West Berkshire's independent boarding and day schools — Bradfield College, Downe House School and Pangbourne College — each run their own 11+ entrance process. This is distinct from Reading's state grammar 11+ (Reading School and Kendrick School), which uses a super-selective GL Assessment-style test — see our separate Reading & Berkshire guide for that route.
All three schools offer boarding as well as day places, which can affect the admissions timeline and assessment day itself (some boarding schools combine the entrance test with a taster/stay visit). Ask each admissions office directly whether you're applying for a day or boarding place, since the process can differ.
Start with the fundamentals rather than exam tricks: a child who reads widely and has a solid grip on KS2 maths will out-perform one who has only drilled past papers. Build in short, regular sessions (15–25 minutes, most days) rather than long weekend cram sessions — consistency beats intensity for children this age.
Pulled straight from PipPrep's own question bank — not invented for this page.
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No. Reading School and Kendrick School are state grammar schools using a super-selective GL Assessment-style test — see our separate Reading & Berkshire guide. This page covers independent, fee-paying schools further west in the county.
No. Downe House uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test; Bradfield College and Pangbourne College each set their own bespoke assessment.
Where confirmed, November of Year 6, ahead of September Year 7 entry — but confirm the exact date with each school, and note boarding schools sometimes combine assessment with a visit day.