Prospective pupils must sit a number of pre-tests before being offered a place at Uppingham. Details of the testing process for entry at 13+ and 16+ are given below. 

Year 7 Tests for Entry at 13+ - Pre-tests

Pupils applying for a place at Uppingham sit pre-tests in September to December of Year 7. The pre-tests comprise a series of online assessments that are typically sat at the candidate’s school. These involve thirty minutes each of verbal and non-verbal reasoning, thirty-five minutes of maths and twenty-five minutes of English. Candidates also undertake a twenty minute interview with a member of Uppingham staff. This interview can be undertaken either at Uppingham School or remotely, via Zoom, if required. The order of the interview and online assessments is not important and there is no problem for the two to be separated by some weeks. Pupils also need to complete a thirty minute extended writing task, either at Uppingham School when attending for interview or separately, if required.

Any application is also supported by a reference from the candidate's current school.

There is a sample extended writing paper available on request from [email protected]. Pupils can familiarise themselves with the online assessments via the link.

If overseas candidates cannot arrange these tests to be sat at their schools, Uppingham is able to recommend invigilation centres.

Year 8 Tests for Entry at 13+ - Common entrance, non-common entrance and scholarships

Prospective pupils at prep-schools that offer common entrance are required to sit these exams in Year 8. The School expects a 55% average pass mark. 

Pupils from schools that do not offer common entrance, fulfil their offer by sitting Uppingham’s non-common entrance papers. These comprise two tests in Maths (40 minutes) and English comprehension (40 minutes). These tests typically take place by individual arrangement in February or March, prior to entry in September. The non-common entrance papers are normally sat at Uppingham and are accompanied by an interview with the Deputy Head Academic. It is possible, when required, to arrange for these tests to be sat overseas.

Some candidates fulfil the condition in their offer by sitting academic scholarship examinations. Uppingham has set its own scholarship papers in all subjects since 2018 and no longer uses the CASE exams. 

An updated reference from the current school is also required during the course of Year 8. 

Tests for entry at 14+

We often have a number of places available for entry in Year 10. Families might apply for these from September of Year 9. Successful pupils could consider starting in April (or even January) of Year 9.

The configuration of the boys’ houses means that there are a small number of spaces available for boys who might seek to join us for one year only. Such candidates would visit, register and test in the course of Year 9. Only very occasionally are such places available for girls.

The tests for entry at this stage comprise papers in Maths (60 minutes) and English (a comprehension of 40 minutes). Candidates not taught in English would write an essay rather than complete a comprehension test. It is possible, when required, to arrange for these tests to be sat overseas.

There is also an interview with the Deputy Head (Academic) and a meeting with a housemaster or housemistress.

A reference from the current school is required.

 

Tests for entry at 16+

All candidates for entry at 16+ either follow our Sixth Form ‘test and interview’ process or take the Sixth Form Scholarship Examinations. The ‘test and interview’ procedure involves three tests: Mathematics (30 minutes, calculator permitted), English (45 minutes, essay based) and a chosen subject paper (45 minutes with a choice from: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, French, German, Geography, History, Latin, Mandarin, Music, Physics, RS and Spanish). Native speakers should not sit a paper in French, German, Mandarin or Spanish.

All candidates face an interview with a senior member of staff. The interview aims to establish the candidate’s enthusiasm and suitability for boarding and to explore their academic suitability for A levels at Uppingham.

Further information regarding test and interview dates and application deadlines can be found here.

The application deadline for our 2024 Sixth Form entry process has now passed.

Candidates should be registered formally in advance and also complete this Sixth Form application route form.