St Dunstan's College 11+ guide

St Dunstan's College 11+ entrance exam

Children applying for 11+ entry to St Dunstan’s College have a three-stage assessment process.

Stage 1: online assessments

The first stage of the process is online assessments. Your child will take these in December in Year 6.

The assessments test four subjects:

• English

• Maths

• Verbal reasoning

• Non-verbal reasoning

Children who perform well in these online assessments are invited back for the second round of tests in January.

Stage 2: written assessments

The second round of tests consists of written English and maths papers:

• Reading comprehension: 30 minutes. Your child will need to read a passage of text and answer questions to show their understanding of the text and what they can draw from it.

• Written composition: 45 minutes. Your child will need to produce a piece of original writing in response to a prompt. For example, they may need to write an argument for or against a statement.

• Maths: 40 minutes. Questions are based on the topics your child will have learned at school. They should show their working out, as some marks are awarded for correct workings – even if the answer is incorrect.

Children also take part in a taught lesson. This is to observe their approach to learning.

Stage 3: interviews

Successful children are invited back to St Dunstan’s at the end of January for interviews. More children are interviewed than the school has places for. This is to get a complete picture of each child when considering which children to offer places to.

The interview is an opportunity for your child to talk about their goals, interests, hobbies, and areas of interest at school. For more top tips and an exclusive interview preparation resource, take a look at our guide to senior school interviews.

Atom’s top tips for applying to St Dunstan's College

St Dunstan's College 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 St Dunstan's College as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get tailored mock tests for St Dunstan's College 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.