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St Benedict’s is a leading independent Catholic school for boys and girls ages 3–18 in West London. The school takes its inspiration from the Rule of St Benedict, which was written 1,500 years ago as a practical guide for personal fulfilment and Christian community life. The aim of the school’s approach is to appeal to not only Catholic families, but also to those of different faiths and no faith.
Pupils study a broad range of subjects at St Benedict’s before making GCSE and A level subjects. Academic challenge is embedded in the curriculum, with pupils challenged to think, learn and research independently from Year 7 with a week-long project entitled ‘Who am I?’. Exam results at St Benedict’s are typically strong; in 2021, over 51% of all GCSE papers were graded 9–8 (A*) and just under 65% of A level results were A*–A. Students leave the school for a wide range of UK universities, including Russell Group institutions, art colleges and Oxbridge, on occasion.
St Benedict’s has a distinguished tradition of sporting excellence and promotes a wholesome approach to sport to pupils from a young age. The main competitive sports on offer are athletics and fencing for boys and girls, rugby and cricket for boys and hockey and netball for girls. Pupils also thrive in the arts; there are six school choirs and several instrumental groups, while two major art shows, dance shows and drama productions take place every year.
Spiritual values are embedded in the education provided at St Benedict’s School. Mass is frequently celebrated and all pupils take part in a retreat day away from school once a year. All pupils are encouraged to get involved in local service, including the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), local charity shops, and residential and nursing homes.
Key information for St Benedict's School
Headmaster: Mr Andrew Johnson
Address: St Benedict's School, 54 Eaton Rise, Ealing, London W5 2ES
London Borough: Ealing
Admissions contact: Louise Pepper – [email protected], 020 8862 2254
Age range and gender: 3–18, co-educational
Number of pupils: 1,052
Number of places in Year 7: 110
Ratio of applicants to places: Undisclosed
Open day date: Thursday 15th September and Saturday 8th October 2022 – book an open event online
Overview of selection procedure: Entrance exam, interview and school reference
Registration opens: Currently open – apply online
Registration closes: Friday 18th November 2022 at midday
Assessment date: Saturday 10th December 2022
Scholarship assessment date: Thursday 17th November 2022
St Benedict's School fees and financial assistance
The current senior school fees at St Benedict’s School are £6,525 per term. This covers the cost of tuition, text and library books, scientific materials and games. Lunch is non-compulsory and is an additional cost.
St Benedict’s School offers financial assistance to able and deserving young people whose families would not otherwise have the financial means to offer their child a fee-paying education. St Anselm Awards are means-tested and worth up to 100% of the school fees (and in some cases, over 100% in order to cover other costs, such as uniforms, music tuition and some trips).
Up to five St Anselm Awards are available each year at 11 plus entry. Successful candidates are among the top 10% of academic ability nationally and can demonstrate strong interest, and a track record of success, in some aspect of the school’s co-curricular programme (e.g. sport, music, dance, drama or art). Consideration will be given to families with a combined total income of no more than £60,000 per annum.
Scholarships are also available to candidates applying for Year 7 entry at St Benedict’s School. Scholarship awards are, first and foremost, honorary awards, but in most cases, a remission of 10% will be offered toward the school fees. 11 plus candidates may apply for art & design, drama, music or sports scholarships (all candidates are automatically considered for academic scholarships; no application is required).
St Benedict's School term dates
The term dates at St Benedict's School for 2022–23 are:
Autumn term (Michaelmas): 5th September – 16th December 2022
Half term: 24th October – 4th November 2022
Spring term (Lent): 4th January – 31st March 2023
Half term: 13th–17th February 2023
Summer term (Trinity): 24th April – 7th July 2023
Half term: 29th May – 2nd June 2023
The term dates at St Benedict’s School for 2023–24 are:
Autumn term (Michaelmas): 4th September – 15th December 2023
Half term: 23rd October – 3rd November 2023
Spring term (Lent): 8th January – 28th March 2024
Half term: 19th – 23rd February 2024
Summer term (Trinity): 15th April – 5th July 2024
Half term: 27th–31st May 2024
Admissions process for Year 7 entry to St Benedict's School
If you would like to register your child for Year 7 entry to St Benedict’s School in 2023, you will need to first complete the online registration form before Friday 18th November 2022 at midday. A non-refundable registration fee of £125 (£250 for overseas applicants) needs to be paid at the same time as the form submission.
