How to prepare for the King’s High School 11+

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 2028 entry to Year 7, King’s High School uses its own admissions process. The assessment day is described by the school as including an entrance assessment and an interview. the information in our directory (not yet verified with the school) for 2028 entry is that the testing format is a GL-style paper across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with a mixed delivery format.

In practical terms, parents should prepare for four areas:

Maths – secure Year 5 arithmetic and problem solving, with careful working and good time control.
English – reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, grammar and clear written expression.
Verbal Reasoning – language-based reasoning, patterning in words and letters, and precise following of instructions.
Non-Verbal Reasoning – visual pattern recognition, shapes, sequences, rotations and spatial logic.

The school says candidates for Year 7 sit assessments in English, mathematics and an online verbal and non-verbal reasoning test. That means families should be ready for a day that may include both paper-based and screen-based elements.

What does the day usually look like? While the school does not publish a minute-by-minute timetable on its public admissions page, families should expect a structured assessment session, some waiting around between parts, and an interview element. For a child, the most useful preparation is not just academic work but also getting used to changing pace between different types of task and staying calm after one section finishes.

Because this is an independent-school process rather than a local-authority selective test, parents should think of the assessment day as one part of the wider admissions picture. Academic preparation matters, but so do interview readiness, listening carefully, and showing thoughtful engagement with school life.

Registration and key dates

King’s High School runs its own Year 7 admissions process. The school’s admissions page explains that families apply directly to the school rather than through a grammar-school consortium.

For families targeting September 2028 entry, the school’s published pattern from recent admissions information is:

Applications usually close in September of the year before entry.
The entrance assessment day is held on a Saturday in October.
Offers are aimed to be made by the end of November.
Accepted applicants usually need to accept by a deadline in early March.
A Year 5 taster event is held every spring, which can be a helpful early introduction for families considering an application.

At the time of writing, we have not found a publicly published full set of 2028 entry dates on the school website, so parents should treat the timings above as the school’s usual pattern rather than confirmed dates for your child’s year. The safest approach is to check the school’s admissions page regularly and sign up for alerts.

When registration opens, expect the process to be through the school’s admissions route. Independent schools commonly ask for a completed application form and basic pupil details, and some also request a recent school report or a registration fee. However, only follow the requirements listed by King’s High School for your daughter’s entry year, as schools can alter paperwork and steps between cohorts.

Useful next steps:

Bookmark The King’s High School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates): /schools/kings-high-school
Set a reminder to check dates from spring onwards in Year 5 and again at the start of Year 6.
Sign up for Free email alerts for this school’s key dates: /school-alerts?school=kings-high-school

If the school publishes 2028 dates later, follow those rather than any previous-year pattern.

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

King’s High School is an independent girls’ school, so there is no catchment area in the way families might expect with a state grammar school. Applicants are considered through the school’s own admissions process rather than by distance-based eligibility.

The school describes Year 7 entry as including an entrance assessment day and an interview. That means admission is not based on one score alone in the way some grammar-school systems are. Families should be prepared for a more rounded process.

We have not found a current official published figure on the school’s public admissions pages for the exact number of Year 7 places available for 2028 entry, nor a published pass mark, cut-off score or distance rule. Independent schools do not always publish these in the same way as selective state schools. If the school releases more detail for your daughter’s cohort, use that guidance first.

In practical terms, this means:

Your daughter does not need to live in a particular area to apply.
Strong preparation should cover all four assessed areas, not just English and maths.
Interview readiness matters too: speaking clearly, thinking aloud sensibly and showing genuine interest in school life can all help a child present herself well.

If you are comparing King’s High with local grammar-school routes, be careful not to assume the rules are the same. For King’s High, always follow the school’s own admissions guidance.

A month-by-month preparation plan

The entrance assessment is usually held in October of Year 6, so the most sensible plan is to work back from that point. For most children, steady preparation over time works better than bursts of cramming.

January to March of Year 5

Keep things light: around 1 to 2 hours a week in total is enough for most children at this stage. Focus on reading every day, confident times tables, basic arithmetic fluency, and short reasoning tasks for fun. If possible, attend the school’s spring taster event to help your child picture the school positively.

