Sevenoaks School takes pupils at 11+, into Year 7 as day pupils, and it sets a firm registration deadline: 15 September, one year ahead of entry. That means registering in the autumn of Year 6, before the first-stage pre-test that follows in October or November. Miss the deadline and your child cannot enter the process for that year. This guide sets out when to register, how the two-stage assessment fits in, and where registration sits in Sevenoaks' wider admissions timeline.
- 11+ entry
- Into Year 7, as a day pupil
- Register by
- 15 September, one year ahead of entry
- First stage
- An online pre-test in October or November of Year 6
- Second stage
- An assessment day at Sevenoaks in early January
- Offers
- Sent in mid-February of Year 6
When to register for Sevenoaks School
Sevenoaks asks that your child is registered by 15 September, one year ahead of entry, which for 11+ entry means registering in the autumn of Year 6. The school works a full year ahead, so at the time of writing it is taking applications for entry the year after next, and the 15 September deadline applies to the autumn of Year 6. This is earlier and firmer than many families expect, and it falls before the first-stage pre-test in October or November, so registration genuinely cannot be left late. Sevenoaks is a popular and selective school with a finite number of places, and registration is what puts your child into the assessment process. It commits you to nothing, but without it your child cannot be assessed.
Day entry at 11+
One important point to understand is that 11+ entry to Sevenoaks is as a day pupil. Sevenoaks is a mixed day and boarding school, but it admits its youngest pupils, at age 11 into Year 7, as day pupils, with boarding places opening up at the later entry points further up the school. This matters for planning in two ways. First, the relevant fee at 11+ is the day fee rather than the full boarding fee, which our fees guide explains. Second, families set on boarding from the very start may need to consider the 13+ entry point instead, while those happy with day entry at 11+ have the option of boarding later. If you are unsure which entry point suits your family, it is worth discussing with the registrar early.
How to register
Registration is completed through Sevenoaks' admissions process by the 15 September deadline. After registering, there is a confirmation stage in which Sevenoaks asks for the information it needs to build a rounded picture of your child, including a reference from the current school and details of their wider interests and activities. It helps to let your child's current school know early that Sevenoaks is the goal, since the reference forms part of a holistic review alongside the assessments. Registration then leads into the first-stage pre-test in the autumn. The full cost picture for day entry is set out in our Sevenoaks School fees guide.
The pre-test options
The first assessment stage is a pre-test taken in October or November of Year 6, and Sevenoaks offers more than one route depending on your child's current school. If the current school offers the ISEB online pre-test, Sevenoaks asks for that to be taken, typically by around 21 November. If the current school does not offer the ISEB pre-test, Sevenoaks will instead accept a Kent Test or another grammar-school test score. If neither of these applies, parents are asked to contact the registrar during the confirmation stage to discuss an alternative reasoning pre-test in the autumn. This flexibility means no child is shut out simply because their school does not run a particular test, but it does mean you should confirm early which route applies to your child. Our guide to the Sevenoaks assessment explains the pre-test and the assessment day in full.
The full Sevenoaks admissions timeline
| Stage | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Register | By 15 September, Year 6 | One year ahead of entry |
| Confirmation | After registering | School reference and wider interests provided |
| Pre-test | October or November, Year 6 | ISEB pre-test or an agreed alternative |
| Assessment day | Early January, Year 6 | English and Maths papers and a group discussion |
| Offers | Mid-February, Year 6 | Sent to successful candidates |
| Entry | September, Year 7 | Your child joins as a day pupil |
Our full guide to getting into Sevenoaks School walks through every stage in detail.
Common registration mistakes
The most common mistake is missing the 15 September deadline, which falls a full year ahead of entry and earlier than families expect. If Sevenoaks is on your list, diarise that date well in advance. The second mistake is not confirming which pre-test route applies, since the right option depends on whether your child's current school offers the ISEB pre-test. The third is leaving the current school unbriefed, when Sevenoaks weighs the reference as part of a holistic review and a teacher given notice can write a far stronger account than one asked at the last minute.
Not sure how to plan your Sevenoaks timeline?
Our consultants have guided families through the Sevenoaks process from registration to offer. A 30-minute call maps the right timeline, the right pre-test route, and an honest view of your child's chances.
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