Your school guide
Hereford Cathedral School
Hereford Cathedral School’s external Year 7 applicants sit English, Maths and non-verbal reasoning tests with an interview. Its Junior pupils usually follow a different transition.
Independent school · Hereford, Herefordshire
Prepare with confidence.
Use Plusling to prepare for 11+ entry to Hereford Cathedral School. 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
Old Deanery, The Cathedral Close, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR1 2NG
Plan your approach
Entry information
Hereford Cathedral School is selective for external Senior School 11+ entry. Its current policy says applicants sit an entrance exam in English, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning, followed by an interview with the Head or a senior member of staff on the exam day. Pupils already in its Junior School generally transfer without the 11+ exam, though they are interviewed. The school recommends registering early and visiting at least three full terms before the intended September start; Year 7 applicants are invited to a School Experience Day in November of Year 6. Junior School CAT4 is not an entrance assessment. Contact Admissions for the next test date and entry-year timetable.
Entry stage: 11+ / Year 7 Senior School entry
What the assessment covers
- English
- Mathematics
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
The admissions process
- Register early and visit at least three full terms before the September in which the pupil is expected to join.
- For Senior School entry at 11+, sit the entrance exam in English, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
- The Head or a senior member of staff interviews applicants on the entrance exam day. The school recommends that Year 7 applicants attend its November-of-Year-6 School Experience Day.
- Current Hereford Cathedral Junior School pupils generally move into Senior School without the 11+ exam, but attend an interview; the school says a Junior place does not guarantee Senior admission.
- CAT4 mentioned in the policy applies to Junior School Years 4–6; the policy says it is not an entrance assessment.
Read the official details: Admissions information from Department for Education
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.
English
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 quizMaths
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 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.
English papers
Explore the papers
Maths 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
- The school’s current policy does not give a dated entrance-exam day or deadline for the next cycle. Contact Admissions and register early; the school recommends visiting at least three full terms before entry.
Plusling’s guide to Hereford Cathedral School 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
- Welcome to Admissions - Hereford Cathedral School Hereford Cathedral School With A Junior School
- Selection and Admissions Policy (September 2026) Hereford Cathedral School
- Admissions FAQs - Hereford Cathedral School Hereford Cathedral School With A Junior School
- Hereford Cathedral School With A Junior School: school details Department for Education
- How to Apply Hereford Cathedral School
- Hereford Cathedral School With A Junior School: school details Department for Education