The Grange School, Northwich 7 Plus (7+) Exam Guide

About The Grange School

The Grange School in Hartford, Northwich runs its Junior School’s two main entry points at Reception and Year 3, making the 7+ the natural join point for the start of Key Stage 2.

At the time of writing the school’s pages still showed the previous cycle’s dates (a late-November deadline and mid-January assessment), with the 2027-entry calendar not yet published, so confirm this year’s dates with the school.

Key information for 2027 entry to The Grange School at 7 Plus (7+)

• School type: co-educational, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire; Junior entry points are Reception and Year 3
• Format: a nationally standardised baseline assessment covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, mathematical reasoning and spatial awareness, plus a short creative writing exercise
• Shortlisted candidates then meet the senior leadership team and heads of department
• Recent cycles: application deadline late November, Year 3 assessment mid-January; 2027-entry dates weren’t yet published at the time of writing
• Bursary interest must be indicated at the point of application (a tick box on the online form)
• Taster days run for Years 1 and 2 pupils ahead of Year 3 entry
• Open events autumn 2026: Early Years and Junior open day 19 September; Junior experience day 3 October

Admissions information for 2027 entry to The Grange School at 7 Plus (7+)

The pattern of recent cycles: apply by late November, assess in mid-January, with shortlisted children invited to meet the senior leadership team and heads of department afterwards. Ring the school for this cycle’s confirmed dates, and note that bursary interest has to be ticked on the application form itself, not raised later.

The taster days for Years 1 and 2 children and the September and October open events are the natural first steps for a 2027-entry application.

How can I register my child for the 7 Plus (7+) assessment at The Grange School?

Apply through grange.org.uk (be careful with search results: a similarly named school at a different domain is unrelated). The application fee isn’t published, so confirm it when you apply, and tick the bursary box at application if support might matter.

What is the 7 Plus (7+) assessment format at The Grange School?

The assessment is a nationally standardised baseline covering four reasoning strands, verbal, non-verbal, mathematical and spatial, plus a short piece of creative writing. That’s a broader reasoning spread than most 7+ assessments, and the writing exercise is the one part that rewards specific practice.

The Grange School 7 Plus (7+) top tips for your child

• Familiarise your child with both verbal and non-verbal reasoning shapes; the baseline tests all four reasoning strands
• Practise short creative writing with a beginning, middle and end inside 15 to 20 minutes
• Book a taster day and the autumn open events; they’re built into the school’s own pathway
• Tick the bursary box at application if relevant; it can’t be added afterwards
• Confirm the current deadline with the school rather than relying on last cycle’s dates

How to prepare your child for the 7 Plus (7+) The Grange School assessment

Our Complete 7+ Bundle below covers English, maths and both reasoning types with full answers, matching the baseline’s reasoning spread, and the English packs give creative writing practice for the exercise that tops it off.