Junior School Admissions Procedure
Boys and girls may enter St Edmund's Junior School at any point from the Nursery at the age of 3 to Year 8 at the age of 12. There is a large annual intake into Year 7. Most pupils join in September at the beginning of an academic year, but providing there is a place for the child, new pupils are welcomed at any time.
Step 1 - Visit our school
Arrange to meet the Master, Robert Bacon and tour the school. Contact Mrs Yvonne King at juniorschool@stedmunds.org.uk or telephone 01227 475600.
Step 2 - Registration
Parents may register their child for St Edmund's School at any time - before or after a visit - by completing and returning a Registration Form together with the £75 registration fee. The child's name is then added to the provisional list for entry in the term indicated.
Step 3 - Assessment
Following a visit, parents can request the assessment of their child for entry. The purpose of assessment is to give parents and school the confidence that the child will flourish in the St Edmund's environment. A broad view of the child is taken and evidence is drawn from visits made to the school, academic testing (Year 4 onwards) and reports and references from the current school.
There are no entrance tests for children entering the school in Year 3 and below. These children spend an informal assessment day in class at St Edmund's amongst children of their own age. The teachers then advise the Master as to whether or not the child is likely to flourish in our environment.
A similar process is followed for children entering Years 4, 5 and 6, though they will also sit some entrance tests during their assessment visit (usually a reading test and a non-verbal reasoning test).
For entry to Years 7 and 8 prospective pupils sit formal entrance tests (Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning) which take place on a number of Saturday mornings each term.
All assessment visits may be arranged through Mrs Yvonne King, 01227 475600.
Step 4 - Requesting reference and report
With the parents' consent we will approach the prospective pupil's current school for a report on their recent academic progress, social traits and so on. The Master will also like to see the child's most recent end of year school report.
Step 5 - Offer of a place
Assuming the assessment has been successful, the Master will make a formal offer of a place and send this to the parents, together with a copy of the Entrance Form and Parent's Contract. Parents respond by accepting the place in writing, completing the Entrance Form agreeing to the school's terms and conditions, and paying a non-refundable deposit.
Scholarships
A small number of scholarships for exceptional achievement in academic, sporting and musical life are awarded annually to Year 6 pupils seeking entry to Year 7. Scholars must have a strong track record in their field and they must have the potential to be leaders in their field amongst their peers throughout their school careers.
Admissions Policy
Admission to St Edmund's depends upon a prospective pupil meeting the criteria required to ensure that he or she:
- Will benefit from and be challenged by the educational programme we offer.
- Will find the educational programme accessible.
- Will feel comfortable with the range and depth of the programme and the pace at which it is delivered.
- Will feel comfortable in the intellectual context of other pupils in that year group.
- Will meet the criteria required to maintain and if possible improve the educational and general standards for all our pupils.
We must feel reasonably sure that we will be able to develop the prospective pupil to the best of his or her potential and in line with the general standards achieved by the pupil's peers, so that there is every chance the pupil will have a complete, happy and successful career at St Edmund's, and emerge confident, well-educated and well-rounded with a good prospect of a satisfying life. These criteria must continue to be met throughout the child's time at St Edmund's.
Our policy is to apply these criteria to all pupils and potential pupils regardless of any disability of which we are aware, subject to our obligation to make reasonable adjustments so as not to put any disabled pupil or potential pupil at a substantial disadvantage compared to any pupil who is not disadvantaged because of disability.
