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Whitgift School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

Exam Information 5 min read
Table of contents
  1. About Whitgift School
  2. Key information for 2027 entry to Whitgift School at 11 Plus (11+)
  3. Admissions information for 2027 entry to Whitgift School at 11 Plus (11+)
  4. How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exams at Whitgift School?
  5. What is the entrance 11 Plus (11+) exam format at Whitgift School?
  6. How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) Whitgift School exam

About Whitgift School

Whitgift School is an all-boys independent day school for 10 to 18-year-olds in South Croydon. The school has a history dating back to 1596 when John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, set up a hospital for the poor attached to a grammar school. Today, the school cares for approximately 1,283 students.

Students of Whitgift School have access to a selection of facilities, including libraries, an outdoor seating area, a woodland copse, eighteen science labs, a DT workshop, a sports field with Astro, courts, a sports centre, a 25m pool, water gardens, a performing arts centre, a concert hall, a dining hall, and classrooms. In addition, the school offers a range of extra-curricular activities such as CCF, Duke of Edinburgh, advanced biology, beekeeping, board games, climbing, horticulture, robotics, and printmaking clubs. 

Some of Whitgift’s school aims include providing a “broad, balanced and innovative curriculum”, teaching “positive values of mutual respect, tolerance, and self-esteem” to their students, and offering a “supportive pastoral framework”.

In their most recent 2017 inspection, the Independent School’s Inspectorate (ISI) rated Whitgift School as ‘Excellent’. The school has also received an array of other awards and accreditations, including the Independent School Grounds Team of the Year 2022 award, the Outstanding Progress – Independent School Award at the Education Business Awards, being named the Independent School of the Year 2020 Winner, School Sport Magazine’s Top School for Sport 2020, The Sunday Times Parent Power London’s top independent boy’s school for Sixth Form results and the second best boy’s independent school in the UK for overall results.

They also achieved some impressive results in 2023, with 59% of students achieving grades A*-A at A Level, 11 A Level students gaining all A* grades, and 89% of all GCSE grades being 7, 8, or 9. 

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

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

Registration is available through the registration portal on Whitgift’s website until early November 2026.

The application form includes the scholarship application forms for scholarships in art, drama, music, and sport. Notably, if your child sits the entrance exam, they will automatically be considered for an academic scholarship; there is no need for a separate application in this case. Scholarships can be up to a 50% reduction of school fees, and your child can apply for up to three non-academic scholarships.  

If you would like to apply for a bursary, the bursary registration of interest is available from September to November 2026. Fee assistance is offered through the John Whitgift Foundation Bursary programme, which you can discover more details about here. Bursaries, which are means-tested and determined by a family’s financial circumstances, can be up to 110% of the fee amount to cover tuition fees, school lunches, uniforms, travel on school buses, and contributing money to school trips.

The entrance exam will be held at the school in early January 2027. Interviews will then be held between mid-to-late January 2027. Following the exams and interviews, decisions will be emailed to parents in February 2027. If your child is successful, you must accept their offer by early March 2027.

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

You will need to submit a non-refundable application fee of either £160 (UK citizens) or £250 (international applicants and applicants who sit the exam at an alternative location to the school) unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. your household receives benefits) which will need to be proven with provided proof.

You will need to submit an application form to register for the Whitgift School 11+ exams, which is estimated to take 45 minutes. You must complete the application in one session, or the details you have entered will not be saved. This application involves scholarship applications, so have your documents ready for this section of the application in advance.

The general documents your child’s application will require include:

  • A copy of your son’s passport (or a copy of their Visa/Residence Permit for Non-UK passport holders)

 

  • A passport-style headshot photograph of your son (as a GIF or JPEG file which is less than 1MB)

 

  • Copies of your son’s last two school reports

 

  • Proof of payment of the application fee (e.g. screen print)

 

  • Scholarship Application Form(s) and supporting documents (click here to find more details about the scholarship documents required for each type of scholarship)

 

  • SEND documents, if applicable (including Educational Psychologist report dated within the last three years, Specialist Assessor Reports, Medical Reports, Statement of Need or Educational Health Care Plan, a letter from your son’s current school stating his existing exam concessions and usual way of working, your son’s current SEND contact details)

What is the entrance 11 Plus (11+) exam format at Whitgift School?

The entrance exam will test three subject areas:

English

  • Paper 1  – (45 minutes) creative writing
  • Paper 2 – (30 minutes) comprehension
 

Maths

  • (60 minutes) non-calculator paper testing understanding of maths Key Stage 2 (KS2) national curriculum.
 

Thinking Skills

  • will test word problem-solving and code-breaking skills similar to those tested in verbal reasoning papers.

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

The most useful way to prepare for Whitgift School’s 11+ entrance exam is to use practice tests to familiarise your child with the exam content and format.

These tests can help your child to build their confidence and improve their performance in the exam.

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

Whitgift School 11+ Practice Tests

Further Recommendations

Mock Exams

Find out more about Examberry’s in-person mock exams: please click here.

Tuition

Find out more about Examberry’s in-person and online tuition courses for Whitgift School 11+ preparation: please click here.

Creative Writing Course

Find out more about Examberry’s in-person creative writing tuition courses for 11+ preparation: please click here.

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