Our Ultimate Guide to the Sevenoaks Sixth Form Entrance Exam: Tests, Interviews and Tutors for 2024
Is Sevenoaks Sixth Form the right fit for me?
Sevenoaks school is a very academically rigorous, challenging school designed to stimulate and push its students. It strongly values intellectual curiosity, determination and an international mindset with an emphasis on positive community contribution. If you’re thinking about Sevenoaks Sixth Form, you should enjoy being challenged and love learning and exploring new ideas. You should also have a very strong academic record so far, be expecting to receive all 8/9s at GCSE or equivalent and be able to demonstrate how you explore your academic and co-curricular interests beyond the classroom.
We strongly recommend attending an open day to visit Sevenoaks Sixth Form in person and get a better feel for it. There, you’ll have the opportunity to speak and ask questions to current students and staff members. Sevenoaks has one large annual open morning in mid June though they also offer several group visits during term-time.
After visiting, you can arrange an individual meeting with a members of the Admissions team to discuss the admissions process in more depth.
Sevenoaks Sixth Form Admissions Overview
The deadline for Sevenoaks Sixth Form registration is in August of the year before entry. In the Sixth Form, 85 new students are admitted, most of whom are boarders.
By September, the year before entry, you’ll need to send in your personal statement. This should be 600 words detailing your academic and co-curricular interests. Mention any significant achievements that demonstrate these abilities and spend time writing about the areas you’re really interested in. It’s worth dedicating a bit of time to this personal statement as it’s the first time Sevenoaks gets to hear your voice. Plan out what you will include and try out a few iterations.
Most importantly, get feedback on it from others. Your teachers are a great first port of call but we recommend speaking to a private tutor who is experienced with the Sevenoaks admission process and can offer more in depth advice. Book an initial consultation with a U2 tutor here.
In October, you’ll go to Sevenoaks for an assessment day. You will take an entrance exam in:
English
Maths (and maybe HL Maths)
Sciences
Thinking Skills
You will also take part in a 40 minute group discussion.
If you are an international student, you are advised to attend the Sevenoaks assessment day in mid-October, although they do also hold some assessment days in other locations.
In late October/early November, Sevenoaks scholarship applications are requested. All Sevenoaks scholarships are available to students at 16+ entry. You can find more detail about this process on the Sevenoaks Scholarship page.
In early December, you’ll receive your result. You may also be “reserved” which means you would be a good fit at the school but have not yet been offered a place. You are placed in a pool to be offered a place if one becomes available.
How to prepare for the Sevenoaks Sixth Form Entrance Exam?
When you register, you will be sent a copy of Sevenoaks Sixth Form Entrance Exam past papers. This will allow you to familiarise yourself with the format and get some sense of the kinds of questions asked.
In the Science paper, you will answer questions on two sciences.
In the Thinking Skills paper, you will answer on one of the following subjects: Psychology, History, Geography, Economics, Philosophy, Languages (tested with a linguistics task), Theatre or History of Art.
In the Maths paper, you will answer a set of multiple choice questions. If you are studying HL Maths, you may take a 30 minute HL Maths paper as well. If you are even considering studying it, it is vital you take it as the school will not let you without this exam. The HL paper is only for setting purposes, it will not affect your chances of entry.
In the English paper, you will take either a SL or HL paper according to what level you plan to study it at.
Your results will be weighted according to your choice of IB subjects. For example, if you were taking HL Sciences, the Science paper would be weighted higher.
The Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance exams are not content-based. As Sevenoaks has a lot of international applicants, it receives students from a lot of different school systems and the tests are designed to be accessible to everyone regardless of the different content they may have studied in school. Instead, they test how you think.
In the Thinking Skills Paper, you will need to develop your answers to open questions with your own examples. This paper is testing how you form a convincing argument and engage with information. You will need to be able to develop your answers to open questions by providing your own examples so it will be important to have a bank of these memorised for the entrance exam.
The Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance exams are not content-based. As Sevenoaks has a lot of international applicants, it receives students from a lot of different school systems and the tests are designed to be accessible to everyone regardless of the different content they may have studied in school. Instead, they test how you think.
In the Thinking Skills Paper, you will need to develop your answers to open questions with your own examples. This paper is testing how you form a convincing argument and engage with information. You will need to be able to develop your answers to open questions by providing your own examples so it will be important to have a bank of these memorised for the entrance exam.
You should be confident in your GCSE syllabus and carry out independent research to bolster your knowledge. Start your prep earlier rather than later. Slow and steady is much better than all at the last minute. If you want to emulate Sevenoaks’ ethos, studying should be about a genuine interest in learning rather than passing an exam.
