The King's School Canterbury 13+ guide

Considering The King's School Canterbury for your child? We’ve collated everything you need to know about 13+ entry. Learn how to apply, what’s on the entrance exam, and how to help your child prepare for success.

Key information for The King's School Canterbury

• Address: The King's School Canterbury, 25 The Precincts, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2ES
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 13–18
• Type of school: independent day and boarding
• Number of students: 950+
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• 13+ open days: May and September
• 13+ selection criteria: ISEB Common Pre-Test, King’s Entrance Exams (spatial, verbal, numerical, maths and English tests), school reference and interview
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries
• 13+ scholarships: academic, art, music, drama, sport, dance, design and technology

About The King's School Canterbury

The King's School Canterbury is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 13–18. It’s located in Canterbury and is set around the beautiful grounds of the Cathedral. Its origins date back to 597 AD when St. Augustine of Canterbury founded an abbey on the site. The King's School is reputedly the oldest school both in England and the world.

The school states that despite its rich history, it is ‘inspired not constrained by tradition’. Its new 2023 Science Centre is proof of this. The campus also features theatre, dance and drama studios. There are dedicated studios for ceramics and photography, as well as a building for design and technology. It’s a ‘fast-paced’ school with a strong academic focus and excellent exam results. Over 90% of leavers go on to top-tier universities in the UK or the US.

The Good Schools Guide has described The King’s School as a “thriving academic school in exquisite surroundings steeped in history, with highly motivated pupils who are hungry to learn.” The school states that "Learning at King’s is an active and dynamic experience, taking place as much outside the classroom as within."

Dates for your diary

• Registration closes: November in Year 8
• ISEB Common Pre-Test: Autumn term of Year 6
• King’s Entrance Exams and interview: January in Year 8
• Offers of places: February in Year 6

The King's School Canterbury 13+ entrance exam

For prep school applicants

Children applying for 13+ entry to The King's School Canterbury from UK prep schools sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test. This is an exam created by the Independent Schools Examination Board which is usually taken in the autumn term of Year 6.

The ISEB Common Pre-Test is taken online and consists of multiple choice questions. It is entirely adaptive, which means the questions become more difficult depending on how your child is performing. The questions span four subjects:

• Maths: questions are based on the Year 5 national curriculum – although children in Year 6 may find this section challenging. The questions range from arithmetic to multi-step problem solving.
• English: questions are split into two sections: reading comprehension, and spelling, punctuation and grammar.
• Verbal reasoning: your child will be tested on their ability to reason and solve problems with written information, such as letters, words, symbols and numbers.
• Non-verbal reasoning: these questions assess your child’s logic, critical thinking and problem-solving skills using figures and diagrams. They will need to show that they can analyse and manipulate 2D and 3D figures.

The ISEB Common Pre-Test takes around 2 and a half hours to complete. Your child can sit the four subjects together or at separate times. If they are taking all four subjects on the same day, they will be allowed a short break between each section.

Children are also invited to an Experience Day at King’s. This consists of activities and interviews to help staff get to know your child, and for your child to get to know the school.

For non-prep school and international applicants

Children applying to The King’s School from non-prep and international schools take the King’s Entrance Exams (K.E.E.) in January in Year 8. These are taken either at the school, or at an approved testing centre (such as a British Council office).

The exam takes just over three hours in total with short breaks between each section. Is taken online and on paper:

• Part 1: online spatial reasoning – 30 minutes
• Part 2: online verbal reasoning – 40 minutes
• Part 3: online non-verbal reasoning – 40 minutes
• Part 4: written maths paper – 40 minutes. Calculators are allowed
• Part 5: written English paper consisting of reading comprehension and creative writing – 40 minutes.

Children will also have an interview with a member of staff. This will be on the same day if the child takes the exam on the school site, or arranged at a suitable time online via Teams/Zoom for children taking the exam overseas.

Atom’s top tips for applying to The King's School Canterbury

The King's School Canterbury 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 The King's School Canterbury as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get ISEB mock tests as part of their learning plan. Atom’s mock tests mirror the real ISEB – the curriculum, the timings, the controls and even the colours. Know what to expect on exam day.