April to June of Year 5

Increase gently to about 2 to 3 hours a week. Start introducing the four areas in rotation so nothing feels unfamiliar later. One week might include a maths session, a comprehension session and a short reasoning workbook session; the next might swap in vocabulary work and visual puzzles. The aim is breadth, not pressure.

Summer holiday before Year 6

This is a very useful period, but keep it manageable: roughly 3 hours a week, split into short sessions. Use the summer to spot weaknesses. If maths accuracy drops under time pressure, work on method and checking. If comprehension is slow, build reading stamina. If reasoning is new, learn the common task types gradually rather than rushing into full papers too soon.

September of Year 6

This is the point to become more exam-focused. Around 4 to 5 hours a week is realistic for many children, spread across the week. Begin timed practice now if you have not already. Do not make every session a full paper; a better balance is:

one timed section,
one careful review session,
one targeted skills session,
one lighter vocabulary or mental maths session.

Also start gentle interview preparation: speaking in full sentences, discussing books, explaining a maths method, and answering simple reflective questions without sounding rehearsed.

October of Year 6, just before the exam

In the final two to three weeks, keep work sharp but not exhausting. Focus on accuracy, instructions and pacing. Children often improve more from reviewing mistakes than from doing extra papers. In the last few days, reduce volume slightly so your daughter arrives fresh.

A useful rule throughout is little and often. Four calm sessions a week usually help more than one long weekend battle. If your child is becoming anxious, cut back and return to confidence-building work first.

Subject by subject: what to practise

Maths

For King’s High, maths preparation should be built around secure Key Stage 2 skills used accurately under time pressure. Practise arithmetic fluency first: the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio basics, place value, measures and straightforward geometry. Then add multi-step word problems, because strong candidates often lose marks not through lack of knowledge but by misreading what is being asked.

Good habits matter: writing clear workings, estimating before solving, and checking whether an answer is sensible. Short timed sections help children learn when to move on rather than getting stuck.

English

English practice should cover both reading and writing accuracy. For reading, focus on comprehension from varied fiction and non-fiction passages: retrieving information, inferring feelings, understanding vocabulary in context and spotting the writer’s purpose. For writing-related skills, work on spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence control.

Vocabulary building is especially useful. Encourage wide reading, talk about unfamiliar words, and keep a small vocabulary notebook. When children read, ask them to justify answers from the text rather than guessing from general impression.

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning rewards familiarity with task types as well as strong language skills. Children should practise word relationships, letter patterns, codes, sequences, classification, logical deductions and careful following of instructions. The biggest gains usually come from two things: secure vocabulary and not rushing.

Because this school’s process includes verbal reasoning alongside core subjects, do not leave it until the last minute. A short regular session each week is usually enough at first, building to timed sections in Year 6.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning is often the least familiar area, so early exposure helps. Practise shape sequences, odd-one-out tasks, mirror and rotational patterns, codes, nets and other visual logic tasks. Children improve when they learn to look systematically: first for shape change, then position, then shading, then number of elements.

If your daughter finds NVR difficult, break it down into one question family at a time. Once she understands the visual rules, accuracy usually improves quite quickly.

Across all four subjects, aim for balanced practice. Because King’s High assesses multiple areas, over-focusing on one strength can leave avoidable gaps elsewhere.

Practice papers and mock exams

Practice papers work best when they are used as a learning tool, not just a score-chasing exercise. Start with untimed or lightly timed work so your child learns each question type properly. Move to full timed sections only when she understands what to do.

A simple and effective routine is:

Do one short section under realistic timing.
Mark it carefully.
Review every error by type: misunderstanding, knowledge gap, careless slip or time pressure.
Redo a few similar questions a day or two later.

That review stage is where much of the progress happens. If a child repeatedly makes the same kind of mistake, pause papers and return to skills practice.

