Winchester College 13+ entry guide

Winchester College 13+ entrance exam

Stage 1

All children applying for 13+ entry to Winchester College 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.

Stage 2

Based on the results of the ISEB Common Pre-Test in the autumn term of Year 6, successful applicants are invited to an interview between January and March of Year 6. Interviews are designed to explore your child's skills and personality. Your child's interview may also include practical elements, such as an academic task or a show-and-tell opportunity. Find out more and get top tips to support your child in our guide to private school interviews.

The final exams for Winchester College are the Winchester Entrance Exam or the Election Exam. Both are taken in Year 8:

Winchester Entrance Exam

The majority of candidates take the Winchester Entrance Exam, either at their own school or at an approved centre. This consists of English and maths papers, each lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes, which are aligned to the Key Stage 3 and Common Entrance syllabus.

Children joining from independent schools must also take written papers in science, geography, history, and a language (Latin, French, Spanish, German, or Greek). These are optional for children joining from state schools.

Election Exam

Particularly bright children will be invited to take the Election Exam. Successful pupils will be awarded either an academic scholarship, an exhibition, or a headmaster's nomination.

Children applying from independent schools take compulsory papers in English, maths 1, science, and general paper 1. They must also take at least three papers from Latin, French, Greek, history, geography, maths 2 and general paper 2.

Children from state schools take compulsory papers in English, maths 1, and general paper 1. They may also take additional papers, but these are optional.

Atom’s top tips for applying to Winchester College

Winchester 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 Winchester College 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.

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.