Prep School Admissions

PREP SCHOOL 

1. Visit us – the best way to learn more is to visit us. Join us for an Open Morning or contact our Registrar to arrange a 1:1 tour.
    
2. Discovery Event – Register your daughter for a discovery session where she can explore our school, join us for lessons and activities, meet our teachers, make new friends and learn more about the opportunities at St Catherine’s. 
   
   * 4+ / Reception Discovery Afternoon (for girls and parents)
      Friday 4th October 2024 1.30pm - 2.45pm 
      Friday 28th February 2025 1.30pm - 2.45pm Register
   
   * Years 1-6 Discovery Events (for girls only)
      Thursday 17th October 2024 8.45am - 12pm
      Friday 28th February 2025 1.30pm - 2.45pm   Register
     
   For more discovery events, please contact our Prep School Registrar, Sarah Waller.
    
3. Apply – Complete our online application form. You will need to set up a parent account to access the application form.  Apply here
    
4. Assessment - Admission is by age-appropriate assessment in literacy, numeracy and reasoning.  For entry into Years 1-6 a confidential report from your daughter's current Headteacher will also be requested.  
    
5. Offer and acceptance - offers are made shortly after assessments. To accept a place, an acceptance deposit of £1,000 is payable when parents return the Acceptance Form, agreeing to the School’s terms and conditions. It is refunded (less any outstanding charges) when the pupil leaves, or is credited if a full term’s fees in lieu of notice is paid.
    
6. Post Offer –We are delighted to welcome girls back to see us again for a variety of events to help them feel part of our school before they join us, and to ensure a happy and successful transition to St Catherine’s.

Overseas Applicants

We are happy to arrange a ‘virtual visit’ to meet us and learn more about our school. Alternatively, individual visits can be arranged while you are in the UK.  Girls can be assessed while they are overseas. Please contact our Registrar for more information. Please note that we do not issue Child Student Visa numbers to girls in the Prep School.

Accessibility

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 Assessment 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.

1. Visit us – the best way to learn more is to visit us and meet our early years team. Contact our Registrar to arrange a tour.
    
2. Apply – contact our Registrar for an application form. A registration fee of £150 is payable with your completed application.
    
3. Stay and Play – your daughter is invited for a stay and play session, along with one of her parents. This is an opportunity for your daughter to enjoy activities and explore our colourful classrooms, and for you to meet our early years team and see the Pre-School class in action.
   
   Our future Stay and Play events:
   * Saturday 9th November 2024 2pm to 3.30pm.  
   * Saturday 8th February 2025 2pm to 3.30pm.  Click here to register. 
    
4. Offer – Following a successful stay and play session, offers are made to girls who we believe will thrive in our Pre-School.  Offers are only made subject to there being available space.
    
5. Acceptance – Offers must be accepted by the date outlined in your offer letter. In order to secure your daughter’s place you will be asked for a deposit of £1000, which is refunded (less any outstanding charges) when she leaves, or is credited if a full term’s fees in lieu of notice is paid.
    
6. Post offer – we will be delighted to welcome you and your daughter back to see us for a variety of events to help you feel part of our school community before joining us. We will also invite girls in with their parents for a settling-in session shortly before their first day to ensure her happy and successful start in our Pre-School.

Click here to learn more about our Pre-School

Joining us at 4+/Reception

Join us for our Discovery Afternoon where your daughter will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon of creative activities in our reception classrooms, and you will have the opportunity to meet key members of our teaching team.  Following a discovery session, your daughter will be invited for an informal play assessment. Through play, teacher observation and teacher/pupil interaction, girls’ literacy, numeracy, physical and social skills are assessed.

Key Dates for entry at 4+ in September 2025

• Reception Discovery Afternoon - Friday 4^th October 2024, 1.30pm - 2.45pm   
• Reception Discovery Afternoon - Friday 28^th February 2025, 1.30pm - 2.45pm Register

Overseas Applicants

We are happy to arrange a ‘virtual visit’ to meet us and learn more about our school. Alternatively, individual visits can be arranged while you are in the UK.  Girls can be assessed while they are overseas. Please contact our Registrar for more information. Please note that we do not issue Child Student Visa numbers to girls in the Prep School.

Joining us in Years 1-6

Girls are invited to join us for a Discovery Morning where they will take part in fun-filled activities alongside their peers and our staff and learn more about St Catherine’s.  Following the discovery session, girls will be invited for a second visit which will include a formal assessment in English, maths and reasoning.

• Discovery Afternoon - Friday 28^th February 2025, 1.30pm - 2.45pm Register
  For girls to join us for lessons and activities, make new friends and get to know our school and teachers.
• Discovery Morning: Thursday 17th October 2024 - 8:45am - 12noon  
  For girls to join our classes, make new friends and get to know our school and teachers. 
• Assessment Day: Tuesday 5th November 2024

Overseas Applicants 

We are happy to arrange a ‘virtual visit’ to meet us and learn more about our school. Alternatively, individual visits can be arranged while you are in the UK.  Girls can be assessed while they are overseas. Please contact our Registrar for more information. Please note that we do not issue Child Student Visa numbers to girls in the Prep School.