For school-specific preparation, use these resources:

Free King's High School practice papers (one per tested subject, with answers): /schools/kings-high-school-mock-tests
The King's High School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates): /schools/kings-high-school
Free email alerts for this school's key dates: /school-alerts?school=kings-high-school

If you use mock exams, choose them carefully. A good mock helps a child experience timing, moving between papers and recovering after a tricky section. It should not leave her feeling that one off-day defines her ability. One or two realistic mocks in the months before the assessment are usually enough for most children.

Finally, remember that this school also includes an interview element. Academic papers are important, but your daughter should also be comfortable greeting adults politely, listening carefully and answering simple questions in a natural way.

On the day

Keep the morning calm and predictable. Lay out clothes, stationery and travel plans the night before. If there is any online component, the school will manage that on site, so your child’s job is simply to listen carefully and follow instructions one step at a time.

Practical tips that really help:

Have a normal breakfast your child knows suits her.
Arrive in good time so there is no rushed start.
Remind her that some questions are meant to feel difficult.
If one section goes badly, treat it as finished and start the next one fresh.
Read instructions slowly at the start of each section.
Use every spare minute to check, but do not change answers without a clear reason.

For the interview side, the aim is not perfection. Your daughter does not need polished speeches. She simply needs to answer politely, think before she speaks and show her real interests. It can help to practise easy conversation beforehand: favourite books, activities she enjoys, what she likes learning at school, and how she approaches a challenge.

The tone you set matters. Children tend to borrow adult emotion, so quiet confidence from you is more useful than lots of last-minute reminders.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

For King’s High School, the school says Year 7 offers are aimed to be made by the end of November. For families who accept a place, the school’s usual pattern is that acceptance is needed by a deadline in early March.

Because this is an independent-school admissions process, it does not follow the exact same allocation system as state secondary applications through the local authority. Families should read the offer information from the school carefully, note any acceptance deadline, and keep track of any deposit or paperwork requirements listed for that year.

We have not found public official guidance on the school’s website setting out a detailed appeals process in the same style used by state schools. If your daughter is unsuccessful and you would like feedback on next steps, contact the school admissions team directly and ask what options are available, including whether there is a waiting list or any review route.

If your daughter receives an offer, it is worth responding promptly even if you are still considering other schools. Missing an independent-school acceptance deadline can create unnecessary stress later.

What has changed recently

From the official material we found, the clearest currently stated position is that King’s High School’s Year 7 process includes an interview and an entrance assessment day, with assessments in English, mathematics and an online verbal and non-verbal reasoning test. We did not find a newly announced public change within the last two years to the school’s catchment policy, number of places or the broad structure of Year 7 entry on the pages reviewed.

the information in our directory (not yet verified with the school) for 2028 entry is that preparation should be balanced across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with a mixed delivery format. If the school publishes any updated admissions booklet or key dates for 2028 entry, parents should follow that published version first.

Frequently asked questions

Does King’s High School have a catchment area?

No. It is an independent school, so there is no state-school style catchment rule for Year 7 entry.

What does King’s High School test for Year 7 entry?

For 2028 entry, the working assumption for this guide, not yet verified with the school, is preparation across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The school also says candidates sit assessments in English, mathematics and an online verbal and non-verbal reasoning test.

Is there an interview as well as an exam?

Yes. The school describes its Year 7 process as including both an entrance assessment day and an interview.

When is the King’s High School entrance exam usually held?

The school’s usual pattern is for the entrance assessment day to be held on a Saturday in October. Check the school’s admissions page for the confirmed date for your daughter’s year.

When do Year 7 offers usually come out?

The school says Year 7 offers are aimed to be made by the end of November. Always follow the date given for your specific entry year.

Does King’s High School publish a pass mark?

We have not found a published pass mark or cut-off score on the school’s public admissions information. If this matters for your child’s year, check directly with the school.

📄 Free King's High School practice papers Start free and track readiness for King's High School 🔔 Email me this school's key dates

Sources

King’s High School – How to Join King’s High School: The school runs its own admissions process; Year 7 admissions include an interview and an entrance assessment day; candidates sit assessments in English, mathematics and an online verbal and non-verbal reasoning test; the main deadline for Year 7 applications is usually in September of the year befo
King’s High School – Home: King’s High School is an independent girls’ school.

Preparing for other schools in Warwickshire

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.