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 joins us for a typical school day, meets our girls and staff and learns more about the opportunities at St Catherine’s. 
    
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.

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.

Joining Reception in September 2024

Please contact our Registrar, Sarah Waller, if you are seeking a place in Reception (4+) in September 2024.

Key Dates for entry at 4+ in September 2025

• Reception Discovery Afternoon - Friday 4^th October 2024, 1.30pm - 2.45pm
• Reception Informal Play Assessment - Saturday 12^th October 2024, 10am – 12pm
• Reception Offer-Holders Event - Friday 8^th November 2024, 1.30pm – 2.45pm

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 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.