Admissions Policy

General Statement of Policy

Caterham Senior School is an academically selective day school for boys and girls aged 11-19 years maintaining an all-round approach to education.

The School seeks to promote accessibility by making available both means-tested (bursary) and non means-tested (scholarship) awards. Further details of these awards can be found below.

The School must feel confident that it will be able to educate fully any applicant child in line with his/her potential and in line with the standards achieved by the would be pupil’s peers, and that he/she would support the aims, ethos and expectations to which the School aspires.

Entry to the School is by selection on academic merit and on assessment of a pupil’s likely positive contribution through good behaviour to the aims, ethos and co-curricular life of the School.

The arrangements for the entrance examinations are described below.

The School’s policy is to conduct its admissions on a fair and non-discriminatory basis. Reasonable adjustments will be made available in the entrance assessments if supported by an Educational Psychologist’s Report or equivalent independent medical report which is not more than two years old at the date of the examination. The School’s policies on equal opportunity and disability are available on request.

Applicants will be considered only when the Registration Form has been completed and returned with payment of the non-returnable Registration Fee. Applications after the deadline notified on the website will be considered at the School’s discretion. Entrance assessments may be varied and/or may be held for late applicants and/or at times other than those published in advance at the School's discretion. Admission will be subject to availability of a place and fulfilment of the current admission requirements.

The School welcomes staff and children from many different ethnic groups, backgrounds and creeds. Human rights are respected. The School will make all reasonable adjustments to ensure that children with disabilities have full access to the School’s curriculum, culture, policies and procedures.

The School’s physical facilities for disabled comply with regulations and it will do all that is reasonable to ensure that the School’s culture, policies and procedures are made accessible to children who have disabilities and to comply with its legal and moral responsibilities under the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.

Arrangements for Admissions

Academic standards are high and the intake is selective at all ages. All candidates must sit our examinations. For day pupils the main intake ages are 11+ years, 13+ years and for the Sixth Form. All day pupil candidates are required to attend an interview and a report from the pupil's current school will be required prior to an offer of a place being made.

International applicants can enter at varying ages. All international applicants for boarding places must pass our examinations which are usually taken at the offices of the British Council or one of our overseas agents. For all international applicants we require a school report prior to registration.

Entrance Examinations

All applicants must register with the School prior to sitting the examinations.

Day pupils: The closing date for registration is mid November of the year prior to entry (see website for details).

Entry at 11+: All registered candidates are interviewed in November. The entrance examinations are held in January of the year of entry. There are papers in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning. All papers are designed to bring out the skills and potential of the candidates, whatever they may have covered in the past.

Entry at 13+: All registered candidates are invited to the school in January of the year of entry to take our examinations in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning. All candidates will also be interviewed. Common Entrance results from Preparatory Schools are used for setting purposes.

Offers of places and scholarships are based upon performance in our examinations, interview assessment and the report from the Head Teacher of the candidate’s current school. Offers are despatched in late February with acceptances required in early March. Pupils joining the school will receive detailed information in May/June.

Sixth Form Entry: Places are offered subject to a minimum of six GCSE passes (or equivalent) at Grade A. Additionally, pupils will be expected to meet the specific subject entry requirements for their AS and A Level choices. This is a pass at grade A or B (or equivalent) depending on the subject. International applicants for A Level entry must pass our examinations.

Boarding pupils: We do not have set examination dates for boarding candidates but they must pass our examinations. For pupils entering up to Fourth Year these examinations are in English and Maths. For boarding pupils seeking Sixth Form entry we usually require the candidate to take examinations in three of the subjects to be studied at A Level. For all international applications we must see a school report prior to registration.

Scholarships and Bursaries

About a third of our parents benefit from reduced fees, either through scholarships or bursaries.

Bursaries
We wish to ensure that Caterham School is accessible to talented students, irrespective of parental income. Therefore, any prospective pupil from a low-income family is eligible to apply for a Caterham Bursary to obtain means-tested financial support in respect of day fees. Bursaries do not preclude pupils from holding a scholarship award.

Bursaries can be offered to new pupils and those who are already in the school and whose families have suffered sudden and unexpected financial hardship.

When applying, parents must indicate in a separate letter to the Registrar that a bursary may be needed. The Bursar will provide an application form which should be completed and returned in strict confidence. For new pupils the award of bursarial support is subject to qualifying in the entrance examination and, if, as is likely, the demand exceeds the number available, bursaries will be awarded with reference to performance in the entrance assessment.

The granting of a bursary is discretionary. In making its decisions, the School considers a wide range of appropriate matters including, but not limited to, parental/guardian income (from all sources), assets (including personal property) and other matters that are particular to the pupil such as family circumstances. All Bursaries are reassessed annually.

Bursaries are also available for the sons and daughters of URC Clergy, Regular Forces and FCO personnel.

Scholarships

Scholarships are assessed with a view to encouraging pupils. The breadth and depth of the awards can vary each year depending on the quality of applicants. All 11+ and 13+ day pupil candidates are automatically considered for Academic Scholarships but specific application forms are required for other scholarships.

