Preparing your son for the Dulwich College 11+ in the 2026/27 cycle?
Specialist South London tutors tailored to the Dulwich College entrance examination.
Preparing your son for the Dulwich College 11+ in the 2026/27 cycle?
Specialist South London tutors tailored to the Dulwich College entrance examination.
Dulwich College 11+ entry for September 2027 is selective: around 90 pupils join Year 7 through 11+ entry each year. The entrance examination is six online tests followed by a 20-minute creative writing task. For applicants sitting in the UK, registration closes on Monday 2 November 2026, midday, and the UK sitting of the entrance examination is on Friday 4 December 2026. This guide covers the format, key dates and preparation.
Dulwich College describes itself as "an academically selective school for day pupils and boarders (from Year 9)", and as a community of "bright, creative, intellectually curious and compassionate boys aged 7 to 18 years". It was founded in 1619 and stands on Dulwich Common (SE21 7LD). Around 90 pupils join the Lower School into Year 7 (11+) each academic year "from a wide selection of primary schools and independent schools", and boys from the Junior School move up into Year 7 as well, "making a year group total of around 150 boys".
On its leavers' destinations page the College says that "the majority of Dulwich College pupils continue their education at some of the world's top institutions, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, and Russell Group universities in the UK".
The entrance examination combines online tests, some adaptive and some non-adaptive, with a creative writing task, so a strong performance needs accuracy under time pressure and clear, well-organised writing.
Dulwich College sets its own entrance examination for Year 7 entry. For September 2027 entry, the College's Year 7 page lists the entrance examinations on Friday 4 December 2026, which its overseas applicants page calls "the UK exam date", and says that "the admissions test is in two parts, which will last, in total, about 3 hours, including breaks during the tests". Understanding the structure in detail is one of the first steps families can take.
Part 1 — Online tests: The first part covers six components, which the College lists as Mathematics (20 minutes), English (30 minutes), Non-verbal Reasoning (10 minutes), Verbal Reasoning (10 minutes), Puzzles and Problem Solving (15 minutes) and Creative Comprehension (20 minutes). Mathematics, Non-verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning are adaptive: "questions get harder or easier depending on answers submitted", so "candidates are therefore not able to go back and change their answers". English, Puzzles and Problem Solving and Creative Comprehension are non-adaptive: "all candidates have the same questions and are able to move backward and forward through the questions changing their answers should they wish". The College adds that "Maths and English questions will cover the range of topics as set out in Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum" and that "most questions are multiple choice with only a few requiring a typed word or number".
Part 2 — Creative Writing: The second part is "a creative writing task which candidates will handwrite (or type if appropriate)". It is "a 20 minute test of which 5 minutes is planning and 15 minutes is writing", and the College publishes a specimen paper for it in the Practice Test section of its Year 7 page.
| Component | Part | Duration | Format | Details from the College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Part 1 | 20 min | Adaptive | Key Stage 2 National Curriculum topics; answers cannot be changed |
| English | Part 1 | 30 min | Non-adaptive | Key Stage 2 National Curriculum topics; can move backward and forward |
| Non-verbal Reasoning | Part 1 | 10 min | Adaptive | Answers cannot be changed |
| Verbal Reasoning | Part 1 | 10 min | Adaptive | Answers cannot be changed |
| Puzzles and Problem Solving | Part 1 | 15 min | Non-adaptive | Can move backward and forward and change answers |
| Creative Comprehension | Part 1 | 20 min | Non-adaptive | Can move backward and forward and change answers |
| Creative Writing | Part 2 | 20 min | Handwritten (or typed if appropriate) | 5 minutes planning, 15 minutes writing |
Source: the Entrance Procedure section of the College's Year 7 entry (11+) page.
The College's Year 7 page sets out how each component works, and the notes below follow it.
Mathematics (adaptive, 20 minutes). The College says its Maths questions "cover the range of topics as set out in Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum". Because the section is adaptive, questions get harder or easier depending on the answers submitted and candidates cannot go back and change an answer, so checking each answer before moving on is a habit worth building.
English (non-adaptive, 30 minutes). English questions also follow Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum. Because the section is non-adaptive, candidates "are able to move backward and forward through the questions changing their answers should they wish", which rewards systematic proofreading and a final check of every answer.
Non-verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning (adaptive, 10 minutes each). Both sections are adaptive, so each answer shapes the questions that follow and cannot be changed once submitted. The Practice Test section of the College's Year 7 page links a familiarisation test, and the College says its questions "are intended to demonstrate the style of question, not the content given the adaptive nature of some of the tests".
Puzzles and Problem Solving (non-adaptive, 15 minutes) and Creative Comprehension (non-adaptive, 20 minutes). Both sections are non-adaptive, so candidates can move backward and forward through the questions. The College adds that "there will be a clock on the screen showing how long the candidate has left for each section", so managing time within each section matters in both.
Creative Writing (Part 2, 20 minutes). Candidates plan for 5 minutes and write for 15, by hand or, if appropriate, typed. The College's specimen paper asks candidates to look at a picture and "write a detailed descriptive response", with marks awarded for "originality and imagination", "appropriate voice and style", "use of imagery (metaphor and simile)" and "ambitious and accurate vocabulary, punctuation and sentence structures". In our experience, building real creative writing skill means reading widely, practising different narrative voices and receiving detailed feedback.
