Epsom College: 11 plus entry guide

About Epsom College

Epsom College is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 11–18 in Epsom, Surrey. It was awarded the title 'Independent School of the Year' in 2022.

The school, originally named the Medical Benevolent College, was founded by Dr John Propert in 1855 to house, feed and educate the widows and orphans of medical men. While the school was renamed Epsom College in 1910, medical benevolence is still at the heart of its ethos. The school’s independent charity, The Royal Medical Foundation, provides pensions for retired doctors and their families who are in financial hardship – as well as one-off grants to assist with school fees.

Pupils at Epsom College study a broad curriculum from Year 7. In addition to traditional subjects, all children study at least two modern languages (choosing from French, German, Mandarin, and Spanish), computer science, STEM (as a separate subject) and Trivium (the art of reading, researching, public speaking, and debating). Over the past five years, around 10% of students have been offered places at Oxbridge, 77% for Russell Group universities, 8% for US universities, and 5% for other international universities including UHK and Sorbonne.

The school is consistently praised for its pastoral care. In addition to receiving a Student Wellbeing Award in 2022, the school was awarded ‘Gold’ by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools – one of only four boarding schools to be awarded the highest prize. The award recognises Epsom’s holistic approach to mental health and wellbeing in the community and beyond, and youth empowerment in mental health.

Private schools in Surrey

• Headteacher: Sir Anthony Seldon

• Address: Epsom College, College Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 4JQ

• County: Surrey

• Age range and gender: 11–18, co-educational

• Number of pupils: 1,000+

• National league table rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 134

• A level results: 85.4% A*–B

• GCSE results: 74.5% 9–7

Key info for Year 7 admissions

• Admissions contact: Mrs Cathy Kent – [email protected], 01372 821234

• Open day: 24th June and 30th September 2023. See the school website for details

• Overview of selection procedure: interview, assessment and school reference

• Registration closes: 31st October 2023

• Assessment date: 3rd–5th January 2024

Epsom College admissions process

If you're considering Epsom College for your child, it's a good idea to visit the school first to make sure that it's the right fit for them. Open events at Epsom College include a tour with a current pupil, showcases from academic departments, a visit to the Lower School, an address from the headteacher, and a visit to the day and boarding houses.

1. Register for Year 7 entry

The Year 7 registration form for Epsom College is available to download from the school website. You will need to complete and return this form by 31st October 2023 (to be considered for Year 7 entry in 2024). A registration fee applies and costs £150 for UK applicants, or £300 for overseas applicants.

2. Interview

All children who have been registered will then be invited to a short 15-minute interview at the school. This is a two-way process; the school will use the opportunity to find out more about your child, their interests and personality, while it will help your child to become familiar with the school and staff ahead of the entrance exam.

Find out more about what to expect in our guide to private school interviews.

3. Entrance exam

Your child will be invited to either a morning or afternoon assessment session at Epsom College between the 3rd and 5th January 2024.

We've included more details about the content of the exam below.

4. Offers

Offers will be based on your child's performance in the entrance exam, how they came across in the interview, and a reference from their current school. Epsom College will also consider the make-up of the whole year group to ensure that there's a good balance of personalities, interests and talents.

You will receive a letter with the outcome of your child's application in mid-February in Year 6. If your child is offered a place, you will have one month to decide whether to accept.

How to prepare for entry to Epsom College

Here are some top tips on how to best prepare your child for Year 7 entry to Epsom College.

Preparation is key: familiarisation with the question formats and known styles ahead of the exam is essential. Access to quality 11 plus mock tests that match the assessments set by Epsom College ensures confidence when tackling the exam.

Achieve mastery quickly: Epsom College assesses a huge amount of content in the entrance exam. Atom's adaptive algorithm creates your child's personalised learning journey specific to your target schools, with over 90,000 expert, teacher-created resources to support your child to fully master each topic.

Access to instant support: learners need clarification to address any misconceptions and become truly secure in their understanding of a topic. Access to videos, help sheets and engaging examples for each question builds confidence and competence in all areas covered in the exam.

Engage with their progress: celebrate their improvements in their areas of challenge together! An accurate, ongoing assessment of your child’s strengths and development areas is instrumental for preparing efficiently. Atom's Parent Portal gives you data-driven insights into your child’s areas of strength and development.

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Atom's algorithm keeps children on their ideal learning path, tailored to their unique learning style and pace to keep them challenged and motivated.