Scholarships are available to registered candidates and are all based on assessment. In the event of there being no outstanding candidates for a particular award the money may be allocated to another category.
The awards are made without regard to parental income and are usually worth a percentage of the school fees but may also be a fixed amount. The scholarship will remain throughout a pupil's school career provided they maintain the expected standards (detailed in the Terms and Conditions of Award).
Candidates in receipt of a specific scholarship award, eg Art, Music, Science, Sport must play an active part in these areas throughout their school life to retain their award.
Even if a bursary is awarded as a percentage of the annual fee, a scholarship may also be given.
A pupil who pays reduced fees because of a bursary may also be awarded an honorary scholarship, which can be implemented if future family income were to increase.
There is no set number of scholarship awards but a sum equivalent to ten full fees may be given each year.

Academic Scholarships
These are awarded at 11+, 13+ and 16+ and can represent up to 50% of the fees.

At 11+ and 13+: All external candidates who have registered, and those pupils progressing from Caterham Preparatory School, are automatically considered for an Academic Scholarship. The scholarships are awarded solely on the basis of our entrance examinations and interviews.

At 16+: Candidates applying for Academic Scholarships are required to sit a general paper and two other papers in subjects of their choice that they will be studying at A Level. Examinations and interviews take place in the November preceding entry the following academic year. These scholarships are available to all external candidates, and to internal candidates not already holding an award. Candidates must still satisfy the entry requirement for Sixth Form.

In addition to Academic Scholarships, awards may be made for specific subjects, eg languages.

All Rounder Scholarships
These are awarded at 13+ and can represent up to 25% of the fees. These scholarships are awarded to candidates who are academically sound and achieve scholarship standard in two of the following subjects: Art, Drama, Music or Sport. They should be a genuine ‘all-rounder’ with real evidence of potential leadership.

Art Scholarships
These are awarded at 11+, 13+ and 16+ and can represent up to 25% of the fees. Candidates wishing to be considered for a scholarship will initially be asked to submit a portfolio of their work for assessment by the Director of Art & Design. The portfolio should reflect the breadth and depth of personal interest and may include paintings, prints, drawings and photographs of three-dimensional work. Portfolios will be returned. Successful candidates will be invited to attend a scholarship interview and to undertake a still life drawing. Sketchbooks and a selection of the work from the portfolio should be made available at the interview. All Art Scholars are expected to be fully committed to the school’s Art programme.

Music Scholarships & Awards
Music Scholarships are awarded at 11+, 13+ and 16+ and can represent up to 25% of the fees. In addition, up to four exhibitions may be offered, each to the value of free instrumental music tuition on one or more instruments in school. These awards are made on the basis of musical potential as well as actual achievement. As a guide we would expect students to have achieved grade 4 or above aged 11+; grade 5 or above at 13+ and grade 7/8 at 16+ on their principal instrument. Auditions take place early in the Spring Term during which candidates are required to perform one substantial piece (or two shorter pieces) on their principal instrument, and one piece on a second instrument (if studied). There are also sight-reading, aural tests and an informal viva voce with members of the Music department.

All Music award holders are expected to be ambassadors for the music department taking part in the annual music award holders concert and playing active roles in the co-curricular music programme.

Sports Scholarships
These are awarded at 11+, 13+ and 16+ and can represent up to 25% of the fees. Candidates are expected to show exceptional promise in at least one sport and have an established record of achievement in one of Caterham School’s major sports at their current school, and at club/county level. Candidates will be required to take part in drills and game situations to show evidence of their positional and tactical awareness as well as skill, agility and fitness level. Records of achievement and school recommendations will be taken into

consideration. All Sports Scholars are expected to be fully committed to the School’s annual sports programme.

Boarding/International Scholarships
We are prepared to consider awarding a scholarship of up to 25% of the fees to a pupil who is judged to have the potential to make a significant contribution to the boarding community. If applicable at 16+, arrangements can be made for Academic Scholarship assessments to take place overseas. Please contact the Registrar for details.

Science Scholarships
These are awarded at 16+ and can represent up to 25% of the fees. Candidates are expected to show exceptional promise in at least two subjects (chosen from Biology, Physics, Chemistry or Maths) and have an established record of achievement in the subjects at their current school. The Head of Science will interview candidates. All Science Scholars are expected to be fully committed to the School’s curricular and co-curricular science activities.

Offer of a Place and Deposits

If, in due course, a place is offered by way of a formal letter from the School, the deposit will be payable when parents accept the offer. Details of deposits are set out in the Fees List as varied from time to time. The deposit will be repaid by means of a credit without interest to the final payment of fees or other sums due to the School after the pupil leaves the School. Until credited, it will form part of the general funds of the School.

Progression through the School

First Year
It is assumed that a pupil in Year 6 of Caterham Preparatory School will continue into the Senior School (and parents must in every case give a term’s notice if that is not the pupil’s and their intention). All pupils progressing to the Senior School must also have demonstrated good work habits, a willingness and ability to contribute positively to the life of the School, and an ability to benefit from the educational opportunities on offer.

Sixth Form
It is assumed that a pupil will continue into the Sixth Form (and parents must in every case give a term’s notice if that is not the pupil’s and their intention). All pupils progressing to the Sixth Form must also have demonstrated good work habits, a willingness and ability to contribute positively to the life of the School, and have been able to satisfy the Sixth Form GCSE entry requirements (currently six B grades).