Candidates for 11+ entry should be registered with us and placed on our provisional list by the end of UK Year 5. We recommend registration two years in advance of entry.

After registration, the 11+ assessment has three stages:

The first stage is our Preview Assessment Day which provides candidates with the opportunity to visit the School, giving them a taste of our academic and co-curricular activities, assessments and an interview. For 11+ 2024 entry this will take place on Saturday 30 September 2023.

The Preview Assessment Day gives each candidate the chance to show us her abilities and interests while enjoying a themed programme of enquiry-based activities at Benenden.

All candidates will undertake English and Maths tasks, have an informal interview with a Benenden staff member and, in advance, we will have requested a confidential report from their current school which will include latest test data. The Preview Assessment Day, held each year in the Autumn Term, is intended only for confirmed candidates. After the Preview Assessment Day, we will provide feedback together with an indication as to whether we feel it is likely she will reach the standard we require for entry to the School. We would plan to make conditional offers at this stage.

To help with the demands placed on pupils in terms of testing for several different schools, we have adopted the ISEB Common Pre-test for 11+ entry. We will request that 11+ applicants for Benenden take the ISEB Common Pre-test during the Autumn Term, after they come to the Preview Assessment Day, and by 30 November. Candidates will need to make arrangements to sit this test at their current school, or a recognised testing centre in the UK or overseas, (eg local British Council Office), between 1 October and 30 November. Parents register candidates for the ISEB Common Pre-test in September. The Admissions Department at Benenden will provide details on how to do this.

Following the two stages of the 11+ 2024 assessment, firm offers of places will be made in December 2023. Firm offers are made on the basis of performance in the ISEB Common Pre-test, reference, interview and activities during the Preview Assessment Day.

We invite candidates with an offer of an 11+ place the opportunity to experience Benenden boarding life through a taster day or a sleepover during the Spring Term 2024.

All 11+ 2024 places must be accepted, and a deposit paid, by Monday 4 March 2024.

Following the 11+ entry assessment process, 11+ Academic Scholarships will be awarded to the highest achievers, taking into account the whole admissions process. We do not offer a separate 11+ Academic Scholarship assessment.

Candidates should be registered and placed on our provisional list by the end of UK Year 5. We recommend registration four years in advance of entry.

To bring the timeline for Benenden’s admissions procedure at 13+ closer to that of some other senior schools, we now assess 13+ candidates three years in advance of entry, while in Year 6.

We believe this timing is necessary so that parents of candidates seeking a place at Benenden at 13+ are in a position to make decisions at an earlier stage and at more or less the same time as they may receive offers from other senior schools being considered.

To help with the demands placed on candidates in terms of testing for several different schools, we use the ISEB Common Pre-test for 13+ entry.

We will request that 13+ and 12+ applicants for Benenden take the ISEB Common Pre-test during the Autumn or Spring Term of Year 6 before they come to the Preview Assessment in April. Candidates will need to make arrangements to sit this test at their current school, or a recognised testing centre in the UK or overseas, (eg local British Council Office), between 1 October and 31 March. Parents can register candidates for the ISEB Common Pre-test from September. The Admissions Department at Benenden will provide guidance if required.

The Preview Assessment for 13+ 2026 entry will take place in April 2024.

Offers of places will therefore be made before the end of Year 6.

The 12+ admissions process takes place alongside the 13+ process. Candidates can be considered for either point of entry. As 12+ places are fewer in number, it may be that the School cannot offer these immediately and offers may be made as spaces become available.