Dunottar School 11+ entry guide

About Dunottar School

Dunottar School is an independent day school for boys and girls aged 11–18. It’s a vibrant school located in Surrey. Dunottar is set in 15 acres of beautiful grounds, close to Reigate town centre.

The school calls its approach to learning Warrior Learning. This focuses on developing well-rounded young people. With this philosophy, the school fosters ‘an aspirational culture based on collaboration, creativity and tenacity.’ Being quite a small school, it offers personalised support to pupils.

Exam results are regularly high. The school is known for its academic ‘added value’. Dunottar describes its curriculum as ‘rich, varied and thought-provoking’. Alongside study, there are a wide variety of clubs available at the school. These include sports, art, music, robotics, Duke Of Edinburgh and even bee-keeping.

Excellent facilities are available at the school. Sports facilities, including a swimming pool, are accessible for both lessons and co-curricular activities. As Dunottar is located near to Reigate town centre, it’s easy to walk and cycle to. The school is served by school coaches and public transport.

Dunottar School 11+ entrance exam

All children applying for 11+ entry to Dunottar School take the CEM Select exam. This is a computer assessment designed by the Centre of Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM). Schools use the exam to get an idea of a child’s academic potential and ability.

The CEM Select exam has a time limit of one hour and is split into six sections. This is a non-adaptive test, so all children see the same questions in the same order. Question types include multiple-choice, drag and drop, and auto-complete.

The core sections in the test are comprehension, missing words, numerical ability and pictures. These sections are often supplemented with one or two more sections which test verbal reasoning.

• Comprehension: the reading comprehension section is one of the longest in the test. Your child will need to read a passage of fiction or non-fiction text, and answer questions to assess their understanding of the text and the extent of their vocabulary.

• Missing words: your child will see two passages of text, one after the other. Both contain missing words. They will need to work out the missing words in each passage.

• Numerical ability: this section of the test assesses your child’s maths skills and knowledge. These questions are aligned to the Key Stage 2 maths curriculum.

• Pictures: the pictures section assesses non-verbal reasoning. For each question, your child will need to choose a picture to complete a set.

In addition to the CEM test, applicants sit papers in English and maths. An assessment day is then held at the school, involving both individual and group activities. An interview also takes place.

Atom’s top tips for applying to Dunottar School

Dunottar 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 Dunottar School as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get CEM Select mock tests 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.