Private Tutors
THE PERSE EXAMS HAVE CHANGED FOR 2026 ENTRY
The Perse Upper School
Independent School in Cambridge
Entrance Exam Date:
Saturday 17 January 2026 (for entry in September 2026)
Years:
Year 7 (11+, for students in Y6), Year 9 (13+ for students in Y8)
Sign-up Deadline
Part 1: Online Assessment (70 minutes)
Mathematics (non-calculator, 20 minutes) | Multiple-choice testing on reasoning, problem solving and comprehension.
English (comprehension, 30 minutes) | Reading comprehension based off small extracts.
Non-verbal Reasoning (10 minutes) | Multiple choice online questions testing spatial and visual reasoning.
Verbal reasoning (10 minutes) | Multiple choice online verbal reasoning questions.
Part 2: English Writing (30 minutes)
Short story inspired by a photo or prompt. Story must be structured in paragraphs and will be assessed on creativity, vocabulary and accuracy. This section is handwritten.
Other examined assessments
Interview (10 minutes) | Short informal conversation with a teacher to understand your child's interests and passions.
Group Activity (20-30 minutes) | Assessed group activity which assesses curiosity and teamwork abilities.
Results published:
Early March 2026
Price:
£45 per hour. Recommended one-hour lesson twice per week.
So, what's new?
The Perse has now changed the way the exams are sat. There is now a 70 minute online assessment, including Maths, English Comprehension, Non-verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning along with a 30 minute English Creative Writing. New sections are the English Comprehension and Non-verbal Reasoning. Maths, and both reasoning exams are now adaptive, meaning students who perform well receive questions at adjusted levels of difficulty depending on responses. We have tailored and expanded our resources to make sure your child is thoroughly prepared for the new sections of the exam.
My background at the Perse
I joined the Perse in Year 7, and know the preparation needed and significance of getting into the top school in East Anglia and a top 20 independent school in the country. I had a tutor in English and Maths for this exam, and I want to help you get your child into such a wonderful community. Our students have successfully secured places at The Perse in both Year 7 and Year 9 entrance. The Perse is looking for students who are intellectually curious and who reflect the schools values. As stated on their website, "A child’s ability to engage with the extra-curricular life of our school and support our values are important factors in the selection process." Our tutors are all at The Perse, ensuring they know what it takes to get into this competitive independent school.
What We Offer
Your Tutor will create a tailored study plan focused on the Perse specification. Our Tutors have all been students at The Perse, meaning we know what they are going to teach and look for at all points of entry into the school
We provide over 50+ exam papers and alternative resources which challenge's students abilities. Our framework for The Perse Entrance Exam is highlighted below:
What the Perse sees after your child takes their new online exam by Quest Assessments. We replicate this with our own grading system.
Suggested Timeline
April 2025 - September 2025
September 2025 - January 2026
Saturday 17 January 2026
Early February 2026
Begin learning and understanding core concepts in Maths and English. Try initial past papers with their tutor to find out what needs improvement.
Start preparation of verbal and non-verbal reasoning sections. Also begin having rigorous sessions on hard sections of the paper. Interview materials are prepared.
Strongly reccomended to visit a Perse Open Day:
The Perse Upper Open Day Saturday 27th September
The Perse Prep Open Day Saturday 4th October
Sit the entrance exam, with all the preparation you have, your child will feel confident in their abilities and hopefully get an offer!
Hopefully receive an offer for your child to study at The Perse in 2026-27!
