7+ Exam

7+ Exam

The 7+ exams usually takes place in January in Year 2 and it is an exam to enter into an independent junior school.  Most independent schools have 7+ exams and all include a Maths Exam, an English exam, and in some cases Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning, and all of the exams are timed (usually 30 mins -  1 hr). If they get through the exam, many schools will call your child back for an interview.

Sometimes in some schools, when you go to the open day, they might tell you that your child doesn't need any tutoring for the 7+ exam and that the material set in the exam is the same level as the material that your child learns at their present junior school. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true and most children prepare for the 7+ exams 1/2 years before the actual exam as it is extremely competitive. Make sure your child is prepared beforehand for this exam, but take into account that this exam is not compulsory at all, and that you can choose to wait until the 11+ or 13+ exams if you think your child isn't ready or is too young to undergo this exam.


MATHS EXAM requires the following skills:

• Simple multiplication and division (therefore time tables from 1-12 need to be learnt)
• Addition and subtraction
• Fractions
• Time
• Complex problems
• Units
• etc.

ENGLISH EXAM includes tackling a comprehension and creative writing. Try to read many books!

Skills required:

• Effective story plotting with beginning, middle and end with a given title. 
• Spelling 
• Comprehension stories and questions relating to the story.
• Good vocabulary used for creative writing.
• Use of literary expressions and terms (similes, connectives, metaphors, dialogue...)
• etc.

VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL EXAM requires the following skills:

• Ability to understand and analyse visual information.
• Solve problems using visual reasoning.
• etc.

INTERVIEW

• Knowledge of news happening at that specific moment.
• Confidence
• History knowledge
• Mental maths
• Understanding vocabulary
• Be able to talk about books you have read in the past.
• etc.

I personally recommend the very popular Bond books which you can get from e.g Waterstones and you can find all kinds of Bond books for Maths, English, Verbal and Non-verbal reasoning, spelling and assessment papers too.

Not all schools in London have 7+ Exams, but most independent schools do. 

GOOD LUCK!