

In practical terms, the registration process is likely to involve:

submitting an enquiry or registration form to the school;
arranging a visit or open event;
providing pupil details and previous school information;
attending the Assessment and Taster Day and interview stage.

For a school-specific overview page, see The Downside School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates). If you want reminders when the school updates dates, use Free email alerts for this school's key dates.

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

Downside is an independent school and, for Year 7 entry, there is no catchment area in the way parents might see with a state grammar school. The school’s admissions process is school-run.

The school says its normal points of entry are 11+ into the First Form, 13+ into the Third Form and 16+ into the Lower Sixth. For families targeting Year 7 entry, the relevant admissions route is the First Form process.

We did not find a published Year 7 intake number, a published number of places for the relevant entry year, or a published competition figure on the admissions pages reviewed. As an independent school, Downside focuses its published information more on the admissions journey, assessment and school fit than on a ranked selective cut-off system.

Parents should expect admission decisions to take account of the school’s assessment process as a whole, including the online assessment and the pupil meeting. If you need precise current entry numbers or any boarding/day place breakdown for the year you are applying, it is best to ask the admissions office directly.

A month-by-month preparation plan

Because Downside’s Year 7 process includes a timed, computer-based assessment across four subjects, the best plan is steady and calm rather than intense. For most Year 5 children, 2 to 3 hours a week in total is realistic at the start, rising gradually later. The aim is familiarity, confidence and consistency.

March to May in Year 5

Keep things light. Build core skills in arithmetic, reading comprehension, vocabulary, pattern spotting and short reasoning tasks. Two or three short sessions each week is enough at this stage.

Maths: secure number facts, written methods and multi-step word problems.
English: read widely, discuss vocabulary, and practise retrieving and inferring from short passages.
Verbal Reasoning: start gentle work on codes, sequences, word relationships and careful reading of instructions.
Non-Verbal Reasoning: introduce shape patterns, rotations, reflections and odd-one-out tasks.

June to July in Year 5

Increase to about 3 hours a week. Begin mixing subjects within the same week so your child gets used to switching between styles of thinking. Start some screen-based work if most of your practice so far has been on paper.

Teach method before speed.
Keep an error log: not just what went wrong, but why.
Use short timed drills, not full papers yet.

Summer holidays before Year 6

This is a good time to consolidate without making every week feel like school. Aim for 3 to 4 hours a week, spread across several shorter sessions. One longer session can be useful for stamina, but most children do better with shorter, focused work.

Build keyboard-and-screen confidence.
Do mixed practice across all four subjects.
Review mistakes carefully and reteach weak areas.

September in Year 6

This is when preparation should become more exam-shaped. Move to 4 hours a week if your child is coping well. Start doing properly timed sections so pace becomes familiar.

Practise reading instructions quickly and accurately.
Use short, timed sets before moving to longer mixed papers.
Keep one session each week untimed for teaching and repair.

October to November in Year 6

Now bring in fuller timed practice, especially mixed sets that mirror the need to change gears between subjects. For many children, this is the right point to start regular timed papers in earnest.

Work on finishing strongly under time pressure.
Refine guessing strategy only where appropriate: never random rushing, always sensible elimination.
Keep a calm routine: one or two timed sessions a week is usually plenty.

December in Year 6

Use this month to sharpen, not overload. Focus on confidence, sleep, routine and consistency. Revisit familiar question types rather than constantly adding new material.

January in Year 6

Downside says Year 7 applicants attend an Assessment and Taster Day in January. In the final run-up, reduce volume slightly and prioritise:

steady timed practice on screen;
accuracy in easy and medium questions;
calmness with unfamiliar items;
good sleep and ordinary family routines.

Subject by subject: what to practise

Maths

For Downside’s assessment, Maths preparation should focus on secure Key Stage 2 content delivered under time pressure. Children need to recognise the method quickly and carry it out accurately.

number operations and place value;
fractions, decimals and percentages;
ratio and proportion at an age-appropriate level;
word problems and choosing the right operation;
basic geometry, measures and data handling.

Good practice means mixing straightforward arithmetic with short problem-solving tasks. If your child makes errors, separate them into knowledge gaps and rushing mistakes; the fix is different for each.

English

English practice should cover both comprehension and written language control. Even where a paper is multiple-choice or short-response in style, children still need strong reading habits and a confident grasp of vocabulary.

retrieval from a passage;
inference and deducing meaning;
understanding tone and author choice;
vocabulary in context;
spelling, punctuation and grammar where relevant.

The best preparation is regular reading, discussion of meanings, and short comprehension tasks with careful review. Encourage your child to prove answers from the text rather than answering from general impression.

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning rewards careful reading as much as raw speed. Children should get used to recurring task types and learn to spot what each question is really asking before they start.

letter and number codes;
word relationships and analogies;
sequences;
finding patterns in language-based information;
following exact instructions without slipping on details.

