School Interview Preparation for 7+, 11+, and 16+ Entry

At 7+, most schools assess children through a combination of short written tasks, group activities and a gentle one-to-one conversation. Assessors watch how children listen, share, follow instructions and interact with adults and other children. There are no trick questions; the day is designed to see what a child is like and whether they will settle happily into the school.

Preparation at this age is about familiarity and confidence. Our consultants help young children feel comfortable talking to an unfamiliar adult, taking turns in a group, and showing their natural curiosity, so that the assessment morning feels friendly and familiar rather than daunting.

The 11+ interview is a key part of entry to almost every leading independent day school, and at many it carries as much weight as the entrance papers. Shortlisted candidates are usually interviewed after the ISEB Pre-Test or written examinations, in a one-to-one conversation with the Head or a senior teacher, and sometimes in a small group or activity session as well.

Interviewers want to meet a curious, engaged child who will contribute to school life. Questions cover reading, hobbies, current interests, why the child wants to join the school, and often a puzzle, a picture or a short passage to discuss, to see how a child thinks when there is no right answer. Our preparation helps children talk about themselves naturally, structure their thoughts without sounding rehearsed, and treat the interview as a conversation to enjoy.

13+ is the main entry point to many senior and boarding schools, particularly for boys, at schools such as Eton, Winchester and Harrow. Although children join in Year 9, the assessment happens much earlier: most schools now use the ISEB Common Pre-Test in Year 6 or Year 7, and interviews often take place at that same stage, when a child is only ten or eleven. Interviews are longer and more academically probing than at 11+, exploring how a child thinks, what they read and what genuinely interests them.

13+ also serves as a valuable second opportunity. Children who narrowly miss an offer at 11+, or who are placed on a waiting list, can often reapply for 13+ entry to the same or similar schools, and occasional places come up at this stage too. Whether your child is aiming at 13+ as their main route or as a second attempt, our preparation follows the same approach, with mock interviews tailored to each target school.

Sixth form entry is the most competitive point of admission to many independent schools. External places are limited, applications far outnumber them, and offers are typically conditional on strong GCSE results. Shortlisted candidates sit subject papers in their intended A Level or IB subjects and attend an interview, which at this level is academic in nature and often decisive; strong candidates on paper are regularly separated by how they perform in the room.

At 16+, interviews test intellectual curiosity and readiness for the independence of sixth form study. Students can expect to discuss why they have chosen their subjects, what they read and think about beyond the syllabus, their wider interests and ambitions, and how they engage with ideas and views different from their own. Some schools include critical-thinking or problem-solving discussion, or ask candidates to respond to unseen material. Interviewers are looking for genuine engagement and clear thinking, not rehearsed answers.

Our 16+ preparation, conducted by former Heads and senior school leaders, gives students realistic academic interview practice, helps them articulate their subject interests with confidence, and prepares them to discuss their reading and ideas at the level sixth form interviewers expect. We can also support the wider application, including personal statements and school selection, through our School Consultancy team.