Alleyn's School 11+ entry guide

Alleyn's School 11+ entrance exam

All children who are registered for 11+ entry to Alleyn's School take an entrance exam in January in Year 6.

Alleyn's School sets its own 11+ assessment. There are three papers: English, maths and reasoning.

English

The English paper is a creative writing task which lasts 40 minutes.

Your child will be asked to write a piece of narrative or descriptive writing in response to a stimulus – such as continuing a story from a passage. It’s recommended that your child spends 10 minutes reading the passage, and 25 minutes writing their response.

Marks will be awarded for:

• Detailed comprehension

• Clarity, fluency and accuracy of writing

• Imaginative and linguistic flair

Reading a wide range of fiction is a great way to prepare for this exam.

Maths

The maths paper lasts 30 minutes. Questions are based on topics your child will have learned in Key Stage 2 maths at school – specifically number and algebra, shape, space and measures, and handling data. However, the questions might be more challenging than your child is used to. They will need to know how to apply the knowledge they have learned to solve mathematical problems.

The format of the questions is mixed. Some questions might be multiple-choice, while others require free responses.

Reasoning

The final paper tests three different types of reasoning. This paper is provided by GL Assessment. Many grammar schools use GL Assessment for their 11 plus exams.

The types of reasoning are verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning.

• Verbal reasoning: this involves reasoning with written information, such as letters and words. Questions look at how words are created and used, and the relationship between words.

• Non-verbal reasoning tests reasoning with abstract figures, such as shapes and pictures. Your child will be assessed on their ability to find relationships between shapes and sequences of shapes. They might need to spot common features from one set of shapes and apply them to a new shape.

• Spatial reasoning is similar to non-verbal reasoning, but this specifically looks at how well your child can manipulate shapes in their mind.

All of the questions in the reasoning paper are multiple-choice. Your child will have pre-printed answer sheets to mark.

Children who reach an acceptable standard in the entrance exam are shortlisted for the Alleyn’s interview day. This consists of small group activities and a one-to-one interview. Your child will be asked about their interests in school and in their day-to-day life. Learn top tips and get a downloadable resource to help your child prepare in our guide to independent school interviews.

Atom’s top tips for applying to Alleyn's School

Alleyn's School is a very popular selective school in south London, so competition for places can be high. Here are our top tips to help your child prepare for the selection process.

Bitesize learning

It’s important to build a good knowledge base before school entrance exams. Your child should have a good understanding of the content they’ve been taught at school before testing their knowledge with practice tests.

Using a ‘little and often’ approach when learning is key – our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. For children aged 10–11, child psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20–30 minutes.

With Atom Home, you don’t need to worry about creating a study schedule. When you enter your target schools, you’ll get a bespoke learning plan tailored to your schools’ entrance exams. Know exactly what your child needs to do each week to confidently pass.

Read widely

Entrance exams test children’s ability to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to help your child build these skills.

Encourage them to read books from different genres and by a diverse range of authors. Increasing the variety of your child’s reading will help them understand different styles, tones and purposes. Meanwhile, reading a little every day will help widen their vocabulary, sharpen their analytical thinking, and enhance their imagination.

Looking for reading inspiration? Check out our Key Stage 2 reading list.

Hone curiosity

Selective schools are often looking for children who are interested in learning. You can help by supporting your child’s broader learning, their intellectual curiosity, and their passion for developing an understanding of the world.

Talk to your child about the world we live in and inspire an interest in current affairs with age-appropriate journalism. It’s also a good idea to make sure they’re benefitting from a rich variety of experiences, such as visiting libraries, museums and galleries.

Refine exam technique

When your child feels confident with their knowledge of the exam topics, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.

Mock tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and refine exam technique. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning, while highlighting any knowledge gaps they might want to tackle before exam day.

When you set Alleyn's School as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get tailored mock tests for Alleyn's School as part of their learning plan. Know what to expect on exam day.

Celebrate progress

Setting regular, achievable goals and celebrating your child’s progress – no matter how big or small – will help keep their motivation high.

Make sure to encourage a growth mindset. This means celebrating effort, as well as achievement! When your child makes mistakes or struggles to understand a particular topic, help them understand that they’ll improve through practice. Regular praise will help your child improve their resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.