The Perse School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

About The Perse School

The Perse School is an independent day school in Cambridge. Its Upper School takes pupils at 11+ into Year 7 and at 13+ into Year 9.

Every applicant is assessed in the academic year before entry. All candidates must attend in person: the school offers no remote or overseas testing.

Key information for 2027 entry to The Perse School at 11 Plus (11+)

• School type: independent day school
• Assessment date for September 2027 entry: Saturday 16 January 2027, for both Year 7 and Year 9 entry
• Part 1: a 70-minute computer-based assessment delivered by Quest Assessments
• Part 1 components: maths 20 minutes, English 30 minutes, non-verbal reasoning 10 minutes, verbal reasoning 10 minutes
• Part 2: a 30-minute handwritten creative writing task
• Also included: a group activity and a short informal interview with a Perse teacher
• In-person only: no remote or overseas testing is possible
• Materials: pens and pencils are supplied. No calculators or rulers are needed
• Contact details: perse.co.uk, [email protected]

Admissions information for 2027 entry to The Perse School at 11 Plus (11+)

The Perse assesses on ability and on fit. Alongside the tests, a group activity and a short informal interview cover your child’s interests and passions, and the school states that the ability to engage with its extra-curricular life and support its values are important factors in selection.

Every candidate registered by the deadline is invited to the assessment, so there is no pre-sift. Both parts happen on the same day.

The school asks to be told about any special educational need or disability that may affect a child’s ability to take part in the admissions procedure, and arranges access arrangements in advance rather than on the day.

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

1. Register by the school’s deadline. Everyone registered in time is invited to assess, so there is no separate shortlisting stage.
2. Declare any special educational need or disability in advance so access arrangements can be put in place. Extra time is reflected in the on-screen timers.
3. Try the school’s published familiarisation exercise. The Perse notes the sample questions are illustrative rather than indicative of real content.
4. Attend in person on Saturday 16 January 2027 for both parts, the group activity and the interview.
5. All materials are provided. Calculators and rulers are not needed and are not allowed.

What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for The Perse School?

The assessment is in two parts on the same day, plus a group activity and interview.

Part 1: a 70-minute computer-based assessment, delivered by Quest Assessments.

• Maths, 20 minutes, adaptive. Arithmetic and mathematical reasoning.
• English, 30 minutes, not adaptive. Reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
• Non-verbal reasoning, 10 minutes, adaptive. Spatial and visual reasoning.
• Verbal reasoning, 10 minutes, adaptive. Vocabulary usage and logical deduction.

The adaptive and non-adaptive distinction has a practical consequence. In the three adaptive sections your child cannot skip or revisit a question, so a guess has to be made and left. In English, which is not adaptive, they can move back and forth and revise answers. Most questions are multiple choice, with a few short typed responses.

Part 2: a 30-minute handwritten creative writing task. A short story from a written prompt or an image, in any genre, style and narrative perspective, structured in paragraphs. It is marked on creativity, vocabulary and accuracy. The school warns that pre-prepared phrases and memorised passages are easily spotted and rarely improve the writing. For more on this provider, see our Quest Assessments guide.

The Perse School 11 Plus (11+) top tips for your child

• Practise adaptive tests as one-way journeys. In three of the four Part 1 sections your child cannot go back, so a considered guess and a clear head beat agonising.
• Treat English differently. It is the one non-adaptive section, so reviewing answers is worth the time there and nowhere else.
• Write short stories by hand, to 30 minutes, from a picture or a one-line prompt. Handwriting stamina is part of it.
• Do not memorise passages. The Perse says openly that pre-prepared writing is easy to spot.
• Read widely for the vocabulary and comprehension sections, which reward breadth more than drilling.

How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) The Perse School exam

Preparation splits between on-screen adaptive practice for the four Part 1 components and regular handwritten creative writing for Part 2. A January assessment means the autumn of Year 6 is the working window, and reading widely helps every section.

For The Perse School 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs: