Are you considering Reed's School for your son's education? We've collated everything you need to know about entry to Year 7. Find out about key dates, what's covered on the entrance exam, and how to help your child prepare.
Reed’s School is a private day and boarding school for boys aged 11–18 with a mixed sixth form in Cobham, Surrey. The Reed’s Foundation was established in 1813 by the Rev Dr Andrew Reed to care for and provide a day education for children who had lost one or more parents. Boarding pupils were first accepted into the school in 1958 and contribute 15% of the pupil population.
Reed’s School aims for all pupils to fulfil their academic potential and feel that “it is cool to be clever”. Pupils are encouraged to develop curiosity in the world around them, to question convention, and to desire to be the best they can be. Academic performance at the school has surged in the last 15 years.
The school’s core values of integrity, compassion, curiosity, resilience, responsibility and independence are facilitated through an extensive co-curricular programme. Boys are regularly successful in national and county cricket, hockey and rugby competitions, with further sports – including football, rowing, go-karting and kung fu – included in the extensive games and activities curriculum. Pupils interested in the creative arts have plenty of opportunities in theatrical life both on and off the stage, and a purpose-built music school forms the backdrop to a vibrant and talented musical community.
Head: Mr Mark Hoskins
Address: Reed's School, Sandy Lane, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 2ES
County: Surrey
Age range and gender: boys 11–18 and mixed sixth form
Number of pupils: approx. 800
National league table rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 90
A level results: 89% A*–B
GCSE results: 81% 9–7
Admissions contact: Rachel Morris – [email protected], 01932 869001
Open day: 22nd April and 16th September 2023. More details are available on the school website
Overview of selection procedure: ISEB Common Pre-Test, interview and school report
Registration closes: 1st November 2023
Assessment date: November/December 2023
The term dates at Reed's School for 2023–24 are:
Autumn term: 4th September – 13th December 2023
Half term: 13th–30th October 2023
Spring term: 8th January – 22nd March 2024
Half term: 9th – 19th February 2024
Summer term: 16th April – 6th July 2024
Half term: 24th May – 3rd June 2024
The termly fees at Reed's School range from £7,230 to £8,995 per term for day pupils (Years 7–8 and Years 9–13) and start at £9,630 per term for boarding pupils. As well as the cost of tuition, fees include all meals and end-of-year activity trips.
Reed's School is committed to helping vulnerable children by providing financial assistance to access the school. Foundation bursaries are available for children who have lost the support of one or both parents through death, abandonment, ill health, separation or divorce, and who are either in need of pastoral care or have a financial need in the family. Eligible day pupils may receive up to 50% off their school fees, with more assistance available for boarding pupils.
Further information about foundation bursaries is available on the school website.
Choosing the right school for your child is an important decision. Reed’s School holds regular open mornings throughout the year to give prospective families the opportunity to meet and talk with members of staff, hear from the headmaster, and tour the school with a current pupil. It is also possible to visit the school during the school week – appointments can be made by contacting the admissions office.
If you would like your son to be considered for a place in Year 7 at Reed's School, you will need to start the admissions process by completing and submitting the online application form before 1st November 2023. A £150 registration fee applies.
All children who are registered by the deadline will sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test between mid-November and mid-December in 2023 (more details below). This can be taken either at your child’s school if the school is happy to invigilate the test, or at Reed’s School. Meanwhile, the admissions team at Reed’s will write to your child’s current school to ask for a report and character reference.
Candidates will also have an online interview with a member of staff in early January 2024. This is an opportunity for your child to talk about their hobbies and interests. They may also be asked some academic questions of a general nature.
Find out more about private school interviews
Reed’s School will post a letter with the outcome of your son’s application in early February 2024. If your son is offered a place, you will have until early March to accept.
All children applying for Year 7 entry to Reed's School take the ISEB Common Pre-Test between mid-November and mid-December. This is an online test that is completely adaptive, meaning the questions become easier or more challenging depending on how your child is performing. Children will answer questions in four subjects:
English: covering comprehension and spelling, punctuation and grammar
Maths: questions cover Key Stage 2 national curriculum taught up to the end of Year 5. The main topics are number, measurement, data, algebra and geometry
Verbal reasoning: tests logic and problem-solving with written information
Non-verbal reasoning: tests your child’s ability to understand and analyse visual information
Each child will be given a Standardised Age Score (SAS), which is calculated based on the number of correct and incorrect answers, the level of difficulty in each question and their date of birth in years and months (to prevent younger children from being disadvantaged). Your child's ISEB Common Pre-Test score will be sent directly to Reed's School.
As a guide, competitive selective schools like Reed's School will generally require candidates to reach an ISEB Common Pre-Test score of 120 or more.
Read our comprehensive guide to the ISEB Common Pre-Test and get tips and hints to help your child prepare.
Here are some top tips on how to best prepare your child for Year 7 entry to Reed's School.
Preparation is key: familiarisation with the question formats and known styles ahead of the exam is essential. Access to quality, unlimited practice material for the ISEB Common Pre-Test ensures confidence when tackling the exam.
Achieve mastery quickly: the ISEB Common Pre-Test assesses a huge amount of content. 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.
Wondering how to make sure your child effectively recaps the Key Stage 2 curriculum, stays on track with their progress, and gets help when they're stuck? Online learning is a particularly efficient, cost-effective (and fun) way to do this!
Atom Nucleus is the award-winning school exam prep platform that gives your child everything they need to prepare for entry to the UK's leading schools.
Children work independently through over 90,000 interactive practice questions in English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Teacher-created helpsheets and videos help them discover new concepts and consolidate their learning.
Atom's algorithm keeps children on their ideal learning path, tailored to their unique learning style and pace to keep them challenged and motivated.
With Atom Nucleus you'll unlock online mock tests tailored to the ISEB Common Pre-Test, so your child will go into the exam knowing exactly what to expect.
And what's more, everything is automatically marked for you.
Will your son be one of them? Begin your child's journey to Reed's School today.
Use the full features of Atom Nucleus free for 5 days – cancel anytime.
We understand how important this next step is for them, and for you. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions you may have about the ISEB Common Pre-Test or applying to independent schools.
Sign up for tips and resources direct to your inbox.
Join for admissions advice and updates.
Specialist advice on exam preparation and admissions.
Atom
Learning
Atom Learning Ltd. is registered and incorporated in England and Wales. Company Registration Number: 10867907 VAT number: 316903508 Copyright Atom Learning Ltd. All rights reserved.