Practise little and often. This is one of the easiest subjects to improve through familiarity with format. Build vocabulary steadily, because unknown words can slow children down even when the logic itself is manageable.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning is usually the most format-dependent area, so children benefit from seeing a wide spread of visual question types. Screen-based practice is especially useful here.

shape sequences;
rotations and reflections;
symmetry;
odd-one-out;
completing visual patterns and analogies.

Teach your child to look systematically: shape, position, size, shading, direction and number. Many mistakes happen because one feature is missed rather than because the child cannot do the question.

Practice papers and mock exams

Practice papers are most useful when they are used as a learning tool, not just a score generator. For Downside, make sure at least some of your practice is done on screen and under timed conditions, because that is a key part of the real experience.

Use this simple routine:

Do a short timed set or paper.
Mark it carefully.
Sort mistakes into topics, question types and timing issues.
Reteach weak areas.
Repeat later to check improvement.

Try not to begin with endless full papers. Early on, topic-based work is more efficient. Full timed papers are best introduced once your child already understands the main question types.

For school-specific resources, use these ElevenReady links:

If you book a mock exam elsewhere, choose one that reflects a computer-based, timed assessment and includes the same broad subject balance. The goal is not to frighten a child with a formal room, but to make the real day feel familiar.

On the day

The most helpful thing you can give your child on the day is a calm adult. Keep the morning ordinary and unhurried.

Check the time, route and parking arrangements the day before.
Make sure your child has had enough sleep.
Choose comfortable clothes that still feel smart enough for a school visit.
Have a simple breakfast they know suits them.
Avoid last-minute cramming in the car.

Because Downside’s process includes an Assessment and Taster Day and a meeting with the Head, remind your child that this is not only about a test score. The school is also seeing how they engage with the day.

Useful messages for children are simple:

read each question carefully;
keep moving if one item feels hard;
use all the time available;
be polite, friendly and yourself when meeting staff.

If your child is worried about the computer format, reassure them that the aim is not to be a technology expert. They just need enough familiarity to read comfortably on screen, select answers accurately and move through the test without fuss.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

Independent school admissions work differently from state grammar-school allocation. There is no local-authority National Offer Day place allocation for the school itself in the same way there would be for a maintained selective school. Instead, families normally hear directly from the school about the outcome of the admissions process.

For Downside, the published process indicates that the assessment, taster experience and pupil meeting are all part of Year 7 admissions. We did not find a published school page stating an exact results release date for Year 7 applicants, so parents should check directly with admissions for the current cycle.

If your child is offered a place, read the offer paperwork carefully and note any acceptance deadline, deposit arrangements or further steps. If your child is not offered a place, it is reasonable to ask the admissions team whether there is a waiting list and whether they can explain the next options.

Formal statutory school-admission appeals apply differently in the independent sector than in state school admissions, and we did not find a published Downside page setting out a Year 7 appeals procedure for unsuccessful applicants. If this matters to your family, ask the school directly how review, waiting list or complaint routes work in practice.

What has changed recently

We did not find a clearly announced recent change on the school pages reviewed to the Year 7 admissions structure, catchment policy or published timeline. The current admissions information reviewed continues to describe Year 7 as a normal point of entry and refers to the Assessment and Taster Day, online CAT assessment and pupil meeting.

ElevenReady’s verified information for 2028 entry confirms the current preparation focus for families: balanced practice across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with attention to a computer-based, timed format.

Frequently asked questions

Does Downside School have an 11+ catchment area?

No. Downside is an independent school and there is no catchment area listed for Year 7 entry.

What does Downside test for Year 7 entry?

For 2028 entry, ElevenReady’s verified information says the assessment covers Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning in a computer-based, timed format.

When should we register for Downside Year 7 entry?

Downside says registration is required at least 8 to 12 months before the intended start date. For September 2028 entry, families should start the process well before Year 6 is far advanced.

Is the Downside assessment on paper or on a computer?

It is computer-based for 2028 entry, so children should practise working accurately and calmly on screen.

Does Downside interview Year 7 applicants?

The school says the Head meets each pupil during the Assessment and Taster Day, and that the CAT assessment and interview can also take place on the initial visit or a follow-up visit.

Does Downside publish a pass mark for Year 7 entry?

We did not find a published pass mark or cut-off score on the school pages reviewed. Parents should check the admissions page or ask the school directly for the current year’s arrangements.

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Sources

Downside School Admissions Process: Downside runs its own admissions process; normal admission points are 11+, 13+ and 16+; for Year 7 registration is required at least 8 to 12 months ahead of the start date; pupils are invited to an Assessment and Taster Day in January while in Year 6; the CAT assessment and interview can be done on
Downside School Admissions: Admissions are handled by the school and families are directed to contact admissions and arrange a visit.

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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.