Charterhouse 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

About Charterhouse

Charterhouse is a co-educational independent school in Godalming, Surrey, whose main entry point is 13+ into Year 9.

There is no direct 11+ entry into the senior school. What Charterhouse calls 11+ registration is Year 7 entry to one of two prep schools within the Charterhouse family, Edgeborough or Windlesham House, with a place at Charterhouse itself from Year 9. The school describes it as a seamless transition at 13+, and one registration covers both stages.

Key information for 2027 entry to Charterhouse at 11 Plus (11+)

• School type: co-educational independent school; main entry at 13+ (Year 9)
• 11+ route: Year 7 at Edgeborough or Windlesham House, then Charterhouse from Year 9
• Stage 1: the ISEB Common Pre-Test in the autumn term of Year 6
• Stage 2: an interview and activities assessment at Charterhouse in the spring term of Year 6, including a written creative writing assessment
• Registration deadline: 30 September 2026 for September 2027 Year 7 entry
• Registration fee: £420, covering both Charterhouse and the chosen prep school
• Offers: March 2027
• Your child joins Charterhouse itself in September 2029, at Year 9
• Contact details: charterhouse.org.uk, [email protected], 01483 291501

Admissions information for 2027 entry to Charterhouse at 11 Plus (11+)

Be clear about what is on offer, because it is different from a school with direct Year 7 entry: success in this process gives your child a Year 7 place at Edgeborough or Windlesham House and a confirmed route into Charterhouse at 13+. The first two years are at the prep school, not at Charterhouse.

All registered candidates sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test in the autumn term of Year 6, and results are reviewed alongside a reference from your child’s current school. Successful applicants are then invited to an interview and activities assessment at Charterhouse in the spring term, which includes group activities, interviews and a written creative writing assessment.

The single £420 registration covers the application to both Charterhouse and the chosen prep school, and offers are communicated in March of Year 6.

Charterhouse also recommends the Year 6 route for parents aiming at direct 13+ entry, given the competition for places, so the timetable above is worth knowing even if you would rather apply for Year 9 directly.

How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exams at Charterhouse?

1. Register online by 30 September 2026 for September 2027 Year 7 entry, choosing Edgeborough or Windlesham House. The fee is £420 and covers both stages.
2. Your child sits the ISEB Common Pre-Test in the autumn term of Year 6, normally at their current school.
3. Charterhouse reviews results alongside a reference from your child’s current school.
4. Successful applicants attend the interview and activities assessment at Charterhouse in the spring term: group activities, interviews and a written creative writing assessment.
5. Offers are communicated in March 2027.
6. Your child starts Year 7 at the prep school in September 2027 and joins Charterhouse in September 2029.

What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for Charterhouse?

Stage 1 is the ISEB Common Pre-Test: an age-standardised series of online, multiple-choice tests in mathematics, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, sat once in the autumn term of Year 6.

Stage 2, for successful candidates, is the interview and activities assessment at Charterhouse in the spring term:

• Group activities.
• Interviews.
• A written creative writing assessment.

The creative writing element means preparation is not only test practice: regular writing, done well, is directly assessed here.

Charterhouse 11 Plus (11+) top tips for your child

• Register early against the 30 September 2026 deadline, which falls at the very start of Year 6.
• Practise multiple-choice English, maths and reasoning on screen to match the ISEB format.
• Keep up regular creative writing. Stage 2 includes a written creative writing assessment.
• Practise group activities and talking to adults. The spring assessment watches both.
• Be sure the two-years-at-prep structure suits your child before committing. It is the defining feature of this route.

How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) Charterhouse exam

Preparation is ISEB Common Pre-Test practice plus regular creative writing. The test comes first, in the autumn term of Year 6, so the summer before Year 6 is the working window for the multiple-choice papers, with writing kept up through the autumn ahead of the spring assessment.

For Charterhouse 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs: