Caterham School 11+ guide

Considering Caterham School for your child? We’ve collated everything you need to know about 11+ entry. Learn how to apply, what’s on the entrance exam, and how to help your child prepare for success.

Key information for Caterham School

• Address: Caterham School, Harestone Valley Road, Caterham, Surrey CR3 6YA
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 11–18
• Type of school: independent day and boarding
• Number of students: 950+
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• 11+ open days: September and October in Year 5 and Year 6
• 11+ selection criteria: ISEB Common Pre-Test, informal interview, assessment day (tests in maths, creative writing, critical thinking and problem-solving), school reference
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries, including for children of former pupils and children of United Reformed Church clergy
• 11+ scholarships: academic, art, chess, dance, drama, innovation and entrepreneurship, music, choral, sports

About Caterham School

Caterham School is a well-respected independent school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18. It was established in 1811, originally educating the sons of Congregationalist ministers. The school is set on 200 acres, where traditional architecture rubs shoulders with modern facilities. These include an outdoor learning centre, sports centre with indoor pool, a centre for performing arts and a digital innovation centre.

The Times Educational Supplement Awards named Caterham School 'Best Independent Senior Schoo'l in 2023. The school has also won many awards for its use of technology and students' wellbeing. These have been awarded by Apple, Ed Tech and the National Children's Bureau.

Caterham focuses on creating a supportive environment for all pupils. Students have weekly wellbeing lessons and are encouraged to get involved in the community. It also has a dedicated School Council, Digital Council and Study Buddy programmes. According to Tatler, Caterham is 'a school setting a brilliant pace'.

Dates for your diary

• Registration closes: November of Year 6
• ISEB Common Pre-Test: November and December in Year 6
• Interviews: November in Year 6
• Entrance exam: January in Year 6
• Additional assessment and experience day: January in Year 6
• Offers of places: February in Year 6

Caterham School 11+ entrance exam

ISEB Common Pre-Test

All children applying for 11+ entry to Caterham School sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test. This is an exam created by the Independent Schools Examination Board which is usually taken in the autumn term of Year 6.

The ISEB Common Pre-Test is taken online and consists of multiple choice questions. It is entirely adaptive, which means the questions become more difficult depending on how your child is performing. The questions span four subjects:

• Maths: questions are based on the Year 5 national curriculum – although children in Year 6 may find this section challenging. The questions range from arithmetic to multi-step problem solving.
• English: questions are split into two sections: reading comprehension, and spelling, punctuation and grammar.
• Verbal reasoning: your child will be tested on their ability to reason and solve problems with written information, such as letters, words, symbols and numbers.
• Non-verbal reasoning: these questions assess your child’s logic, critical thinking and problem-solving skills using figures and diagrams. They will need to show that they can analyse and manipulate 2D and 3D figures.

The ISEB Common Pre-Test takes around 2 and a half hours to complete. Your child can sit the four subjects together or at separate times. If they are taking all four subjects on the same day, they will be allowed a short break between each section.

EDGE Experience Day

Children are invited to attend the school's EDGE Experience Day in January in Year 6. This consists of a morning or an afternoon session.

Your child will take two further entrance assessments:

1. Maths
2. The school's own EDGE paper. This is formed of a writing task and critical thinking problems.

The experience day also consists of collaborative problem-solving activities, which are not assessed.

Interviews

Children applying to Caterham School are invited to an informal interview in November in Year 6. This is to allow the staff to get to know your child as an individual, and for your child to talk about their interests and passions.

Atom’s top tips for applying to Caterham School

Caterham School is a selective school, and 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 Caterham School as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get ISEB mock tests as part of their learning plan. Atom’s mock tests mirror the real ISEB – the curriculum, the timings, the controls and even the colours. 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.