11+ Familiarisation Classes

Our 11+ familiarisation courses are open to boys and girls in Year 5 (as at 1 September of the current school year) who are considering applying for a place at a grammar school.

Courses during 2024-25 for September 2026 entry into Year 7

Please note that attending these classes is not part of the School's admission process. Enrolling on one of our 11+ Familiarisation Courses does not constitute an application for your child to take the 11+ examination or an application for admission to the school. Please see 11+ Applications For Entry Into Year 7 (The 11+ Procedure)

On this page:

• In House Courses
  • Bookings
  • Course Dates
  • Financial Assistance
• Free Online 11+ Familiarisation Materials for Students Eligible for Free School Meals

In-House Courses

We offer an in-house 11+ Familiarisation Course to boys and girls in Year 5 who are considering applying for a place at a grammar school. The course consists of 6 after-school sessions on Wednesday evenings and will run twice in 2025. The 2 courses are identical and so children need to book on to just one course.

The Course covers key elements of Key Stage 2 English and Mathematics to provide familiarisation with likely material that could be tested in the 11+ examination.  The focus is on the teaching material, not the examination itself, although some elements of examination technique are included.  The aim is to provide guided familiarisation with likely content of 11+ papers in an interactive seminar setting.  The Course provides practice and consolidation of primary school teaching and exposure to different question styles.  It does not teach new topics or provide specific coaching for the examination.  Feedback to parents and guardians is not provided.

Bookings

Bookings for 2024-25 are now closed. Our next courses will start in January 2026 and May 2026 and further details will be published here in November 2025.

Course Dates 2024-25

All sessions start at 4:15pm and finish at 5.45pm.  They include two 40-minute lessons, one in English and one in Mathematics, with a 10-minute break between subjects.

The cost of the Course is £130 and refunds for partial attendance can be given in exceptional circumstances only.  For children eligible for free school meals, the cost is £30*.

Please note that the Course is entirely separate from the application process for a place at Bishop Wordsworth’s School, which is detailed here.

The School reserves the right to alter these arrangements if circumstances change beyond its control, for example, renewed Covid precautions.

For further details please contact: Mrs E Bevilacqua at emb@bishopwordsworths.org.uk or Telephone: 01722 333851

Financial Assistance for In-House 11+ Familiarisation Courses

* Subsidised places are available on our 11+ Familiarisation Courses for children who are in receipt of free school meals. Please contact Mrs E Bevilacqua at emb@bishopwordsworths.org.uk with evidence to support your application before booking a place. Evidence should be one of the following:

• A letter from your local authority (e.g. Wiltshire Council)
• A letter from your child's current school on the school's headed paper
• An email direct from your child's current school sent from the school's email address

In addition, the BWS Foundation provides grants to pupils not currently at the School but who need financial assistance to support their application, for example attending open days and the 11+ examination. For information on how to apply, please see our Financial Assistance page.

Free Online 11+ Familiarisation Materials for Students Eligible for Free School Meals

In addition to financial assistance for our in-house familiarisation sessions, we work in partnership with Atom Learning to provide children who are eligible for free school meals with free online resources.  Atom Learning are the leading online Key Stage 2 learning and 11+ preparation platform and their resources are designed to help children get familiar with 11+ question types, and build exam technique and confidence. 

If your child has been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years, please fill in the form by clicking the link below. Once your child's eligibilty for free school meals has been verified by their primary school, they will be given access to KS2 and 11+ practice questions, learning resources, and practice papers through their Atom Home account.

Atom Learning - Bishop Wordsworth's School

If your child is not eligible for free school meals and you would like access to these materials, please see the subscription options available here: 11+ Practice Papers & Tailored 11 Plus Learning | Atom Learning

If you have any queries about registering with Atom Learning or their resources, please contact them directly: Contact Atom Learning