Your school guide
Austin Friars
Austin Friars in Carlisle: non-selective Senior School assessment, taster days and official admissions process.
Independent school · Carlisle, Cumberland
Prepare with confidence.
Use Plusling to prepare for 11+ entry to Austin Friars. Build skills with original questions, understand the answers and turn tricky topics into your next step forward.
Try five free questions. See the feedback for yourself.
Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
Etterby Scaur, Austin Friars, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9PB
Plan your approach
Entry information
Austin Friars’ current policy identifies 11+ as its main Senior School entry point; the school calls Year 7 its 1st Form. Applicants sit Mathematics, English and non-verbal reasoning papers, usually during a taster day. The school is not academically selective and requires no pass mark: results guide class placement and support.
Entry stage: 11+ / Year 7 (1st Form)
What the assessment covers
- Mathematics
- English
- Non-verbal reasoning
The admissions process
- Visit and register with the admissions team.
- The school invites prospective pupils to a taster day.
- Senior School applicants (except Sixth Form) sit Maths, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers, usually during the taster day; no pass mark is required. Results guide placement and support.
- A current-school reference is requested except for Pre-School and Kindergarten; offers follow the admissions process.
Read the official details: Admissions information from Austin Friars
Go to the source
Official links for your shortlist
Use the school’s current admissions information to check which sample papers or familiarisation materials apply to your child’s entry year.
From subjects to skills
Turn the assessment subjects into a practice plan.
Start with these core skills from the published subject list. Pair the official assessment material with regular Plusling practice.
Maths
A useful place to start
Ask your child to explain their method, estimate the answer and check the final calculation. Notice which step needs more practice.
Build on it with Plusling
Use Plusling’s original maths questions and worked explanations to make those next practice sessions count.
Start the 5-question maths quizEnglish
A useful place to start
Read a short passage together. Ask your child to find evidence for an answer and explain unfamiliar words in context.
Build on it with Plusling
Build on that reading with Plusling’s English questions and explanations, then choose a topic to practise again.
Start the 5-question English quizNon-verbal reasoning
A useful place to start
Look for changes in shape, position, shading and direction. Work out one rule at a time before checking it against the choices.
Build on it with Plusling
Give visual reasoning another go in Plusling, with original puzzles and explanations your child can return to.
Start the 5-question non-verbal reasoning quizPrint, practise, build confidence
Printable practice for these subjects
Original Plusling papers with space to work and separate answers and explanations.
Maths papers
Explore the papers
English papers
Explore the papers
Non-Verbal Reasoning papers
Explore the papersThese are Plusling skills practice, not official school or test papers.
Keep the practical steps clear
Your application starting points
Use the official links on this page to answer these questions for your child’s entry year.
Check the entry point and eligibility
Confirm the year group, age requirements and any conditions that apply to your child.
Put the right dates in your diary
Note any published registration, assessment, application and offer-response dates that apply to your child’s route. They may be separate steps.
Check the assessment guidance
If an assessment applies, look for official examples, question formats, timings and answer instructions to help plan your child’s preparation.
Check fees and financial support
Look at fees, bursaries and scholarships, including any separate forms, evidence and deadlines.
Picture your child’s everyday life here.
An open day is a chance to look beyond the exam. Useful questions to take with you:
- How do you help new pupils settle in and make friends?
- Who can a child turn to when they feel worried or stuck?
- How do you help pupils recover from a setback and discover their strengths?
Know where to focus
Give their preparation a clear direction.
See the topics your child has practised, revisit questions that need another look and choose a focus for the next session. Plusling helps you put your time where it can be useful.
- Topic summaries and practice history
- Choose topics in Focus Practice
- Progress to discuss with the adults helping them
Their next step starts here
Give their 11+ preparation a confident start.
Try Plusling together. Five free questions, useful feedback and a first look at a friendlier way to practise.
Before you apply
- Arrange the taster day and assessment with admissions, and discuss any learning or access needs.
- The school’s entrance papers have no required pass mark; they guide class placement and additional support.
Plusling’s guide to Austin Friars is independently written. The school and its admissions authority publish the official arrangements.
Contains government school-register data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Primary sources
- Austin Friars - Admissions Journey Austin Friars
- Admissions policy — September 2026 Austin Friars
- School fees and entry information 2026–2027 Austin Friars
- Austin Friars: school details Department for Education