Oundle School 11+ entry guide

Considering Oundle 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 Oundle School

• Address: Oundle School, The Great Hall, New Street, Oundle, Northamptonshire, PE8 4GH
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 11–18
• Type of school: independent day and boarding
• Number of students: 1,100+
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• 11+ open days: September and June
• 11+ selection criteria: CAT4 test, maths and English tests, interview
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries
• 11+ scholarships: academic and music

About Oundle School

Oundle School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 11–18. It’s a large school located in the charming market town of Oundle, Northamptonshire. The pupils ‘take their place within this community’, fostering a sense of belonging.

The school describes its curriculum as ‘extraordinarily rich’. There are few limits when it comes to subject choice, allowing pupils to find their passions. All subjects are taught by specialist teachers. The school grounds feature extensive facilities to support every student’s learning. Excellent pastoral care is ensured for every pupil.

The head of Oundle School says ‘Oundelians are intellectually curious, energetic, resourceful: they are able young people who love school and value friendship." The school describes its atmosphere as vibrant, where supportive relationships are nurtured.

Oundle School is one hour from Cambridge and within easy reach of London.

Dates for your diary

• Assessment (CAT4 test, English and maths tests, and interview): mid January in Year 6
• Offers of places: end of January in Year 6

Oundle School 11+ entrance exam

Children applying for 11+ entry to Oundle School have an assessment day in January in Year 6. This consists of a CAT4 test, English and maths papers, and an interview. Children applying for a boarding place also enjoy an overnight stay in the school's junior boarding house.

CAT4 test

The CAT4 is a non-adaptive test taken on a computer. It is designed to measure a child’s natural ability and gives schools a rounded view of their potential. Children applying to selective senior schools commonly sit a Level D CAT4 test, which is aimed at 11 year olds.

The test takes a little over an hour to complete. There are three parts, each with their own individually-timed sections:

• Part 1: non-verbal reasoning (20 minutes). Questions cover figure classification and figure matrices.
• Part 2: verbal and quantitative reasoning (26 minutes). Questions cover verbal classification, verbal analogies and number analogies.
• Part 3: quantitative and spatial reasoning (26 minutes). Questions cover number series, figure analysis and figure recognition.

English and maths tests

In addition to the CAT4 test, Oundle applicants sit English and maths papers:

• English: a one-hour paper consisting of a reading comprehension task and a creative writing activity.
• Maths: a one-hour non-calculator paper which tests children's skills and knowledge learned during Key Stage 2 maths.

Atom’s top tips for applying to Oundle School

Oundle 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 Oundle School as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get CAT4 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.