Are you interested in Sevenoaks School as a secondary school option?

Sevenoaks School is a co-ed independent school founded in 1432. If you’re looking for secondary schools near Sevenoaks and thinking of applying to Sevenoaks School, you should be aware that you must apply by early September of the year before entry. The school hosts open days, so it’s worth going to one of these before you apply.

To be eligible to sit the exam, applicants must take a pre-test. These can include the ISEB Common Pre-test, or an 11-plus grammar school exam result, such as the Kent Test.

There are 80 places for Year 7 and competition for places is high, therefore preparation is essential.

The exam includes Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning (13+ only), one hour for each subject, plus an interview. To be in with a chance of securing a place, you would be looking at a pass mark of around 75% across the board.

English preparation for the Sevenoaks School entrance exam.

As a local Sevenoaks resident, I’ve helped many children prepare for the English element of the Sevenoaks School entrance exam.

The English exam involves comprehension (35 minutes) and creative writing/composition (25 minutes). The comprehension questions include 4/5-mark answers as well as 8/10-mark answers. The expectation is that candidates provide detailed answers demonstrating a deep level of understanding of the text. Being able to pick out evidence from the text to support their answers goes alongside explaining how their evidence supports their point.

The creative writing element of the test may involve continuing the story, a prompt based on the subject of the text or an image. The test not only focuses on spelling, grammar and punctuation. Demonstration of an aptitude for writing is essential.

How can you prepare for the Sevenoaks School English exam?

Preparation for this test should include:
– Reading widely: focus on the classics to get your child used to the language.
– Practice tests: get to know the format of the exam and to familiarise with the structure of the more detailed answers (with timed tests being sat nearer the time).

Why work with a tutor?

As an experienced writer and author, who has been providing English and writing tuition to children since 2017, I feel I am in the best position to help your child through the learning process for the English element of the exam. Living in Sevenoaks means that many of the children I have worked with in the past have gone on to sit the Sevenoaks School exam along with other independent schools they study for during Years 4 and 5.

You can book a 45-minute or one-hour private session with me via my booking app. You can take these either online or in person. I also offer a discount for a block booking of eight sessions, purchasable from the Storymakers website shop.

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your child, please contact me.