What the 7+ is
The 7+ is the term used for Year 3 entry assessments at academically selective UK prep schools. It is sat by children in Year 2, typically aged 6 or 7. Unlike the 11+ or the ISEB Common Pre-Test, there is no single 7+ syllabus; every school writes its own papers, decides its own format, and marks its own results.
That makes the 7+ landscape genuinely fragmented. Westminster Under, St Paul's Juniors (formerly known as Colet Court), the Dragon, Wetherby, and others each run their own version of the same broad assessment. Parents preparing for more than one school usually find the underlying skills overlap heavily, but the paper format and the pacing differ.
What the papers usually cover
The core of every 7+ exam is the same combination of skills: English, Mathematics, and (often) reasoning. The detail varies.
English. Most schools include a comprehension passage with questions, plus a creative-writing task. The writing is typically a short story or descriptive piece, with 25 to 35 minutes to plan and write. Westminster Under describes its English paper as testing "creative and accurate expression" through tasks like story continuation and diary writing alongside reading comprehension. Spelling, punctuation, dictation, and basic grammar are also tested at some schools.
Mathematics. Number facts, the four operations, place value, money, time, simple fractions, shape, and word problems based on the Year 2 National Curriculum, with extension questions reaching into Year 3 content. Some papers are written; others mix in mental arithmetic done aloud.
Reasoning. Verbal and non-verbal reasoning are tested at some schools but not all. Children at this age are not expected to have done much formal reasoning practice; the questions are designed to test thinking rather than learnt techniques.
Group assessment and interview. Almost every selective prep school runs a follow-up day where shortlisted candidates are observed in a group setting (often a short lesson and a problem-solving task), and have a brief one-to-one with a teacher. This stage matters as much as the written papers.
How specific London schools structure it
A few examples to show the spread, not as recommendations:
Westminster Under School: four written papers (Mathematics, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning) sat in mid-October, followed by a November activity and interview day for around 50 shortlisted candidates. School admissions page.
St Paul's Juniors: two-stage process: written tests in English, Mathematics and Reasoning, then a half-day group assessment for shortlisted boys involving a Maths lesson, an English lesson and a problem-solving task.
Wetherby and the Dragon: both run their own paper-and-interview combinations on different timetables; check each school's admissions page for the current cycle.
Every school's published timetable, paper structure and entry numbers should be checked directly with the school. These change between cycles.
How preparation typically runs
Sensible 7+ prep starts in Year 1 or early Year 2 with a focus on reading volume and confidence. Children who read widely for pleasure walk into the comprehension paper with most of what they need.
A focused tutor-led programme usually runs for 6 to 12 months before the test. Sessions cover:
Reading comprehension technique: identifying what a question is actually asking, finding evidence in the text, writing answers in full sentences.
Creative-writing scaffolding: story structure (beginning, middle, end), descriptive vocabulary, planning under time pressure.
Maths fluency: number bonds, mental arithmetic, word-problem decoding.
Familiarity with the verbal and non-verbal reasoning question types.
Light timed-paper practice in the final months only.
The honest part. Most six-year-olds do not enjoy intensive exam prep, and over-tutoring can backfire. Schools assess in person partly to identify children who have been over-coached. Most tutors who do this work well aim for short, varied sessions (typically 30 to 45 minutes once a week) rather than the longer formats used at 11+.
Common pitfalls
Starting too late. The skills the 7+ tests (fluent reading, written confidence, mental arithmetic) take months, not weeks, to develop.
Over-coaching the writing. Examiners can spot a formulaic answer; the goal is to give a child a structure they can adapt, not a script.
Ignoring the group day. Children who freeze in unfamiliar group settings can fail despite strong written results. Practising in unfamiliar environments helps.
Applying to too many schools. Each school runs its own timetable; sitting more than three or four 7+ exams in a single autumn is exhausting for a Year 2 child.
Picking a tutor who only does older age groups. 7+ requires a different teaching register; not every tutor is suited to it.