7 ways to INCREASE your son's chances of being offered a place at Haberdashers at 4+
/Did you know that in my over 20 years of preparing boys to be wildly successful in this incredibly challenging 4+ assessment, that I’ve never had a year where a boy has not passed the first round? Ever!
If you want your son to have a chance at Habs Boys at 4+, I know for fact that we are the best of the best.
We know the school like the back of our hands.
We know exactly what they are looking for in their potential new boys.
Each year, we prepare 8-10 boys for this 4+ assessment. Each year a huge number are offered a place to study at Habs Boys at 4+ (and other entry points too but here we discuss the 4+!). This year, from September 2026, 9 of the boys who were offered a place were prepared by us.
Simply extraordianary!
Parents will often ask me this question…
‘How can I increase his chances for success in the Habs’ Boys’ 4+ assessment?’
And it really is a very good question.
7 ways to INCREASE your son's chances of being offered a place at Haberdashers at 4+
1. Focus on a broad and vast vocabulary from as early as possible. Basically from birth!
Read 10 books a day to your child. Or just choose a number and go with that! Ask your child hundreds of questions a day. Model answers for them. Set the highest expectations for how they answer your questions.
2. Support their personal, social and emotional development.
Have high expectations of their behaviour. Tell them what it is so they know. Read books about behaviour and discuss at length. Encourage social interaction from an early age (not just at nursery!).
3. Build that strength!
Fine and gross motor development is huge in the 4+ assessments. Every single day, you want to be doing something that will support this! Puzzles, lego, play doh, beading, cutting, writing, colouring in etc etc. Every day (doing it at nursery alone will not cut it!).
4. Teach your child to read.
I have nothing more to say about this! Invest in an amazing phonics programme and go! Every day teach your child their phonics! (Don’t rely on nursery to do this for you!)
5. Teach your child and broad and vast mathematical curriculum.
Place value, addition and subtractions, geometry, measurement, writing numbers etc etc.
(Nurseries do not teach maths to the level needed at 4+).
6. Encourage curiosity.
Understanding of the world is key in this 4+ assessment (and the others too!)
7. Support your child to be able to draw and colour in to a very high standard.
And off you go!
We’ve all got a lot of work to do.
You want a place at Habs Boys?
You’re going to need to work very hard for it. All of us! Our students, our clients and our teachers. You’d better believe that they’re just not going to offer your son a place because he attended the assessment! He will need to demonstrate all of the above and to a very, very high standard.
