How to prepare for the Westminster School 11+

The exam at a glance

For children hoping to start Year 7 at Westminster Under School in September 2028, the first stage is the ISEB Common Pre-Test. For this entry point, Westminster uses an online, computer-based assessment covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

This matters for preparation because the Pre-Test is not a traditional paper you can slowly work through. It is adaptive, which means the level of difficulty changes according to a child’s responses, and it is tightly timed. In practice, children need to work with good pace as well as accuracy, and they need to feel comfortable reading and answering questions on screen.

Westminster’s 11+ process does not stop with the online test. The school says that selected children are invited back in January for written papers in Mathematics and English, followed by interviews in February. So the first stage is the online ISEB assessment, but families should prepare with the later stages in mind too.

Broadly, the journey looks like this:

register with Westminster for 11+ entry;
sit the online ISEB Common Pre-Test in November of Year 6;
if shortlisted, return in January for written Maths and English papers;
if invited further, attend an interview in February;
receive the school’s decision after the assessment process.

Because the first stage is adaptive, parents should avoid obsessing over getting every practice question right. Better goals are steady concentration, quick comprehension, secure arithmetic, fluent reading and calm decision-making under time pressure.

Registration and key dates

For 2028 entry, Westminster states that registration is open. The school’s admissions page says registration for 11+ entry opened on 1 September 2026 and closes on 30 September 2027. Registration is handled by the school, not by a local authority or a consortium.

Parents should start with Westminster’s own 11+ admissions page and registration route. The school also publishes an Information Booklet for applicants, and says that the precise assessment and interview dates for entry the following September are published by the end of March each year. If you are applying for 2028 entry, it is sensible to check that booklet as soon as the new version appears.

Based on Westminster’s published admissions information for this entry route, the usual pattern is:

Registration opens: 1 September 2026 for 2028 entry
Registration deadline: 30 September 2027
Online entrance assessments: in November of Year 6
Further written papers for selected children: January
Interviews for selected children: February
Offer acceptance deadline: usually early March
Open mornings: usually in May and September for the following year’s entry

As with many independent schools, Westminster may ask for standard registration details and supporting information through its own admissions system. Check the current registration form carefully for any document requirements, and do not assume they will be identical from one cycle to the next.

If you want a quick overview alongside the school’s own page, see The Westminster School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates). For reminders, you can also sign up for Free email alerts for this school's key dates.

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

Westminster Under School offers a significant external intake at 11+. For September 2028 entry, the verified intake is approximately 40 places into Year 7.

A particularly important point for families is that children admitted at 11+ to Westminster Under School have, according to the school’s admissions information, secured entry through to Westminster School in Year 9 without further entry testing. That makes the 11+ route especially attractive for families looking at the longer senior-school pathway.

Westminster is an independent school, so the process is separate from local-authority grammar school admissions. Parents still need to keep the school’s own deadlines carefully, because missing the registration deadline can mean missing the assessment round.

On catchment, Westminster’s published 11+ information does not present the kind of state-school catchment map or priority distance often seen for grammar schools. We have not found an official published catchment rule for this 11+ route in the sources reviewed, so parents should rely on the school’s admissions page and current booklet rather than assuming there is a fixed geographic priority area.

Competition is likely to be strong, but Westminster does not publish a simple pass mark for the ISEB stage on the pages reviewed. As with most selective independent schools, outcomes depend on overall performance through the school’s assessment process rather than one publicly stated threshold.

A month-by-month preparation plan

The online assessment is in November of Year 6, so a calm, steady plan through Year 5 and the start of Year 6 works best. For most children, consistency matters more than very long sessions.

January to March of Year 5

Keep it light. Aim for about 1 to 2 hours a week in short sessions. Focus on core habits: reading every day, secure times tables, mental arithmetic, spelling patterns, vocabulary and careful comprehension.

Read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction.
Revisit number facts until recall is quick.
Introduce gentle verbal and non-verbal reasoning tasks as puzzles, not as high-pressure drills.
If your child is not used to working on a screen, start with occasional online practice.

April to June of Year 5

Increase to around 2 to 3 hours a week. This is a good time to map out strengths and weaker areas.

