St Anselm's College 11+ Guide

About St Anselm's College

St Anselm's College is a selective secondary school in Wirral. For children to get into St Anselm's College they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, St Anselm's College is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled in the heart of Birkenhead, Merseyside, St Anselm's College stands as a beacon of academic excellence and holistic education for young men. This esteemed Roman Catholic grammar school has carved a reputation for nurturing the minds, bodies, and spirits of its students, preparing them to become well-rounded individuals ready to tackle the challenges of the modern world.

At St Anselm's, the pursuit of knowledge extends beyond the confines of the classroom. The school takes pride in its comprehensive curriculum, which strikes a perfect balance between traditional subjects and cutting-edge technology. With a legacy as a technology college, St Anselm's ensures that its pupils are equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly digital landscape. The dedicated faculty goes above and beyond to create an engaging and stimulating learning environment, encouraging students to explore their passions and reach their full potential.

Beyond the realm of academics, St Anselm's College recognizes the importance of extracurricular activities in shaping the character of its students. The school boasts an impressive array of sporting and artistic opportunities, allowing pupils to discover and cultivate their unique talents. From the melodic strains of the music department to the vibrant hues of the art studio, creativity flourishes within the walls of St Anselm's. The school's sporting prowess is equally remarkable, with teams regularly competing and triumphing in national competitions across various disciplines, such as cross country, athletics, and rugby.

What truly sets St Anselm's College apart is its unwavering commitment to the personal growth and well-being of each student. The school fosters a supportive and inclusive community, where pupils feel valued, respected, and inspired to dream big. Through a range of leadership development programs and community outreach initiatives, St Anselm's instills in its students a strong sense of social responsibility and the confidence to make a positive impact on the world around them.

As a testament to its exceptional educational standards, St Anselm's College has earned the acclaim of Ofsted, being rated as 'good' in their most recent inspection. The report highlighted the school's nurturing environment, where aspirations are ignited, and pupils are encouraged to strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives. With its rich history, outstanding facilities, and dedicated staff, St Anselm's College continues to shape the minds and hearts of young men, preparing them to become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow.

School Information

Below you will find further information about St Anselm's College together with their admissions contact details.

St Anselm's College is a boys only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).

In total 995 pupils attend St Anselm's College and it's led by the Headteacher, Simon Duggan.

St Anselm's College Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at St Anselm's College for the 2022-23 academic year.

St Anselm's College 11+ Information

In order to get into St Anselm's College, children need to pass the St Anselm's College 11+. This 11+ test is written internally for exclusive use by the school (rather than by an external company like GL Assessment, CSSE or CEM).

St Anselm's College 11+ Subjects & Structure

The St Anselm's College 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• English
• Maths
• Verbal Reasoning

The entrance examination for St Anselm's College is a comprehensive assessment designed to evaluate the academic potential of prospective students. The exam consists of three distinct papers, each lasting one hour and covering essential subjects: English, Maths, and Verbal Reasoning. These papers are specifically created by the school to gauge the students' abilities and aptitude.

The English paper is divided into two sections: reading and writing. The reading section assesses the child's comprehension skills through a series of questions based on a given text, while the writing section challenges their creative writing abilities with a choice of prompts. The Maths paper covers key topics from the Key Stage 2 maths national curriculum, including number, measurement, geometry, and statistics. The questions in this paper are presented in various formats, requiring the child to demonstrate their mathematical understanding and problem-solving skills.

The Verbal Reasoning paper is designed to test the child's capacity to solve problems using written information, such as letters, symbols, words, and numbers. This paper evaluates essential skills like reading fluency, vocabulary, logic, and attention to detail. Although verbal reasoning is not part of the national curriculum, it is included in the 11 plus exam to assess the child's potential rather than their acquired knowledge.

St Anselm's College 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as St Anselm's College is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.

Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.

It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!

St Anselm's College 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the St Anselm's College 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at St Anselm's College, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

St Anselm's College 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the St Anselm's College 11+ tests (to get into St Anselm's College) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with St Anselm's College as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

St Anselm's College was last inspected by Ofsted on 03/07/2019 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 23/07/2019, declaring that the school was 'Good'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for St Anselm's College per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are all available past 11+ papers for St Anselm's College. Please note that this may include 11+ past papers, past familiarisation booklets, past practice materials published by third parties and past 11+ exam guides written by the school. These materials are provided 'as-is' and may no longer reflect the subjects, format, structure or exam board that St Anselm's College currently uses.

The exam board (or test supplier) that St Anselm's College chooses to use for their 11+ entrance tests can change and we encourage you to check directly with the school.

As well as these past 11+ papers, you may find our 11+ practice papers helpful for your child's preparation.

None available.