All 11 plus candidates will sit the school’s entrance exam on Saturday 10th December 2022. Candidates who excel in this exam will then be invited to an interview with the headmaster or the deputy head on either 18th, 19th or 20th January 2023. This provides a friendly atmosphere for the candidate to share details of their interests and abilities, and for the interviewer to ascertain what contribution the child might make to the general life of the school. A reference is additionally sought from the child’s current school.
All candidates who are registered to sit the entrance exam will automatically be considered for an academic scholarship. Additional processes apply for co-curricular scholarships:
Art & design scholarships: In addition to the main registration form, candidates will need to submit an art & design scholarship application form by Friday 4th November 2022. Candidates will be assessed on the submission of a portfolio of their own work, in addition to a skill test and an interview with the head of art on Thursday 17th November 2022.
Drama scholarships: In addition to the main registration form, candidates will need to submit a drama scholarship application form by Friday 4th November 2022. Applicants will be asked to perform a short monologue, provide a scrapbook or portfolio of their experiences, and have an interview with the head of drama. Auditions will take place on Thursday 17th November 2022.
Music scholarships: As a guide in deciding whether to apply, it is likely that successful candidates will have achieved ABRSM Grade 5 in their main instrument. In addition to the main registration form, candidates will need to submit a music scholarship application form by Friday 4th November 2022. Applicants will be asked to perform two contrasting pieces of music, undergo aural and sight-reading tests, and have short interviews with the director of music and the headmaster on Thursday 17th November 2022.
Sports scholarships: Candidates must specialise in one of the school’s main sports (rugby, cricket, athletics and fencing for boys, and hockey, netball, athletics and fencing for girls). Applicants will have short interviews with the director of sport and the headmaster and undergo trials on Thursday 17th November 2022.
St Benedict’s School will post letters to families with the outcome of their child’s application on Thursday 9th February 2023.
St Benedict's School entrance exam
Children who are applying for 11 plus entry to St Benedict’s School in 2023 will take four tests on Saturday 10th December 2022:
Maths: A non-calculator paper which assesses candidates on their knowledge and understanding of the Key Stage 2 maths curriculum. Find out more about 11 plus maths here.
English: Pupils may be assessed on both their reading comprehension skills and their creative writing ability.
Verbal reasoning: Children will be tested on their ability to reason and solve problems with written information. Find out more about verbal reasoning in our exam preparation guide and download free verbal reasoning worksheets.
Non-verbal reasoning: Candidates will be assessed on their ability to analyse visual information and solve problems using shapes, diagrams and pictures. Discover our top tips for success for non-verbal reasoning and download free non-verbal reasoning worksheets.
How to help your child prepare for the selection process at St Benedict's School
Build foundational knowledge
The 11 plus exam at St Benedict’s School covers a huge range of content across the Key Stage 2 core curriculum and beyond, with tests in English and maths (both of which are taught at school) and verbal and non-verbal reasoning (which are not included in the Key Stage 2 national curriculum).
Atom Nucleus can help your child consolidate everything they know from the Key Stage 2 curriculum. With over 90,000 teacher-created questions and helpful learning resources across English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, one Atom subscription will give your child all the materials needed to get to grips with the curriculum before the exam day.
Preparation is key
Familiarisation with the question formats and known styles ahead of the exam is essential to help your child build exam confidence.
An exam preparation subscription with Atom Nucleus enables your child to access quality, unlimited practice material with full score breakdowns to help your child feel confident by the time the exam day comes around. Best of all, your child can take unlimited practice tests that match those set by independent school exams, such as St Benedict's School, in English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning for one monthly subscription.
Access to immediate support
When working through challenging topics, your child will need immediate clarity with any misconceptions so that they feel truly secure in the exam.
Atom Nucleus includes video tutorials, help sheets and examples with every question to help your child build confidence and competence across all the areas assessed.
Engage with their progress
Celebrate your child’s improvement in areas of challenge together. An accurate and ongoing assessment of their areas of strength and development is helpful.
As an Atom subscriber, you’ll have a parent dashboard which offers data-driven insights into your child’s progress. You can use this effectively to help your child set targets, see a detailed breakdown of their progress by subtopic and set custom practices to target those they find most challenging.
Get started with Atom Learning
It’s our mission to help your child feel prepared and confident before the exam day. Begin your free 5-day free trial of Nucleus today to help your child succeed.
We know how crucial this time is, so our team is on hand to support you and your family every step of the way. You can book a call with one of our Education Experts to ask any questions you might have about 11 plus entry to St Benedict's School:
If you’re looking for exclusive tips and resources to help your child master key subjects, excel in exams and build academic confidence, join Atom’s email list:
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