Preparatory Department

For admission to the Preparatory School, a girl must have reached the age of seven before 1st September in the year of entry. Your completed registration should have reached the Admissions Officer by Friday 21 November before the year of intended entry.

Prospective pupils are required to sit a day of written assessments, and half a day of practical tests. We take extra-curricular interests and school reports into account when making selections.

English: Candidates should be able to read simple stories fluently and to give clear oral accounts of the points within them. They should be able to structure and develop a piece of writing in narrative form.

Mathematics: Girls should have a knowledge of the meaning of numbers through experience in using them, such as counting or grouping different objects or scoring in games. They should know at least their 2, 5 and 10 multiplication tables and they should have had some experience of different coins, perhaps by playing shopping games or going shopping with or for their families. They should have had some experience of time, measurement, length, weight and capacity. Experience of simple problem-solving, investigations and mental calculation will also be beneficial.

Science: Although Science is not formally tested at 7+ it is strongly advised that girls have some experience of scientific enquiry through contexts taken from life processes, materials and their properties and physical properties as identified in Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.

General Interest: Candidates should be able to show that they have enquiring minds and are interested in finding out why and how things happen and be able to show some interests in visits they have made. They should also show some interest in creative activity as in painting, modelling, using construction toys, cooking, sewing or making scrapbooks.

There are currently no bursaries or scholarships available to girls in the Prep Department.