The ISEB Common Pre-Test is an online, adaptive admissions test taken by children applying to many of the UK’s leading independent senior schools. It covers English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, takes around two and a quarter hours, and is usually sat once in Year 6.

What is the admissions process for Winchester at 13+? Students can enter Winchester at 13+ and 16+. The application deadline for 2027 entry for 13+ is 3 July 2024. 

Westminster School occupies a slightly unusual position among Britain’s leading senior schools: it is academically formidable, unmistakably urban, and, after more than four centuries, in the middle of the biggest change in its history. 

Summer holidays are long, and by mid-August the days start to blur. This is a good moment for the kind of English work that rarely fits into term time - writing something for the fun of it, sitting with a poem long enough to actually enjoy it.

Last December, a school in Hackney became the first in England to be the subject of a safeguarding review triggered by complaints about its behaviour policy. 

Since landing in New York, we’ve spent a year sitting in classrooms, running school days, and getting to know families across the city.

Oppidan has landed in the US, and with it, a new crew of mentors bringing the same energy, warmth, and expertise our families in the UK have come to know.

We’ve led parent talks and student workshops in 100+ schools where early adolescents are applying to selective secondary schools.

With the UK government’s recent announcement that under-16s will be banned from social media next year, 16-year-old student Jasper Varley-Johnson discusses why the ban doesn’t go far enough and some potential solutions for parents.

Nearly a million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET). That’s one in eight. And the number is rising.

Oppidan's handpicked guide to summer 2026: creative projects, ideas and London events to keep curious children thinking, making and exploring all season.

At Oppidan, we believe that exceptional mentoring helps young people fulfil their potential. The Oppidan Mentoring Awards celebrates schools that excel in mentoring their students. Our award is an opportunity to shine a light on your school's commitment to building strong, supportive mentoring relationships within your community and fostering student growth.

In an increasingly competitive academic landscape, many families are familiar with tutoring. Extra support to improve grades, prepare for exams or strengthen subject knowledge has become a normal part of education. But there is a growing recognition that academic ability alone is not enough. Confidence, resilience, organisation and self-awareness all play a crucial role in a young person’s success, both in school and beyond. 

For families preparing for grammar school and selective independent school applications, the 11+ process can often feel like a moving target.

Choosing a university is one of the first major decisions a young person makes about their future. 

Take a look inside the 2026/27 edition of our top independent schools guide. Our Schools Advisor, Cat Sutherland-Hawes, shares her honest take on the UK's leading senior schools, from academic powerhouses and boarding gems to standout choices for sport, music and the arts. Available as a free download.

The UK is home to some of the world’s most widely respected, academically rigorous and established schools. 

We've designed a new journey: the Communication Journey. Here’s what your child will get from it and why it matters now more than ever.

With four teenagers currently moving through the GCSE and A Level years in our household, we have become mildly obsessed with the idea of the ‘incremental gain’.

A decade on from Oppidan’s very first mentoring sessions, Walter sat down with one of the young people who was there at the start. This is the Class of 2016.