Your school guide
Oakham School
Oakham School's Year 7 admission uses CAT4, written English and Maths, interview and school reference.
Independent school · Oakham, Rutland
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Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
Chapel Close, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6DT
Plan your approach
Entry information
Oakham School admits pupils to Year 7 through an academically selective process of entrance assessments, interview and school reference. The school says Year 7 applicants are typically assessed in January before a September start; the assessment includes CAT4 reasoning, written Maths and English, and a friendly interview. Oakham says there is no need to prepare in advance.
Entry stage: Year 7 (11+)
What the assessment covers
- CAT4: Verbal Reasoning
- CAT4: Non-Verbal Reasoning
- CAT4: Quantitative Reasoning
- CAT4: Spatial Ability
- English
- Mathematics
Assessment provider: GL Assessment (CAT4)
The admissions process
- Oakham lists Year 7 as a main entry point. Formal applications begin with registration; the current fee is £180, and a current school report is requested.
- Year 7 applicants are typically invited to assessment in January before the September they join. The school’s current entry page describes an online CAT4 reasoning test, written Maths and English papers, a friendly academic-team interview and confidential school reference.
- The school says there is no need to prepare in advance and that it does not issue past papers. It mentions optional free sample CAT4 questions for familiarisation, while GL Assessment advises against practising for CAT4.
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.
Know what to expect
Follow the school’s assessment guidance.
Oakham says no advance preparation is needed and does not issue past papers. It mentions optional sample CAT4 questions for familiarisation, while GL Assessment strongly advises against CAT4 practice because it can affect score reliability.
Read the official guidance: Oakham School · GL Assessment
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.
Follow the assessment guidance
Check what the school asks your child to do and whether it recommends any preparation. Use its own instructions and the assessment provider’s advice.
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
See what your child is learning.
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
A little learning, often
Build confidence one question at a time.
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Before you apply
- Ask Admissions for the next Year 7 assessment dates and application calendar.
Plusling’s guide to Oakham 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
- Oakham School: school details Department for Education
- 11+ Academic Taster Day Form - Oakham School Oakham School
- Entry at 11+ - Oakham School Oakham School
- How To Apply Oakham School
- Admissions Policy (last reviewed September 2026) Oakham School
- CAT4 information for parents GL Assessment