Haberdashers’ Boys’ School 7 Plus (7+) Exam Guide

About Haberdashers’ Boys’ School

Haberdashers’ Boys’ School in Elstree, Hertfordshire, teaches boys from 4 to 18 on its Butterfly Lane campus, shared with Haberdashers’ Girls’ School next door.

The 7+ intake joins Year 3 of the Prep. The school’s admissions page describes approximately 26 boys joining, while its admissions policy says approximately 20, so plan on somewhere in the low twenties. Entry is by a written assessment followed by a smaller second round in December.

Key information for 2027 entry to Haberdashers’ Boys’ School at 7 Plus (7+)

• School type: boys’ independent school, ages 4 to 18, Elstree, Hertfordshire
• Places at 7+: around 20 to 26 (the school’s own pages give both figures)
• First round: written papers in English, maths and reasoning, Friday 20 November 2026
• Second round: an English and STEM assessment with group and individual activities, Wednesday 16 December 2026
• Registration closes Friday 6 November 2026; fee £150 (£200 for overseas applicants)
• Offers: Friday 22 January 2027; acceptance deadline midday, Wednesday 3 February 2027
• No sibling priority: ‘each child is considered for a place individually’
• Bursaries are 11+, 13+ and 16+ only, not 7+
• Contact: habselstree.org.uk

Admissions information for 2027 entry to Haberdashers’ Boys’ School at 7 Plus (7+)

The 7+ runs in two rounds. The written papers on 20 November 2026 cover English, maths and reasoning. Boys who do well come back on 16 December for a second round built around English and STEM activities, where staff watch how they work in groups and on their own. Parents meet the Head of Prep informally on the same visit while their son does one-to-one activities.

Offers go out on Friday 22 January 2027, with an offer-holder event on 27 January and an acceptance deadline of midday on 3 February. There’s no sibling priority at any entry point, and the school’s bursary programme starts at 11+, so 7+ places are full-fee.

How can I register my child for the 7 Plus (7+) assessment at Haberdashers’ Boys’ School?

Register online via the school’s admissions pages before Friday 6 November 2026. The fee is £150 for UK applicants and £200 for overseas applicants, non-refundable. The school has not published a registration opening date for 7+, so register once you’ve decided rather than waiting.

What is the 7 Plus (7+) assessment format at Haberdashers’ Boys’ School?

The first round is written and paper-based: English, maths and reasoning (the school doesn’t specify verbal or non-verbal, so it is worth practising both). Unlike the school’s 11+, which is computer-based, the 7+ stays on paper.

One thing to know before you plan an autumn of practice: Habs itself strongly recommends against tutoring for the 7+, saying everything a boy has already learnt ‘will be enough to show us their potential’. Sensible preparation here means familiarisation, so the format and the timed feel of a paper aren’t a surprise on the day, rather than months of drilling.

Haberdashers’ Boys’ School 7 Plus (7+) top tips for your child

• Let your son see what a timed paper looks like once or twice before November, so the format is familiar
• Cover both verbal and non-verbal reasoning styles, since the school only says ‘reasoning’
• Reading aloud daily does more for the English paper at this age than any worksheet
• The second round is activity-based and unscripted; the best preparation is a child who is rested and relaxed
• Note the same offer date (22 January) and acceptance deadline (3 February) as the Girls’ School next door, useful if you’re applying to both

How to prepare your child for the 7 Plus (7+) Haberdashers’ Boys’ School assessment

Our 7+ packs below give you full practice papers in English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning with answers, pitched at exactly this age group. Used lightly, a paper at a time, they show a Year 2 child what an exam paper looks like without turning the autumn into a training camp, which is also what the school itself asks of parents.