How to prepare for the King of Kings 11+ exam

The exam at a glance

King of Kings is an independent school and, for 2028 entry, ElevenReady’s verified information is that the school uses its own assessment. At the time of writing, the school does not appear to publish a detailed 11+ test specification covering format, subjects, timing or delivery for Year 7 entry.

That means parents should work on the basis that the school sets its own admissions assessment and check the school’s admissions page directly for the latest arrangements. The school’s published admissions information says applicants are invited to attend an entrance examination and interview once the application form has been returned, but it does not set out the paper structure on the public admissions page.

In practical terms, the day is likely to involve some combination of an assessment and a meeting with the school, because that is what the admissions page describes in broad terms. However, unless the school publishes more detail, it is best not to assume a particular test style or list subjects that have not been officially confirmed.

Exam board: school’s own paper
Format: not publicly confirmed on the admissions page
Subjects: not publicly confirmed on the admissions page
Delivery: not publicly confirmed on the admissions page
What the school does confirm: an entrance examination and interview form part of admissions

For the most up-to-date summary in one place, parents can also keep an eye on The King of Kings 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates).

Registration and key dates

King of Kings appears to run its own admissions process rather than using a local-authority selective testing system. The school’s admissions page says parents should complete the school’s application form and return it to the school office. It also says applications should normally include the child’s birth certificate, the child’s most recent school report and the child’s latest school photograph.

After the form is returned, the school says applicants are invited for an entrance examination and interview, and then informed of the result. The same page also says the school does not normally process applications during holidays, which is useful to bear in mind if you are hoping for a quick response.

For 2028 entry, I could not find a publicly published deadline, test date or results date on the school’s admissions pages. Because those dates are not currently published in the sources reviewed, parents should contact the school directly and check the admissions page regularly.

Who runs registration? The school
How to apply? Complete the school’s application form and return it to the school office
Documents listed by the school: birth certificate, latest school report, latest school photograph
Published deadline for 2028 entry: not found in the school’s public admissions information
Published exam date for 2028 entry: not found in the school’s public admissions information
Published results date for 2028 entry: not found in the school’s public admissions information
Important note from the school: applications are not normally processed during holidays

If you want reminders as soon as dates appear, sign up for Free email alerts for this school's key dates.

Because no official 2028 testing timetable is currently published, a sensible approach is to contact the school during Year 5 or early Year 6, ask when Year 7 applications usually open, and confirm whether there is a fixed assessment day or individual assessment appointments.

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

King of Kings says it welcomes children from various backgrounds and from all around Manchester. In other words, there is no published catchment restriction in the usual grammar-school sense on the admissions information reviewed.

This is an independent school, so the process is separate from local-authority 11+ admissions. The school’s public admissions information focuses on the application form, entrance examination, interview and the school’s Christian ethos rather than on a residence-based priority area.

The school’s website says it caters for children aged 3 to 12. It also states that it does not normally take new students above age 12. For families considering Year 7 entry, that makes it especially important to check directly with the school that a place is available in the relevant year group and that the admissions route is open for your child’s age.

The published fees page for 2025–2026 gives the annual fee as £5,000, payable in ten monthly payments of £500. As with any independent school, parents should confirm the current fee level for the year of entry, because fees can change.

Catchment: none published; the school says it accepts children from all around Manchester
Type of admissions process: school-run independent-school admissions
Age range stated by the school: 3 to 12
New pupils above age 12: not normally admitted, according to the school
Published fee example: £5,000 per academic year for 2025–2026, in ten monthly instalments of £500

I could not find a published number of Year 7 places or any published data on competition levels in the sources reviewed. If those details matter for your planning, ask the school directly when you enquire.

A month-by-month preparation plan

Because King of Kings does not currently publish a detailed public test specification, preparation should be steady, flexible and broad rather than narrowly coached to a guessed paper style. For a child aiming for an autumn assessment in Year 6, the most useful plan is to build strong core skills through Year 5 and then increase familiarity with school-set assessments during Year 6.

January to March of Year 5

Keep preparation light: around 1 to 2 hours a week is usually enough.
Focus on secure basics in reading, comprehension, spelling, vocabulary and maths fluency.
Read widely every week: fiction, non-fiction and short articles.
Build habits rather than intensity: neat working, careful checking and listening to instructions.

April to June of Year 5

Increase to around 2 hours a week.
Add short written tasks: summaries, comprehension answers and problem-solving explanations.
Practise mental arithmetic and times tables until recall is quick and calm.
Begin occasional unfamiliar tasks so your child gets used to thinking independently.

July to August before Year 6

Aim for 2 to 3 hours a week, but keep summer work manageable.
Use short sessions rather than long ones.
Revise core maths methods, reading accuracy and written expression.
If the school has still not published test details, avoid over-specialising. Broad academic confidence is more useful than drilling one assumed format.

September of Year 6

Move to around 3 hours a week.
Start timed practice only in short bursts: for example, 10 to 15 minute sections.
Practise following instructions exactly and checking work under mild time pressure.
Contact the school if you have not yet confirmed the admissions timetable.

October of Year 6

If the assessment falls in autumn, this is the point to focus on confidence and routine rather than cramming.
Use one or two mixed practice sessions each week, plus reading and arithmetic review.
Make sure your child has practised sitting still, listening carefully and moving on when stuck.

When to start timed papers

For a school-set assessment with no full public specification, it is usually sensible to begin light timed work in the first half of Year 6, not much earlier. Earlier than that, most children benefit more from untimed skill-building and wider reading.

A good rule of thumb

Year 5: build underlying literacy, numeracy and confidence
Summer before Year 6: consolidate and gently stretch
Early Year 6: add timing, routine and interview-style confidence if needed

Subject by subject: what to practise

At present, the school’s public admissions information does not confirm which subjects are tested in the entrance examination. For that reason, the safest preparation is to cover the core areas most commonly expected at secondary-entry assessment level and to confirm the actual content with the school as soon as possible.

English

Build strong reading comprehension, vocabulary and clear written expression. A child preparing for an independent-school assessment should be comfortable reading short passages, explaining meaning, finding evidence and writing in full sentences. Practical preparation includes regular reading, discussing texts aloud, learning to summarise accurately and writing short responses that answer the question directly.

Also work on spelling, punctuation and grammar in context. Rather than isolated drills alone, ask your child to edit a short paragraph, improve a sentence or explain why an answer makes sense.

Mathematics

Keep arithmetic fluent and methods secure. That includes place value, the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, basic ratio ideas, measures and word problems at an age-appropriate level. Many school-set assessments reward children who can choose the right method and set out their working clearly.

Useful practice includes mixed maths review, mental calculation, multi-step word problems and checking whether an answer is sensible. Encourage calm presentation and a habit of returning to skipped questions.

Reasoning or problem solving

The school has not publicly confirmed whether reasoning is tested, so do not assume a particular verbal, non-verbal or mixed format. Even so, broad problem-solving practice can still help. This means spotting patterns, classifying information, thinking logically and explaining how an answer was found.

If you use reasoning materials, treat them as confidence-building extension work rather than as proof of the school’s exact paper style.

Writing and interview readiness

Because the admissions page mentions an interview as part of the process, it is worth preparing your child to speak politely and naturally about themselves, their interests, reading and school life. Keep this low-pressure. The aim is not polished performance but confidence, listening and honest conversation.

For writing, practise planning briefly before starting, keeping handwriting legible and checking basic punctuation at the end.

Practice papers and mock exams

When a school does not publish a detailed paper specification, practice papers should be used carefully. Their job is to improve confidence, stamina and familiar routines, not to second-guess the exact test.

Use practice little and often rather than in long, stressful blocks.
Mark work carefully and talk about why mistakes happened.
Keep an error log: rushing, misreading, weak vocabulary, forgotten method, poor checking.
Repeat similar question types after a few days so improvements stick.
Mix timed and untimed practice. Untimed work builds skill; timed work builds control.

If the school later publishes confirmed subjects, you can then narrow your preparation and choose more targeted materials. Until then, broad English and maths practice is the most sensible route.

Useful links:

If you use a mock exam elsewhere, frame it as practice in being organised, focused and resilient. One mock should not dominate the whole preparation process, especially when the school’s own assessment format is not fully published.

On the day

Keep the morning simple. Lay out clothes, stationery and directions the night before, and allow extra travel time so your child does not arrive flustered.

Have a normal breakfast and avoid last-minute cramming.
Bring any documents the school has asked for.
Remind your child to listen carefully to instructions before starting.
If they get stuck, they should stay calm, move on and come back if there is time.
Encourage neat working and a final check for missed questions or obvious mistakes.

If there is an interview, the best approach is warmth and honesty. Your child does not need rehearsed speeches. A clear voice, good manners and thoughtful answers are enough.

Afterwards, try not to analyse every detail on the journey home. A calm, ordinary rest of the day usually helps more than a post-mortem.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

The school’s admissions page says that after the entrance examination and interview, applicants are informed whether they have been successful. However, I could not find a published results timetable for Year 7 entry in the sources reviewed.

Because this is an independent-school process, allocation does not follow the local-authority National Offer Day system used for state secondary admissions. Instead, parents should follow the school’s instructions about offers, acceptance deadlines and any deposits or further paperwork.

If your child is not offered a place, ask the school politely whether there is a waiting list and whether any feedback can be given on the decision. Independent schools do not all use the same review or appeal arrangements, so it is worth asking the school directly what process applies.

If you also plan to apply to state schools, keep those deadlines separate in your diary. Independent-school admissions and local-authority secondary applications often run alongside each other but are not the same process.

What has changed recently

In the sources reviewed, I did not find a recent officially announced change to the Year 7 entrance assessment format, catchment, place numbers or admissions timetable for King of Kings. If the school publishes an updated admissions policy or assessment note for 2028 entry, that will be the best source to check first.

One practical point currently stated by the school is that it does not normally process applications during holidays, so families should allow for that when planning enquiries and submissions.

Frequently asked questions

Does King of Kings have an 11+ exam?

The school’s admissions page says applicants are invited to an entrance examination and interview after submitting the application form. It does not currently publish a detailed public specification for the test.

What subjects are in the King of Kings entrance exam?

I could not find officially published subject details on the school’s admissions page. For now, prepare broadly in English and maths and ask the school to confirm the current assessment content.

Is there a catchment area for King of Kings?

The school says it welcomes children from various backgrounds from all around Manchester, so there is no published catchment restriction in the usual grammar-school sense.

How do I apply to King of Kings for Year 7?

The school says parents should complete its application form and return it to the school office. The admissions page also lists a birth certificate, latest school report and latest school photograph as supporting documents.

When is the King of Kings entrance exam for 2028 entry?

I could not find a published exam date for 2028 entry in the sources reviewed. Check the school’s admissions page and contact the school directly for the current timetable.

How much are the fees at King of Kings?

The school’s fees page lists £5,000 per academic year for 2025–2026, payable in ten monthly payments of £500. Parents should confirm the fee for the actual year of entry.

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Sources

King of Kings School – About Admissions: The school runs its own admissions process; parents complete the school application form; applications should include a birth certificate, most recent school report and latest school photograph; after the form is returned applicants are invited to an entrance examination and interview; applicants ar
King of Kings School – Home page: The school is based at St. Luke’s Parish Hall, Derby Rd, Salford, M6 5YD; the school says it welcomes children from various backgrounds from all around Manchester; the school caters for children aged 3 to 12; it does not normally take new students above age 12.

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Written by ElevenReady from the school's published information and reviewed by a person before publishing. Last reviewed 20 October 2026. Exam arrangements change. Check the school's admissions page for the current year.