Build arithmetic speed alongside written method accuracy.
Practise short comprehension tasks with discussion about evidence in the text.
Add regular reasoning practice so question types become familiar.
Begin small timed bursts: for example, a few minutes on quick maths or a short reasoning set.

July and August before Year 6

Summer is useful, but keep it balanced. Around 2 to 4 hours a week is usually enough for most children.

Do not turn the holiday into a full school timetable.
Use one or two sessions each week for focused practice.
Strengthen weaker topics, especially arithmetic fluency and reading speed.
Start occasional mixed online sets so switching between subject styles feels normal.

September of Year 6

Now preparation becomes more exam-specific. Aim for 3 to 4 hours a week.

Make sure registration is complete well before the deadline.
Use timed online practice in all four tested subjects.
Track accuracy, but also note where time is being lost.
Teach your child how to move on sensibly from a difficult question instead of getting stuck.

October of Year 6

This is the month to rehearse the format properly. Around 4 hours a week is realistic for many families, split across several shorter sessions.

Use mixed practice that mirrors the need to switch quickly between skills.
Keep some untimed learning in the plan so weak areas can still improve.
Practise screen-based concentration: sitting comfortably, reading carefully and clicking confidently.
Run a few full or near-full timed sessions, then review mistakes calmly.

November of Year 6

In the run-up to the test, reduce volume slightly and focus on confidence. A tired child rarely performs at their best.

Use short refreshers rather than heavy last-minute cramming.
Revisit familiar question types and core maths facts.
Keep sleep, routine and school attendance steady.
Remind your child that the adaptive format is designed to stretch everyone, so some hard questions are normal.

If your child is shortlisted after the online stage, switch the focus in December and early January towards written Maths and English. That means more extended written working in maths, clear presentation, and short pieces of precise, thoughtful English writing as well as comprehension.

Subject by subject: what to practise

Maths

For the ISEB Common Pre-Test, maths preparation should centre on secure Key Stage 2 number work and the ability to answer straightforward questions quickly. Children need fast recall of number bonds, times tables and common written methods, but they also need to stay accurate under time pressure.

Practise arithmetic fluency daily in short bursts.
Revisit fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio basics, measures and simple geometry.
Use mixed sets so your child has to decide which method to use.
Include timed online work, because clicking through questions efficiently is part of the challenge.

For Westminster specifically, remember that selected children later sit a written Mathematics paper in January, so do not neglect setting out working clearly on paper.

English

English preparation should cover both reading and language skills. For online pre-test practice, children should get used to reading passages carefully, spotting evidence quickly and understanding vocabulary from context.

Read daily and discuss meaning, tone and inference.
Build vocabulary steadily rather than cramming word lists.
Practise comprehension that asks for precise reading, not guesswork.
Keep spelling, punctuation and grammar ticking over in short weekly sessions.

Because Westminster also invites selected children back for a written English paper, it is worth including some written responses, summary writing and well-structured paragraphs in your wider preparation.

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal reasoning rewards familiarity. Children improve most when they learn to recognise recurring task types quickly and apply a method calmly.

Work on synonyms, antonyms and broad vocabulary knowledge.
Practise letter and number codes, sequences, word relationships and pattern-based language tasks.
Teach your child to identify the task type first before solving it.
Use short timed sets to build pace without exhausting concentration.

Accuracy matters, but so does the ability to recover quickly after one tricky question. Encourage your child not to dwell on a single item for too long.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Non-verbal reasoning tends to become much easier once children have seen the main pattern families often enough. The goal is not artistic flair but careful visual analysis.

Practise shape sequences, rotations, reflections, codes and spatial patterns.
Train your child to scan for one change at a time: shape, position, shading, size or direction.
Use online formats as well as paper practice so the screen element feels familiar.
Keep sessions short and regular; this subject often responds well to little-and-often practice.

When reviewing errors, ask what rule was missed? rather than simply marking an answer wrong. That helps children become methodical and confident.

Practice papers and mock exams

Practice papers are most useful when they are used as a feedback tool, not just a score generator. Start untimed when a question type is new, then add timing once your child understands the method. For an adaptive test like the ISEB Common Pre-Test, it is especially important to balance fluency with accuracy.

