Year 7 (11+)
Year 7 is the main entry point for our Senior School. We work hard to make our admissions process as stress-free and welcoming as possible for everyone involved because we appreciate that the 11+ and choosing a senior school can be a daunting prospect for girls and parents alike. We endeavour to provide you with as much information and insight as we can to support your decision making. Join our 7 Twenty-Four programme to keep in touch.
Contact us
Our Admissions Team is ready to help you with any enquiries you may have. Your point of contact with the school throughout the 11+ admissions process is our Admissions and Marketing Coordinator, Mrs Gemma Stubberfield. Please feel free to get in touch at any time if you have any questions - admissions@notredame.co.uk or telephone 01932 869993.
Year 7 entry in September 2024
The Entrance Exam for Year 7 entry in September 2024 was in November 2023. If you are interested in your daughter joining Year 7 in September 2024 please get in touch to discuss options.
Year 7 2024 entry - key dates
- Closing date for Exam and Scholarship Registrations - October 2023
- Entrance Exam Day - November 2023
- Offers posted before Christmas 2023
- Scholarship Assessment Days - January 2024
- Closing date for acceptances - Monday 4th March 2024 - after state school offers
Challenge Day
Students on our 7 Twenty-Four programme were invited to a Challenge Day. This event is part of the process of girls getting to know us and it is not about us assessing the girls. It is an opportunity to try some fun Notre Dame-style lessons and have a taste of life at Notre Dame School. Challenge Day is always very popular and books up quickly.
Year 7 entry in 2025 and beyond
If you are looking ahead, for Year 7 entry in 2025 and beyond, your first step on the admissions journey would typically be to visit our School. In the first instance, families often find it helpful to attend one of our Open Events at some point in Year 5, or Autumn of Year 6, although some parents come along as early as Year 4 to take a first look. Our Senior School Headmistress gives a talk at such events.
Later this year we will launch our 7 Twenty-Five programme for those families considering Year 7 entry in September 2025. You can get information on when this launches and how to join by registering your interest.
Register your interest in our 7 Twenty-Five programme
Autumn Entrance Exam Date
We strive to make our admissions process accessible, transparent and kind, and we believe that moving our 11+ Entrance Exam date from January to November will make the experience less stressful for our candidates and their families. The objective of our exam is simply to get an authentic understanding of where each candidate sits academically within their cohort, to be sure that they will thrive with us, and we do not require them to specifically prepare. Furthermore, we feel that removing Notre Dame from the very busy January exam season will help to reduce pressure for girls and their families. Scholarship assessments will still take place in the January.
10+ Entry in Year 6
We add a third class in Year 6 due to high demand for places and therefore have a large 10+ entry. If you would like to find out more about 10+ entry in Year 6, please get in touch using our Enquire Now! link. We always have more applications than places available and an early application is recommended.
Overseas Candidates
For overseas applicants, we are able to arrange for assessments to be carried in a child's existing school as necessary. Please contact the Admissions Office for further details.
The Selection Process
Entry into the Senior School in Year 7 is subject to all girls passing the Year 7 Entrance Examination that is held in November of Year 6. The Entrance Examination comprises English (Creative Writing and Comprehension), Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers and an informal Interview. We also make time for some fun activities on the examinations day so that girls can relax and get to know the other candidates.
The English and Mathematics papers target levels 4-6 of the National Curriculum, and therefore special preparation is not required. As a rough guide, our intake sits within the top 40% of the ability range. The Non-Verbal Reasoning paper is of the typical format for papers of this type. Past papers are not available.
Girls personally receive full details of what to expect on the exam day, including a personal timetable and Q&As. We find this really helps them to feel more relaxed on the day and many enjoy their time with us. A fundamental principle that runs through our entire school is that relaxed and happy girls give off their best and this is as true of the admissions process as it is anywhere else - we start our relationship with the girls as we mean to go on.
For all applicants, we request a detailed reference from a student's existing school.
Scholarships at 11+
Academic, Art, Music, Drama and Sport Scholarships are available at 11+. Academic Scholarships are based on performance in the Entrance Examination only. For other scholarships, candidates are required to submit the additional Scholarship Registration Form by the closing date.
Find out more about Scholarships.
Progression to the Senior School for Internal Notre Dame Candidates
For internal Notre Dame candidates, progression to the Senior School is subject to assessment of progress over Years 4 and 5. Formal offers will be made at the end of Year 5, after which girls will not be required to sit the entrance exam unless they would like to apply for an Academic Scholarship. For all scholarship applications, the process for internal girls is the same as that for external girls.
Feedback from Parents on our 11+ Admissions Procedure
“You have put a lot of thought into [the 11+ process] and made it fun, inviting and pleasurable for the girls, at a really stressful time for them. For us we were looking for a school that was approachable, welcoming, and one that looks at [our daughter] as an individual, rather than just being another child coming through the door."
“I wanted to email you to say that the admissions process you run is streets ahead of the experience we have had with other schools. Your warm letters to the girls explaining the process and exams has been lovely and very reassuring. It really does make a huge difference to parents and girls who are going through the very stressful process of applying for secondary schools.”
“Thank you so much for all your time and your kindness with a far less stressful 11+ experience than some schools. You have been so wonderful.“
