Tonbridge School 13 Plus Guide
It might be difficult to find your way around the 13 Plus the first time as a parent. How do you aid your kid in getting ready for the Tonbridge School 13 Plus Exam? What kind of exam structure is it? What stores sell test papers? We’ve provided parents with a “Tonbridge School 13 Plus Tips” in this article that seeks to address all of your concerns.
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Tonbridge School
High St, Tonbridge TN9 1JP
Sir Andrew Judde established Tonbridge School in 1553. It is a public school located in Tonbridge, Kent, England. The Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies, and this organisation, which belongs to the Eton Group, have strong ties. There are about 800 boys in the institution, ranging in age from 13 to 18.
More than 85% of A-level outcomes and 97% of GCSE results for Tonbridge students in 2022 were A*/A or comparable.
Tonbridge School 13 Plus* Exam Information 2024
Admissions info: https://issuu.com/tonbridgeschool/docs/admissions_process
School type: Independent Day/Boarding School
Number of students: 800
Open Day date: Nov 22, Jan 12, Jan 24, Feb 4, Feb 23, March 11
Exam Date: 15 May 2023
Exam type / Board: ISEB Common
* Tonbridge School has 13+, 14+ and 16+ as entry points.
Tuition Fees:
Boarding: £15580 per term
Day Boy: £11689
Tonbridge School Admissions Guide for 13 Plus Entry
Around 150 boys enrol in Tonbridge’s Year 9 programme, with roughly 85 boarding students and 65 day students. This is the main entry point for the school. Typically, boys entering this stage were between the ages of 13.0 and 13.11 on September 1 of the entry year. These age restrictions are not rigid; the Headmaster may choose to accept candidates who are a little younger or older.
Boys typically apply for admittance into Year 9 when they are between Year 5 and Year 6, but because of the flexibility of our policies, we can also take into account those who apply later. We accept applications from primary schools or from abroad, although the majority of boys will come to us from a UK preparatory school.
2023 Tonbridge School 13 Plus Timeline
| Initial visit | Candidates who enrol in Year 6 after May 2022 are invited to submit an application for admission via the Headmaster’s list. Attending one of our Open Mornings is recommended as a first visit to Tonbridge. |
| Registration | By 1 May 2023, when our lists will close, if you would like to register your son as a late entry candidate, please complete the online Tonbridge Registration Form. There is £250. |
| Initial Assessment | Candidates from the UK will be asked to submit their son’s most recent school report as well as the ISEB Common Pre-test by May 15, 2023. In November of Year 8, those applicants with a high enough profile will be invited to take our late applicants’ exam (some 10 months prior to proposed arrival at Tonbridge).Candidates who are studying abroad (in nations other than Hong Kong and Mainland China) will be asked to complete a UKiset Assessment, which must be submitted by the deadline of 1 July 2023 together with their son’s most recent school report. |
| Applications from boys at a school in Hong Kong or Mainland China | Candidates who submitted a late application from Hong Kong or mainland China are urged to get in touch with our local agents there.Hong Kong applicants should get in touch with Ms. Battie Fung, Academic Asia, at 8 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 14/F, China Taiping Tower Phase II, by phone at +852 2833 0919, fax at +852 2834 5398, or by email at battie@academic-asia.com.Mainland Candidates from China should get in touch with Ms. Sophie Smith at BE Education, 9/F, Yueda 889 Center, 1111 Changshou Road, Shanghai, 200042, China. Her phone number is +862133607080, and her |
| Offers of Unconditional Places | On December 1, the top-performing late candidates will receive UNCONDITIONAL OFFERS (nine months prior to arrival at Tonbridge). By returning the Final Entry Form and paying the admission fee of £2,000, parents accept the UNCONDITIONAL OFFER. Additionally, applicants from abroad must pay the first term’s tuition in advance. |
2023 Tonbridge School School 13+ Exam Format
The 13+ pre-assessment at Tonbridge School consists of ‘Common Pretest for ISEB’. The ISEB Pretest evaluates your child’s aptitude in areas including vocabulary, problem-solving, and numeracy, with a focus on how they process information and react to the curriculum. Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning are all covered in separate test modules. Your child can be requested to take the “provisional exam” in Year 7, which consists of the tests stated below. The writing portion of the English examination looks at grammar, spelling, and punctuation whereas the maths test evaluates your child’s aptitude for problem-solving and arithmetic, including their understanding of algebra.
- Language essay (70 minutes)
- Maths (60 minutes) (60 minutes)
Tonbridge School Bursaries and Scholarships
Academic Scholarships: Each year, up to 21 academic scholarships are given to boys in Year 8 who will start school at the age of 13 or older. All academic scholars who are awarded scholarships will get a £2,000 award; the Ainslie Scholarship, the highest award, increases this to £4,000. If the parents’ financial situation is determined to be insufficient, winning an academic scholarship guarantees qualifying for a bursary of any amount up to the whole school cost.
End of April sees the three-day 13+ academic Scholarship Examination held at the institution. The Admissions office can provide copies of the examination papers from each year upon request.
Music Scholarships: Boys who enrol in the school at ages 13 and up or 16 and up are given music scholarships every year. Typically, twelve of these scholarships are given out, with the majority going to males entering in Year 9. A £2,000 reward will be given to each Music Scholar upon receiving their scholarship.
Sport Scholarships: For boys of character and integrity who participate in at least one of the four main school team sports—rugby, cricket, hockey, and football—and who demonstrate both athletic prowess and sportsmanship, at least three scholarships will be awarded each year for admittance into the school at the age of 13. A £2,000 reward will be given to each Cowdrey Scholar upon obtaining their scholarship. Such an award also guarantees eligibility for a scholarship of any amount up to the whole school price, should a need be determined by an analysis of the parents’ financial situation.
For more scholarship and bursary options visit the school website.
Open Days
You can join open mornings at Tonbridge School on November 22nd, January 12th, January 24th, February 4th, February 23rd, March 11th and June 10th.
Beyond the Classroom
The mission of Tonbridge School is to offer a superior education that is both broad and deep in its co-curricular offerings.
Throughout the academic year, more than 20 sports are offered, with excellent indoor and outdoor facilities. Boys of all skill levels are encouraged to participate, and they strive to provide as many options as they can, with a focus on giving all pupils the chance to compete regardless of skill level. Tonbridge excels in both “mass participation” and “sporting brilliance” in equal measure.
The school’s own EM Forster Theatre is where plays are performed, scenes are rehearsed, and drama seminars are held. Excellent musical performance has a long history, and there are frequent performances and concerts.
Through clubs and societies, musical and dramatic ensembles, and the well-known Combined Cadet Force, the school provides a wide range of activities. Over 20 organisations exist, including Junior Science, Beekeeping, Rocketry, Debating, Principia, Mahjong, Robotics, and Conservation, which also involves coppicing and caring for pigs.
You can also access further 11 plus exam resources below:
A Guide to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests
11 plus Exam: Parental Guide For Grammar School Entry
11+ Maths Exam: Helping Your Child to Prepare and Pass in 2022