A sensible pattern is:

learn the question type slowly;
practise a short set untimed;
repeat in a timed burst;
review every mistake and classify it: knowledge gap, misread question, rushed click, or running out of time;
return to that weakness a few days later.

Mock exams can be helpful if your child needs experience of working under realistic pressure, using a screen, or settling nerves in an unfamiliar setting. They are less helpful if taken too often or too early. One or two well-timed mocks are usually enough for most children.

Use these ElevenReady resources as part of your plan:

One final point: because Westminster’s process continues beyond the online pre-test for shortlisted applicants, do not make every practice session multiple choice on a screen. Keep some written maths and written English in the mix so the January stage does not come as a surprise.

On the day

Children usually do best when the practical side feels predictable. The aim is not to create a big performance atmosphere, but to make the day feel orderly and calm.

Check the school’s instructions carefully in advance, including arrival time and any ID or confirmation details.
Make sure your child has had enough sleep for several nights beforehand, not just the night before.
Keep breakfast familiar.
Leave plenty of travel time so there is no sense of rushing.
Remind your child that in an adaptive test, some questions are meant to feel hard. That is normal, not a sign that they are doing badly.
Encourage them to read carefully, answer decisively and move on if stuck.
Avoid last-minute tutoring in the car or at the gate; a calm conversation is more useful.

What children need most from parents on the day is steadiness. Try to keep your language simple: do your best, listen carefully, keep going, and let one difficult question go.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

After the online entrance assessment in November, Westminster reviews performance and invites selected children to the next stage: written Mathematics and English papers in January, followed by interviews in February. This means families should be ready for a staged process rather than expecting a single immediate final result after the pre-test.

The school states that the detailed assessment and interview dates for the relevant entry year are published in its Information Booklet by the end of March each year. The offer acceptance deadline is usually in early March.

Because Westminster is an independent school, the process is not the same as National Offer Day for state secondary admissions. Offers, acceptances and any waiting-list movement are handled through the school’s own admissions process.

On appeals: the formal statutory appeal system used for state schools does not operate in the same way for independent schools. If you have questions about feedback, waiting lists or the school’s process after decisions are released, the right step is to contact Westminster admissions directly and follow the guidance in the school’s own admissions materials.

What has changed recently

For 2028 entry, Westminster’s published admissions information confirms that 11+ registration is now open and that the route uses online entrance assessments in November of Year 6, followed by January written papers and February interviews for selected children. In the sources reviewed, we did not find a separate public announcement of a change of exam board or a newly introduced catchment rule within the last two years.

Parents should still check the latest annual Information Booklet when it is released, because Westminster says the specific assessment and interview dates for the next cycle are published there by the end of March each year.

Frequently asked questions

What exam does Westminster use for 11+ entry in 2028?

For 2028 entry, the first stage is the ISEB Common Pre-Test: an online assessment covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Is Westminster School 11+ a paper exam or computer test?

The first-stage assessment is computer-based. Selected children then return later for written Maths and English papers.

When is the Westminster 11+ exam?

Westminster says the online entrance assessments take place in November of Year 6. Exact dates for the cycle are published in the school’s Information Booklet by the end of March each year.

How many places are there at Westminster 11+?

Approximately 40 boys and girls join at 11+ each year.

Does Westminster have a catchment area for 11+?

We did not find an official published catchment rule on the sources reviewed. Check the school’s current admissions page and booklet for the latest position.

What happens after the ISEB Pre-Test?

Selected children are invited back in January for written papers in Mathematics and English, and then in February for interviews.

Do children who join Westminster Under School at 11+ have to sit another entrance exam for Year 9?

No. Westminster states that pupils admitted at 11+ have secured entry to Westminster School in Year 9 without further entry testing.

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Sources

Westminster School admissions: 11+ entry to Westminster: Registration opens on 1 September 2026; registration deadline is 30 September 2027; 11+ entry in 2028 is open; online entrance assessments are in November of Year 6; selected children return in January for written papers in Mathematics and English; selected children return in February for interviews
Westminster School admissions: 11+ entry is handled by the school through its own admissions process rather than a local authority.
Westminster School official website: School identity and official admissions source for Westminster.
ISEB Common Pre-Tests: The ISEB Common Pre-Test is an online assessment used for school admissions and is adaptive in format.

Preparing for other schools in Westminster

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.