Bancroft’s School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

About Bancroft’s School

Bancroft’s School is an independent day school in Woodford Green, north east London. Its main entry points are 7+, 11+ and 16+, and 11+ is the largest.

The 11+ intake for September 2027 is for children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016.

Key information for 2027 entry to Bancroft’s School at 11 Plus (11+)

• School type: independent day school
• Entrance exam date: Tuesday 5 January 2027, sat at Bancroft’s
• Age range for September 2027 entry: born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016
• Registration: online, with a passport or birth certificate uploaded
• Registration fee: £150, non-refundable and inclusive of VAT
• Papers: an online reasoning test, a short English paper and a short maths test, all sat on the assessment day
• Interviews: for selected candidates, on Saturday 23 January 2027
• External places at 11+: about 65
• Selection: based on the assessment, the interview and a school reference. No fixed pass mark is published
• Bursaries: available at 11+ and 16+; families with a joint income below £74,000 may be eligible to apply
• Contact details: bancrofts.org, [email protected]

Admissions information for 2027 entry to Bancroft’s School at 11 Plus (11+)

Bancroft’s takes a rounded view rather than ranking purely on a test score. Its published position is that selection rests on performance in the assessment, a short interview and a school reference together, and it does not publish a fixed pass mark.

If your child cannot attend on the exam date, the school asks you to contact the Admissions Department for advice before completing the registration form, rather than registering and sorting it out afterwards.

Bursary interest is flagged on the registration form itself, which then routes you to a secure portal for a financial disclosure. A child’s performance in the admissions process is considered alongside assessed income.

How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exams at Bancroft’s School?

1. Complete the online 11+ registration form for the correct year of entry.
2. Upload a copy of your child’s passport or birth certificate.
3. Pay the £150 non-refundable registration fee, inclusive of VAT.
4. Tick the bursary interest box at this stage if you intend to apply, since that is what routes you to the financial disclosure portal.
5. Sit the entrance exam at Bancroft’s on Tuesday 5 January 2027.
6. If your child performs well in the papers, they are invited back for a one-to-one interview on Saturday 23 January 2027.
7. Offers are sent by email in February, with the deadline to accept in early March.

What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for Bancroft’s School?

The assessment day is at Bancroft’s on Tuesday 5 January 2027, and your child sits three papers:

• An online reasoning test, taken on screen.
• A short English paper, written on paper.
• A short maths test, written on paper.

The interview is a second stage rather than part of the day itself: children who perform well in the papers are invited back for a one-to-one interview on Saturday 23 January 2027, with no special preparation expected, and reports from current schools are considered at that point.

The school does not publish a fixed pass mark. Applicants are considered on the assessment, the interview and the reference from their current school taken together, which means a strong reference and a confident interview genuinely count.

Bancroft’s School 11 Plus (11+) top tips for your child

• Prepare for a January paper, not a September one. Independent-school 11+ exams sit half a year later than most state grammar tests, so the timetable is different.
• Split practice across the three papers: reasoning on screen, and English and maths written on paper.
• Treat the interview as a second round to be earned, and practise talking about interests and motivation for it.
• Contact admissions before registering if the exam date is a problem, as the school asks.
• If a bursary is relevant, flag it on the registration form rather than later.

How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) Bancroft’s School exam

An early January exam means the useful preparation window runs through the autumn of Year 6. Written English and maths worked to time are the core, with verbal and non-verbal reasoning practised on screen where possible to match the online test.

For Bancroft’s School 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs: