Selective independent schools in Surrey: entry tests and dates

How does entry to a Surrey independent school work?

Independent schools are fee-charging schools that do not have to follow the national curriculumSource for What a private (independent) school isWhat a private (independent) school isCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against GOV.UK.The source says: Private schools (also known as ‘independent schools’) charge fees to attend instead of being funded by the government. Pupils do not have to follow the national curriculum.View the official source. The government's advice is that apply to private (independent) schools directlySource for Applying to private schoolsApplying to private schoolsCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Department for Education (GOV.UK).The source says: If you’re looking for a place at a private school (also called ‘independent schools’), contact the school directly.View the official source. For each school you:

• register by that school's deadline;
• sit the school's chosen test, usually in the autumn or winter of Year 6 for 11+ entry;
• send a reference from your child's current school, which most of these schools ask for;
• go to an interview or group activity, if the school holds one;
• receive the school's offer and reply by its deadline.

Each school page linked below has that school's dates, fees, bursaries and open days, checked against the school's own website. Our guide to independent school entrance exams explains the process step by step.

Which Surrey schools use the ISEB Pre-Tests at 11+?

The ISEB Pre-Tests are four online adaptive tests, 2 hours 15 minutes in totalSource for ISEB Pre-Tests: formatISEB Pre-Tests: formatCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board).The source says: The tests cover English, mathematics, verbal reasoning (VR) and non-verbal reasoning (NVR) and will take 2 hours 15 minutes to complete.View the official source, and results go to every senior school that asks for them, so children take the tests only onceSource for ISEB Pre-Tests: SharedISEB Pre-Tests: SharedCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board).The source says: This means that children only have to take the tests once.View the official source. That can make a Surrey shortlist easier: one sitting can serve several schools. These schools list the Pre-Tests as part of 11+ entry, usually with an interview and sometimes their own writing task or maths paper:

• Caterham School
• City of London Freemen's School
• Cranleigh Prep
• Epsom College
• Reed's School
• Royal Grammar School Guildford
• St Catherine's School, Bramley
• St John's School Leatherhead
• Tormead School
• Woldingham School

Some schools host a Pre-Test sitting themselves. For example, the Royal Grammar School Guildford gives these dates for 2027 entry: Saturday 7 November 2026 (RGS entrance assessments); Friday 13 November 2026 (ISEB Common Pre-Tests at RGS test centre)Source for Royal Grammar School Guildford: Assessment date (2027)Royal Grammar School Guildford: Assessment date (2027)CloseChecked 10 Oct 2026 against Royal Grammar School Guildford.The source says: Saturday 7 November | 11+ Entrance assessments held at RGS GuildfordView the official source. Our ISEB Pre-Test guide explains how the tests work.

About Cranleigh: Year 7 joiners go to Cranleigh Prep up to the September 2027 intake; from September 2028, Years 7 and 8 are part of Cranleigh SeniorSource for Cranleigh School: RouteCranleigh School: RouteCloseChecked 10 Oct 2026 against Cranleigh School.The source says: From September 2028, Cranleigh Senior entry will widen to include age 11+ (Years 7 & 8), with Cranleigh Prep focusing on ages 3–11.View the official source. Check both school pages if your child would join in Year 7.

Which Surrey schools use Cambridge Select Insight or their own papers?

Cambridge Select Insight. This is a computer-based entrance assessment from Cambridge InsightSource for Cambridge Insight: Select insightCambridge Insight: Select insightCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CEM).The source says: Cambridge Select Insight computer assessments are designed for selective independent schools, partially selective state schools, Grammar Schools and schools with fair banding admissions.View the official source. Guildford High School lists Cambridge Select Insight (CEM Select)Source for Guildford High School: Cambridge select insightGuildford High School: Cambridge select insightCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Guildford High School.The source says: On 15 November applicants will take part in a one-hour computer-based test (CEM test) comprising verbal reasoning, numerical, comprehension and non-verbal reasoning exercises.View the official source for 11+ entry, with an interview. St George's College, Weybridge uses it alongside its own English and maths papers.

The school's own papers. Reigate Grammar School sets school's own English assessmentSource for Reigate Grammar School: Own englishReigate Grammar School: Own englishCloseChecked 10 Oct 2026 against Reigate Grammar School.The source says: All applicants who do not currently attend one of our junior schools will sit an entrance assessment. This includes exams in English, Maths and Reasoning.View the official source, school's own maths assessmentSource for Reigate Grammar School: Own mathsReigate Grammar School: Own mathsCloseChecked 10 Oct 2026 against Reigate Grammar School.The source says: All applicants who do not currently attend one of our junior schools will sit an entrance assessment. This includes exams in English, Maths and Reasoning.View the official source and school's own reasoning assessmentSource for Reigate Grammar School: Own reasoningReigate Grammar School: Own reasoningCloseChecked 10 Oct 2026 against Reigate Grammar School.The source says: All applicants who do not currently attend one of our junior schools will sit an entrance assessment. This includes exams in English, Maths and Reasoning.View the official source. Sir William Perkins's School sets its own English and maths papers and holds an interview. Where a school publishes its own sample papers, they show what that school's test looks like.

What are the 11+ registration deadlines for September 2027 entry?

Each school sets its own deadline. These are the dates the schools publish, A to Z. Some dates may already have passed.

We have not yet confirmed an 11+ deadline for Cranleigh Prep or Woldingham School, so ask the school directly. Bursary and scholarship deadlines can be different from the registration deadline; each school page lists them where the school publishes them.

Which Surrey schools take children at 7+ or 8+?

These schools have a 7+ or 8+ entry point, usually into a junior or prep school. Each school page shows what the assessment involves:

City of London Freemen's School, Guildford High School, RGS Prep, St Catherine's Prep School, Bramley, St George's Junior School, Weybridge and Tormead School.

Which Surrey schools take children at 13+?

Entry at 13+ is into Year 9. Charterhouse starts at 13+, so children join from a prep school, and it asks for the ISEB Pre-Tests. That fits the ISEB's own description: most children take the Pre-Tests once, in Year 6, for Year 7 entry; some senior schools use them ahead of Year 9 entrySource for ISEB Pre-Tests: When takenISEB Pre-Tests: When takenCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board).The source says: Your child will most likely take the ISEB Pre-Tests once during their Year 6 for Year 7 entry (11+), however, some senior schools, such as Eton and Harrow, use the Pre-Tests as a precursor to Year 9 entry (13+).View the official source. Several other Surrey schools also use the Pre-Tests at 13+.

The full A to Z list of Surrey schools we cover with a 13+ entry point:

Caterham School, Charterhouse, City of London Freemen's School, Cranleigh School, Epsom College, Reed's School, Reigate Grammar School, Sir William Perkins's School, St Catherine's School, Bramley, St George's College, Weybridge, St John's School Leatherhead, Tormead School and Woldingham School.

Which Surrey schools take students at 16+?

These schools admit new students into the sixth form. Entry usually involves GCSE grade requirements and an interview, and sometimes subject papers or an online test. Each school sets its own deadline.

Caterham School, Charterhouse, City of London Freemen's School, Cranleigh School, Epsom College, Guildford High School, Reed's School, Reigate Grammar School, Royal Grammar School Guildford, Sir William Perkins's School, St Catherine's School, Bramley, St George's College, Weybridge, St John's School Leatherhead, Tormead School and Woldingham School.

What about schools in south-west London?

Several schools close to the Surrey border are in London boroughs, such as Kingston upon Thames, Sutton and Richmond upon Thames. You will find them on our London independent schools page. None of the Surrey schools above is a member of the London 11+ Consortium, which is a group of London girls' schools.

How can you keep a Surrey shortlist manageable?

• Group schools by test. One ISEB sitting can go to several schools; each school with its own papers adds a test day.
• Write every deadline in one calendar. Registration, bursary and scholarship deadlines often differ.
• Register only for schools you would be glad to accept, and visit first where you can.
• Keep your child's week normal around test and interview days.

Related pages

• Independent school entrance exams: the complete guide
• ISEB Common Pre-Test
• Selective independent schools in London
• Bursaries explained

Sources

Facts on this page come from archived official sources checked between 9 and 13 October 2026: GOV.UK (types of school; school admissions), the ISEB (Pre-Tests information for families), Cambridge Insight (Cambridge Select Insight) and the admissions pages of each school listed.

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