U2 Tuition Quick Tip: Have a look at the Sevenoaks Sixth Form reading list here for more ideas. For other ways to take your learning beyond the syllabus, why not have a look at our co-curricular division, Minds Underground, where we host co-curricular summer schools (e.g. Law, Medicine, Economics, Engineering), competitions and more. Our monthly Curious Minds Stems and Humanities Digests are filled with inspiration for great resources to check out to build your subject knowledge. You can sign up for free here.
Additionally, you should also make sure that you spend time practising and honing the skills the Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance exam is testing for. Your ability to structure and argue a good essay and your understanding of the scientific method and how to analyse scientific data will be crucial to these entrance exams.
If you’d like to work with a 16+ Sevenoaks tutor, specialised in preparing students for Sevenoaks Sixth Form entry, they can review your essay writing structure and feedback on your past paper responses. A private tutor can also create supplementary content in the style of the Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance exam past papers so that you have more opportunities to practise and hone these skills. Find out more about our 16+ tutoring and other resources here.
How to Prepare for the Sevenoaks Sixth Form Interview?
The Sevenoaks Sixth Form interview is a group interview which lasts 40 minutes. You’ll sit it on the same day you sit your entrance tests. Before the interview, you should spend time reflecting on your personal statement and any academic or co-curricular achievements since. Be ready to talk about your academic interests, current affairs, tackle problems and show your ability to be a team player, engaging with others.
For more in-depth tips, have a look at our 16+ interview guide where we go through the process and the kinds of questions that come up in much more detail.
The interview is a great opportunity to show your personality and enthusiasm to the school. If you’re nervous about the interview, why not take some sessions with a private tutor who can help you practise the interview format so that you feel more comfortable, know what to expect, and are able to build your confidence.
What are Sevenoaks Sixth Form looking for? Three Final Tips
Intellectual curiosity
Sevenoaks aspires to build lifelong learners who approach all new information with curiosity and interest. If you’re joining Sevenoaks Sixth Form, you’ll need to demonstrate that this aligns with your own ethos. Keep reading, going to talks, exhibitions and anything that develops your knowledge. This will give you lots of authentic interests to talk about in the group discussion and to help inform your entrance exam answers.
How you think, not what
Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance exams are looking to examine how you demonstrate your ideas and form an argument. They are not testing any specific subject knowledge but the strength of your ideas and how you can apply your knowledge to an open question. It’s not about memorising and learning by rote but being an independent, original thinker. Spend time preparing for these exams and generally working to build your knowledge and curiosity.
A well-rounded community member
Sevenoaks Sixth Form highly values the community it creates. They are not just looking for another student but a member of their supportive, well-rounded community. You should therefore demonstrate not just your academic interests but achievements that show your ability to work well as a team and indicate you have a range of interests and a determination to explore them.
How a Tutor Can Help with Sevenoaks Sixth Form Admissions Prep?
1. Targeted Approach and In-Depth Insight
A 16+ tutor with experience in Sevenoaks Sixth Form admissions can offer a targeted approach tailored to your needs. With their detailed understanding of the admissions process, they can offer vital insight into different elements of the application and provide useful tips and strategies to enhance your Sevenoaks Sixth Form application. Offering an individual, structured preparation plan according to your needs, tutoring can be an immensely useful tool to guide you through the application process.
2. Comprehensive Interview Preparation
Preparing for the Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance interview can be daunting. A tutor can help you build confidence through practise interviews and personalised feedback. They will work with you to develop your communication skills, ensuring you can articulate your thoughts clearly and demonstrate your love of learning, proving that you’re the right fit for the Sevenoaks community.
3. Personal Statement Review and Guidance
Your personal statement is a vital part of your application, providing the first impression of your academic and co-curricular interests. A tutor can help you refine your statement, ensuring it showcases your strengths and interests and maximises your chances.
4. Creating Supplementary Resources
Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance exam past papers are a great way to prepare for the entrance exams. A tutor can provide additional resources and create supplementary materials that simulate the style and difficulty of the Sevenoaks Sixth Form entrance exam. In addition, they offer in-depth guidance and feedback in response to your performance, able to provide targeted preparation that strengthens your areas of weakness.
Looking for a 16+ Tutor to help with Sevenoaks Sixth Form and other target schools?
Are you looking to secure a place for your child at Sevenoaks sixth form or other top sixth form institutions? We have a great team of 16+ and specialist Sevenoaks tutors who are all Oxbridge-educated and highly experienced at guiding students through the complicated 16+ admissions process and leading them to success.
With a one-on-one consultation with one of our educational consultants, you will be matched with a tutor with extensive experience with Sevenoaks Sixth Form admissions.
You will then work with the tutor to develop a structured plan tailored to the student’s specific needs. The frequency and duration of sessions is up to you. Whether you want guidance through the entire admissions process, from start to finish, or intensive exam preparation, your tutor will come up with a plan for your preparation so you feel confident and in control. They will provide ongoing feedback and support for all aspects of the admissions process, constantly assessing your progress to ensure you remain on track and efficiently achieve your goals.