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Book a Free Consultation on WhatsAppThe College makes an offer "on the basis of the candidate's performance in the appropriate examination an interview a reference from the Head of the candidate's present school", and says that "candidates who show promise in the entrance examinations are invited to attend an interview in January". Its bursaries page adds that "all boys who are offered a place at Dulwich College are in the top 15% of the academic ability for their age group across the UK" and gives a guide that boys applying to join Year 7 "should be working at Greater Depth in English and Mathematics at primary school".
In the adaptive sections "questions get harder or easier depending on answers submitted", so an early careless error shapes the questions that follow.
In our experience preparing boys for the Dulwich College 11+ entrance assessment, the same gaps appear repeatedly. Addressing these specifically — rather than working through generic 11+ material — makes a significant difference to outcomes.
The College's Year 7 entry (11+) page lists these dates for Year 7 entry in September 2027:
Families should confirm current dates and registration deadlines directly with the Dulwich College admissions office.
Leading Tuition provides specialist 1-to-1 tutoring for boys preparing for the Dulwich College 11+ entrance assessment. Our tutors understand every section of the Dulwich College entrance examination — not just the subject content, but the specific demands of adaptive testing, the difference between the online Part 1 and the creative writing Part 2, and the habits of mind that the examination rewards.
Every boy we work with receives a programme built around his individual starting point. We begin with a diagnostic assessment to identify specific strengths and gaps, then build a structured programme that covers every section of the Dulwich entrance examination systematically. We do not use off-the-shelf 11+ materials when preparation specific to the Dulwich examination is what is needed. Our students have achieved a 95%+ offer rate across selective school entry, and we are rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 59 reviews, read on 3 October 2026. We work with families across South London — SE21, SE22, SE24, Herne Hill, Dulwich Village, East Dulwich and beyond — as well as online across the UK.
Considering Dulwich College later, at 16+? See our Dulwich College 16+ Entry guide for the sixth-form admissions calendar and entry requirements.
For a family living abroad, our guide to Dulwich College from overseas gathers what the school publishes for applicants outside the UK, stage by stage.
Dulwich College sets its own entrance examination for Year 7 entry, and for September 2027 entry its Year 7 page lists the UK sitting on Friday 4 December 2026. The College says the admissions test is in two parts and lasts about 3 hours in total, including breaks. Part 1 is online: Mathematics (20 minutes), English (30 minutes), Non-verbal Reasoning (10 minutes), Verbal Reasoning (10 minutes), Puzzles and Problem Solving (15 minutes) and Creative Comprehension (20 minutes). Mathematics, Non-verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning are adaptive, so candidates cannot go back and change their answers. English, Puzzles and Problem Solving and Creative Comprehension are non-adaptive, so candidates can move backward and forward through the questions and change their answers. Part 2 is a 20-minute creative writing task, handwritten or typed if appropriate, with 5 minutes of planning and 15 minutes of writing.
The College says that Maths and English questions "cover the range of topics as set out in Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum", so the content is drawn from primary school work. What differs is the format. In the adaptive sections (Maths, Non-verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning) "questions get harder or easier depending on answers submitted" and candidates "are therefore not able to go back and change their answers", so checking each answer before submitting it matters. Part 2 is a timed creative writing task in which candidates plan for 5 minutes and write for 15.
For the Dulwich 11+, yes — but only if the tutoring is specific and well-structured. Generic 11+ preparation will not adequately prepare a boy for everything the Dulwich examination includes: six online tests, three of them adaptive, followed by a creative writing task. What makes a measurable difference is targeted work on the exact skills the examination demands: adaptive Maths fluency, NVR and VR practice, analytical comprehension, and creative writing craft, delivered consistently over a sufficient period. A tutor who understands the Dulwich examination can identify gaps early, build the right habits, and ensure a boy arrives at the examination genuinely ready rather than broadly prepared.
The College's Year 7 page has a Practice Test section with a familiarisation test and, for Part 2, a Creative Writing specimen paper. It says the familiarisation questions "are intended to demonstrate the style of question, not the content given the adaptive nature of some of the tests", and that "Maths and English questions will cover the range of topics as set out in Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum". The College also works with Atom Learning "to provide students who are eligible for Pupil Premium with free 11+ preparation and KS2 learning resources", for children in Years 5 and 6.
Yes. The College says that "the majority of bursaries are offered on entry to Year 7 (11+)" and that a bursary award "will cover all or part of the school fees". To apply, tick the bursary box on the online registration form; at the beginning of November the admissions team sends a link to a bursary form, to be completed by the end of November, and "bursary awards are made at the same time as an offer of a place". On scholarships, the College says that for Year 7 entry "all boys who sit the entrance examinations are automatically considered for an academic scholarship". For Music Scholarships there is an audition and, as a guide, candidates for 11+ "are expected to be at Grade 5 in their first instrument".
Leading Tuition provides specialist 1-to-1 tutoring tailored to every section of the Dulwich College entrance examination: Maths, English, Non-verbal Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Puzzles and Problem Solving, Creative Comprehension and Creative Writing. Our tutors understand the specific demands of adaptive testing — particularly the importance of building accuracy before speed, since adaptive questions cannot be revised once submitted. We work with families across South London and online, building personalised programmes around your son's starting level and the time available before the examination. Our students have achieved a 95%+ offer rate across selective school entry. Book a free consultation to discuss your son's preparation plan.
Dulwich College says that "around 90 pupils join the Lower School into Year 7 (11+) each academic year from a wide selection of primary schools and independent schools". Boys from its Junior School also move up into Year 7, "making a year group total of around 150 boys".
Further reading: 11+ Tuition at Leading Tuition | London Tutors | What Is the 11+ Exam? | All 11+ School Guides
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