Wetherby Prep School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Guide

About Wetherby Prep School

Wetherby Preparatory School on Bryanston Square in Marylebone treats 8+ as a full, named entry point: Year 4 runs four classes with up to 88 boys, against a single class joining at 7+. Since most Year 3 boys move up, not all of those places are open to newcomers, but the 8+ remains one of the biggest formal Year 4 intakes in London.

The assessment is deliberately untraditional: an online test plus workshops in art, drama and science, with no written exam papers at all.

Key information for 2027 entry to Wetherby Prep School at 8 Plus (8+)

• School type: boys’ prep school, Bryanston Square, London W1
• 8+ enters Year 4, a named standard entry point; Year 4 runs four classes of up to 88 boys in total
• Assessment: an online test (usually CAT-style cognitive tests) at an age-appropriate level; no written papers
• Plus interactive workshops in art, drama and science, assessing broader aptitude
• Registration deadline: Wednesday 30 September 2026 for 2027-28 entry
• Assessment date: Friday 16 October 2026 for all candidates
• Registration fee: the school’s own pages currently show both £180 and £185, so confirm when applying
• Offer holders’ event: late January 2027
• Siblings usually join but admission is not automatic; sons of Wetherby old boys are always given a place
• Means-tested bursaries can be applied for after a formal offer

Admissions information for 2027 entry to Wetherby Prep School at 8 Plus (8+)

The calendar is early and quick: registration closes on Wednesday 30 September 2026, the assessment runs on Friday 16 October, and offer holders are invited to an event in late January 2027. The school’s own words on preparation: ‘No specific preparation for the entrance tests is needed, all candidates start on an equal footing.’

Two policies are refreshingly plain. Siblings usually join, but a place is not automatic. And the sons of Wetherby old boys are always given a definite place, a rarity worth knowing either way. Bursary applications are made after a formal offer, means-tested against assessment performance and potential.

How can I register my child for the 8 Plus (8+) assessment at Wetherby Prep School?

Register through the school’s admissions pages by 30 September 2026. The school’s admissions policy and fees page currently give slightly different registration-fee and deposit figures (£180 or £185 to register), so take the number the application form itself shows as current. The acceptance deposit is quoted differently in different places too, so confirm that figure with admissions before you commit.

What is the 8 Plus (8+) assessment format at Wetherby Prep School?

There are no exam papers at the Wetherby 8+. Boys sit an online cognitive test, usually CAT-style, which measures verbal, non-verbal and numerical thinking at an age-appropriate level, and then take part in workshops in art, drama and science where staff watch aptitude beyond the academic.

CAT-style tests are hard to cram and easy to be comfortable in: a boy who has met verbal and non-verbal reasoning question shapes before, and who is used to answering on a screen, sits down at an advantage that has nothing forced about it.

Wetherby Prep School 8 Plus (8+) top tips for your child

• Familiarise your son with verbal and non-verbal reasoning question styles; they’re the heart of CAT-style testing
• Do some practice on screen rather than all on paper, matching the online format
• The workshops want enthusiasm, not polish: a boy who joins in beats one who performs
• The 16 October date comes just six weeks into the school year, so any familiarisation belongs in the summer and early September
• Confirm the current fee figures with admissions; the school’s own pages disagree by a few pounds

How to prepare your child for the 8 Plus (8+) Wetherby Prep School assessment

Our Complete 8+ Bundle below covers English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning with full answers, and the reasoning packs map directly onto what CAT-style tests measure. Used lightly over the summer, they make the online test’s question shapes familiar, which is all the preparation a no-preparation-needed assessment honestly leaves room for.