Examinations and procedures

Upon completion of the application forms the senior schools procedure usually involves three aspects:

1. Examinations

Again, each school will have a slightly different timeline for the above. Some schools will interview all children, whilst, others may only offer interviews to those who pass their entrance examinations. These details will be made available through the admissions guides for each senior school.

Examinations

The examination plays a key part of the admissions process. In most cases the children will be tested in maths, English and verbal reasoning. However, the girls’ Consortium, which changed in 2018, test all children solely by using adaptive cognitive ability tests. It is important to consider that some schools are more selective and competitive than others and further details on this will be provided during our meetings.

Interviews

The interviews at senior schools may take varying styles. Some may offer small group interviews, whilst, others interview all children individually. The children will be provided with ‘interview preparation’ from the beginning of Form 6 in their weekly timetable and as a before school compulsory club. We shall also provide mock interviews with various members of staff to ensure the children understand what to expect during this process.

References from Orchard House

Every school will request a written reference from their current school and these will be completed by the form teachers in Form 6. These are detailed references, which comment not only on academic performance but your child’s interests, achievements and contribution to school life.

In some cases, schools may request the most recent report in addition to the written reference.