How to get into Alleyn’s School at 11 Plus

Introduction

Alleyn’s offers around 150 places at 11 Plus. Please be aware that many of these are given to students attending the Junior School, who sit the entrance exam as well. They typically make up one third of the cohort at 11+, with around two thirds joining at this point. In an average year this would mean that around 100 places are available to external candidates at 11+.

(NB – the school also has a smaller entrance point at 13+, with somewhere between ten and twenty places available each year).

Places are awarded on the basis of performance in an series of examinations in English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Examinations take place on one day in early January of Year 6 (the school year before admission), when students will be 10 or 11 years old.

Registration

The registration period usually open in early September, and parents must register their children by mid November of Year 6. For example, for entry in September 2017 parents were required to register their children by Friday, 18th November 2016. Alleyn’s does not allow for registration earlier than the year before entry at 11+, and the earliest date allowed is 1st September of the academic year before.

To register, parents must complete an application form, providing basic information such as name, date of birth, languages spoken by the student, nationality, any current connection with Alleyn’s, any scholarship or bursary applied for, details of the child’s present school and basic information on the parent(s).  A registration fee will be payable.

Forms must be returned to the school’s registrar via post, including a photocopy of the student’s birth certificate and one passport sized photo, affixed to the form.

At this point, Alleyn’s will request a report from the student’s current school, a separate letter explaining any relevant medical problems or learning difficulties (including students with statements of SEN), as well as any request for extra time in the entrance examinations. These requests must be be made with the inclusion of a written assessment of the student by an educational psychologist or similar. Any assessment of need must have happened within two years of the entrance test, and must be submitted before the application closing date.

Pre-testing

No pre-assessment or pre-testing is used by Alleyn’s at 11+. This means that all places are awarded via one set of entrance exams (see below for more information).

Examinations

Alleyn’s write their own entrance examinations in Maths and English, for which they helpfully provide practice papers (and in the case of the Maths, a syllabus as well). The school doesn’t provide past papers for Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, which is commonplace. In this case, we recommend using Bond books and GL-Assessment practice papers.  This GL Assessment introductory guide may also be helpful.

Examinations usually take place in early January. In 2020, they took place on 7th January.

Alleyn’s 11+ Sample Maths paper 1

Alleyn’s 11+ Sample Maths paper 2

Alleyn’s 11+ Sample English paper 1 

Alleyn’s 11+ Sample English paper 2

Although they aren’t exactly the same, parents wishing to give their child extra exam practice papers have two main routes: the practice papers written by the ISEB (purchasable from Galore Park’s website), and the free papers that we provide on our website.

Interviews

Students who do well on the examinations are invited back for an interview. This process happens quickly. In 2020 the entrance exam took place on 7th January, and interviewees were invited back on January 25th.

At 11+ the interview process is usually quite short. There is often a lot of fear around the interview process, but essentially, the school wants to know if your child is going to be happy and do well there. In the words of one of our top school entrance tutors:

“The interview is a conversation with a purpose, designed to establish whether the school will suit you and you will suit the school. Ask your child to think about why they want to go there, what the school can offer them and what they can offer the school. Can they play an instrument, act, contribute to term sports, play chess, instigate a new club? Tell them!”

Five helpful tips on how to help your child with their 11+ interview.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Alleyn’s offers both Scholarships and Bursaries at 11 Plus.

Scholarships

Academic scholarships are offered on the basis of performance on the school’s entrance test and, at 11 Plus, all candidates are automatically considered for scholarship. The maximum value of a scholarship is £5000 a year.  Two types of academic scholarship are available:

• Saddlers’ Scholarships – these are usually given to the 6 students entering Year 7 with the highest scores on the entrance exams.
• Academic scholarships – again these are given based on performance on the entrance exams, and are worth up to £5000 per year.

Music scholarships are available at 11+. They are worth up to £5000 per year, and also include free weekly instrument lessons. Students must sit a 30 minute audition on two instruments, and are expected to be at least at Grade V standard.

Sports scholarships are available at 11+. They are worth up to £5000 per year. Students must attend a separate assessment.

Art scholarships are available at 11+. They are worth up to £2000 per year. Students must attend a separate assessment.

Bursaries and exhibitions

Bursaries are offered under the usual circumstances, i.e. when parents cannot pay full fees. As usual, parents must complete a financial return, which is reviewed each year. Bursaries can be applied for through the regular application form.

The school offers two “exhibitions” alongside their range of scholarships.

Music exhibitions are available at 11+. They include free weekly instrument lessons. Students must sit a 30 minute audition on two instruments, and are expected to be at least at Grade V standard.

Sports exhibitions are available at 11+. They are worth up to £250 per year. Students must attend a separate assessment.

Further information on scholarships, bursaries and exhibitions can be found here.

Fees

Fees for the academic year 2019-2020 are £6,950 per term. This comes to £20,850 a year.