SENIOR SCHOOL - Admission is by assessment, usually held in January, for entry the following September. This includes entry into the Senior School by members of the Prep. School. Most girls enter the Senior School at eleven, although a few places may be available at later stages and places are available for the Sixth Form. Means-tested bursaries, up to full fee awards, are available at all entry levels.
Taster Days and small-group Taster Sleepovers are provided in the Autumn Term prior to entry and are very valuable opportunities for girls to see whether St Catherine’s is the right school for them.
11+ entrance examinations are in Mathematics, English, Science and Verbal Reasoning, and are devised by St Catherine’s, based on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum content. At 12+ - 14+, tests are taken in Verbal Reasoning, English and Mathematics at the appropriate level. Sixth Form papers include an IQ test and a General Paper.
PREP. SCHOOL - Admission is by assessment for entry the following September in the preceding November for 4+ and the preceding January for 5+, 7+ and other occasional places.
At 4+ girls visit the school for a morning in groups no greater than 8. Through play, teacher observation and teacher/pupil interaction, girls’ literacy, numeracy, physical and social skills are assessed.
At all other ages, assessment consists of tests in English and Mathematics, written by members of the Departments, respectively, as well as a Verbal Reasoning paper. Each girl will also have an informal interview where she will talk about herself and her interests.
BOTH SCHOOLS - A confidential report from the girl’s previous Head will always be requested, except at 4+, and used as part of the selection procedure. The report for each girl requests information about her academic performance and potential, any specific learning difficulties, how best to manage any disability, and curricular and extra-curricular interests.
Applicants with a disability will be assessed on their academic performance as outlined above. Parents of applicants with a disability should make this clear on the application form so that the School can make every reasonable effort to adapt its admissions procedures to accommodate the applicant on the entrance test day. Any parent of an applicant who has a disability is also asked to let the School know so that proper access can be arranged for pre-admission school visits/information mailings, and subsequently for school events, should the applicant be successful in the entrance tests.
HOW TO APPLY - Applicants will be considered as candidates for admission to the school once the Registration Form (online form below) has been completed and returned, along with the non-refundable registration fee, currently £100.
An Acceptance Deposit of £500 (Day Pupil), £1,000 (Boarder in the UK), a term’s fees (for overseas’ boarders) is payable when parents return the Acceptance Form to the School. It is refunded (less any outstanding charges) when the pupil leaves, or is credited if a full term’s fee in lieu of notice is paid.
For further details, please contact the relevant Registrar. You may also wish to read the following School Policies on the School Website.