Know exactly where your child stands for Forest School
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Forest School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Forest School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Forest School
Forest School, a co-educational independent school, assesses Year 7 entry through a two-stage 11+ entrance exam. The assessment uses the Independents and Quest Admissions boards and includes an interview stage for prospective pupils.
If you want a London day school where a child can walk straight off the campus into open woodland, Forest is one of very few that can offer it. It sits on the edge of Epping Forest in Snaresbrook, north-east London, with around 1,500 pupils on a single green campus, its pitches and wooded paths running right up to the forest itself. The school is co-educational and takes children from age 4 all the way through to 18 in one place, which is unusual for the city and a big part of why families choose it. Senior entry points are at 11, 13 and into the sixth form.
Forest was founded in 1834, and it keeps a genuine connection to its setting. The Good Schools Guide reports parents describing it as "down to earth, friendly, diverse," which fits a school drawing from a wide spread of London families rather than one narrow type. There is a strong life beyond lessons, with music, drama staged at the Hackney Empire, a Combined Cadet Force and a broad sports programme; cricket has been played here since the 1840s, and the school still runs its long-standing Sylvestrians cricket tradition. England cricketers Nasser Hussain and James Foster came through these pitches.
Forest suits a family who want a well-rounded, unshowy London day school with room to breathe and a real mix of backgrounds. The early years provision is a particular strength, so younger children are well looked after from the start. It is led by Warden Claire Tao, who took up the role in September 2025.
Key facts
Admissions
Admissions contact
admissions@forest.org.uk
Admissions phone
0208 520 1744 ext 4
Registration form
https://www.forest.org.uk/admissions-overview/senior-registration-form/
Sibling policy
What this school tests
Digital Test
English
- Grammar
- Punctuation
- Reading Comprehension - Comparison
- Reading Comprehension - Evaluation
- Reading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuation
- Reading Comprehension - Inference and Deduction
- Reading Comprehension - Information Retrieval
- Reading Comprehension - Language Techniques and Imagery
- Reading Comprehension - Sentence-level Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension - Sequencing
- Reading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and Tone
- Reading Comprehension - Summarising
- Reading Comprehension - Text Classification and Purpose
- Reading Comprehension - Types of Words and Phrases
- Reading Comprehension - Word Meaning / Choice
- Spelling
- Vocabulary
Maths
- Algebra
- Angles and Degrees
- BIDMAS
- Coordinate Grids
- Estimation and Rounding
- Factors and Multiples
- Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
- Measurement
- Money
- Number and Place Value
- Operations
- Perimeter, Area and Volume
- Position and Direction
- Properties of Shapes
- Ratio and Proportion
- Reflection, Rotation and Symmetry
- Sequences
- Special Numbers
- Speed, Distance and Time
- Statistics
- Time
Non-verbal Reasoning
- Figure Analogies
- Figure Matrices
- Figure Series
- Grid Matrices
- Horizontal Codes
- Match to a Group of Figures
- Most Like Three Figures
- Odd Figure Out
- Odd Shaped Matrices
- Star Matrices
- Triangle Matrices
- Vertical Codes
Verbal Reasoning
- Alphabet Logic
- Anagrams
- Compound Words
- Embedded Words
- Form a Word
- Insert 2 / 3 Letters
- Insert a Letter
- Letter Analogies
- Letter Sequences
- Move 1 / 2 Letters
- Ordering Words
- Rhyming Synonyms
- Shuffled Sentences
- Synonyms
- Word / Logic Puzzles
- Word Analogies
- Word Completion
- Word Match
- Word Opposites
- Word Pairs
- Word Relationships
- Word Swap
- Words and Codes
Spatial Reasoning
- 2D Rotations
- 2D View of 3D Shape
- 3D Rotations
- Block Counting
- Building Blocks
- Combining Shapes
- Diagonal Reflections
- Figure Missing from Image
- Fold and Punch
- Folding Cubes
- Hidden Shapes
- Missing Face of Cube
- Nets of 3D Shapes
- Shape Completion
Puzzles And Problem Solving
- Number Properties & Proportion
- Logic & Systematic Thinking
- Geometry, Measures & Data
- Equations & Early Algebra
- Magic Shapes & Additive Puzzles
- Calculation Fluency
Written English Assessment
English
- Creative Writing - Descriptive
- Creative Writing - Narrative
- Creative Writing - Personal
- Creative Writing - Persuasive
Catchment area
Selection review and safety net
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 58.1 across their GCSEs. 67.8% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 40.2% achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
A-level results
In 2025 students achieved a B+ average grade per A-Level entry. 30.1% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does Forest School use for the 11+?
Forest School uses the Independents and Quest Admissions exam boards for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Forest School interview as part of the 11+?
Yes, an interview stage is part of the 11+ entrance process for Forest School.
Is Forest School co-educational or single-sex?
Forest School is a co-educational independent school, taking both boys and girls.
How many stages are there in the Forest School 11+ exam?
The Forest School 11+ entrance exam consists of two distinct stages.
What is Forest School's website for 11+ admissions?
The official website for Forest School's 11+ entry information is https://www.forest.org.uk/admissions-overview/11-entry/.
Does Forest School offer bursaries or help with fees?
Yes. Forest offers means-tested bursaries, awarded according to household income, to help families who could not otherwise afford a place. A bursary is added to a scholarship award and, combined, can reduce fees by up to the full amount. Your child first needs a scholarship award for excellence, then you apply for the bursary. For 11+ 2027 entry, the bursary application deadline is Fri 11 Dec 2026.
What scholarships does Forest School offer?
Forest awards scholarships at 11+ for academic excellence, sport, music, art and drama. They go to pupils who show excellence during a competitive assessment process, and they carry a small fee reduction alongside recognition and support from staff. Non-academic scholarships need a separate application form, due Fri 20 Nov 2026 for 2027 entry, with assessments in early December. Academic scholars are identified through the entrance test, with interviews in January.
What is the Forest School 11+ interview like?
At Forest, the interview is one part of the 11+ process, alongside the entrance test and a school reference. It usually takes place in the week beginning Mon 18 Jan 2027 for 2027 entry, after the December entrance exam. It is a chance for the school to get to know your child as a person, beyond their test scores. There is no need to over-prepare; the school is looking for a genuine, relaxed conversation.
Location
https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d19832.41457797545!2d-0.024716220898448688!3d51.585613599999995!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x47d8a75badbc533b%3A0x656a55b1cbf3abfe!2sForest%20School!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1780592128836!5m2!1sen!2suk
