FAQs
Registrar, Mrs Catherine Rogers, and Assistant Registrar, Miss Georgia Newborough, deal with many enquiries from prospective parents. Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions about the admissions process, along with their responses.
If you have a query that isn't covered here, please feel free to contact Catherine or Georgia on 01926 634201/297.
What are your plans regarding the VAT on private school fees that is set to be introduced in January 2025?
We have just announced our response to the Government’s plan to introduce VAT to private school fees from January 2025. If implemented, the College will be reducing its fees so that the gross increase passed on to parents will be 5%, substantially less than the 20% VAT rate, which we hope will come as good news. For more on the fees and our strategy, please visit the VAT on School Fees page on our website, which can be found here.
How are places offered?
Places are considered based on the results from the entrance examinations, the confidential reference which the College requests from the candidate's current school and any other information which is contained on the registration form, such extracurricular interests. The Admissions Panel looks at each individual application at length before a decision is made regarding the offer of a place. The decision making process runs over three days.
How many places are offered each year?
The cohort each year is different in number and ability, so it depends upon the examination results and the references from the current school. We usually offer slightly more places than we have space for because we recognise that some children may take entrance examinations for more than one school and some live in areas which still operate the 11+ examination. We are looking for an intake of approximately 120-140 into Year 7.
What is assessed during the entrance examinations?
Pupils for entry into Year 7 will take papers in Mathematics and English (1 hour each) and a 50 minute online assessment (CEM test) which will cover verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning. There will also be a 45 minute Free Writing paper which will ask them to write something about themselves.
How can I prepare my child for the exams?
There is no one way to best prepare your child, but we recommend they read widely, look up words they do not understand, use their imagination in their writing, practice their number skills (including times tables) and play word and number games.
As a general rule on the paper tests, advise your son/daughter to answer the easy questions first on the paper and then go back and work on the trickier ones. Practice at timing themselves while they are working is important too, as they often run out of time. None of the questions on any of the papers need to be answered in order. If the child thinks a question is difficult, they should leave it and go onto the next one and then go back and try again if there is enough time. Please encourage your child to just try their best and to show any working out, as some marks might be awarded even if the final answer is incorrect.
A copy of a past English paper is included in the prospectus pack and is available to download from our website here. We do not provide Mathematics practice papers but a list of possible maths topics that might be covered is detailed in our Admissions Booklet and on our website.
There is a sample CEM test available here. Note – for the best experience please use Microsoft Edge or Chrome on a computer or laptop, rather than a tablet or mobile phone. The software works better on these platforms and also the children need to be confident to use a mouse to navigate and select their answers.
A range of resources are available online from www.bond11plus.co.uk
The following may also prove helpful:
- Bond How to do 11+ Verbal Reasoning published by Oxford University Press (ISBN 978-1382054218)
- Bond How to do 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning published by Oxford University Press (ISBN 978-1382054195)
- Bond How to do 11+ Maths published by Oxford University Press (ISBN 978-1382054171)
They can be ordered online.
How many scholarships are offered each year?
Every year there is a high level of interest in scholarships and we have recently expanded the number of categories available for particularly able or talented candidates.
The scholarships available are Academic, Art, Performing Arts (Choral, Drama, Music, Musical Theatre including Dance) and Sport.
In addition, exceptional candidates who are both academically able and gifted and talented across a number of areas may be considered for an All-Rounder Scholarship, which would be awarded at the discretion of the Headmaster.
The number of scholarships offered each year depends on the funds allocated by the trustees and is limited. Academic scholarships can be to a maximum reduction of 50% of tuition fees, however the majority are between 5% and 20%, and are awarded at point of entry. More than one scholarship can be applied for.
Do you take children with a Special Educational Need or Disability and are they entitled to access arrangements in the exams?
If your child has a special educational need or disability (SEND)*, please indicate this on the registration form and provide supporting documentation, see below.
*SEND may refer to cognition and learning, e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, SEMH – social, emotional and mental health, e.g. ADHD, anxiety, communication and interaction, e.g. Autism Spectrum, speech, language communication needs or physical, medical, sensory impairment or mobility.
Children with a special educational need or disability will be considered for access arrangements in the entrance examinations. Any access arrangements granted will be based on the child's normal way of working in their current educational environment, for which evidence will be required.
Following receipt of a registration form from any candidate with a learning need, the registration form and all supporting documents (including, for example, Personal Learning Plan/Pupil Passport/One Page Profile (PLP), Individualised Education Plan (IEP), Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), Educational Psychologist Report, SEND Specialist Assessment Report, Autism Diagnosis Report, Medical Report or Therapist Report) will be reviewed by a panel of experts from our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Team.
The Team will decide upon any appropriate access arrangements for the Entrance Exams based on the evidence provided and the candidate’s normal way of working.
In more complex cases or if the Team has specific questions, a meeting with one of our SEND Team will be arranged by the Registrars. Please ensure the Registrars receive your registration in good time, to enable this important review to take place.
Parents will be notified prior to the Entrance Examinations day of the nature of any access arrangements granted or reasonable adjustments to be made.
How are the children put in the new form groups?
At Princethorpe new pupils to the school will be put onto a teaching group with children across the year group. They will be in the same group for most lessons e.g. Geography, Art, History etc but will have a different group for maths lessons which are streamed by ability and for the practical subjects like DT. Teaching groups are allocated to ensure a balance of ability, age, boys and girls and houses.
What sizes are the classes at Princethorpe?
The maximum class size is 24 but are often fewer, at around 20-22 pupils. Design and Technology groups tend to be even smaller, normally around 14-16. Maths and English sets vary according to need – pupils in lower sets will be in slightly smaller groups – usually around 16 or 17. Students in top sets work very well in slightly larger groups, up to 23 or 24.
How are the children allocated to a House?
Houses are allocated by the Deputy Head - Pastoral. Where there is an existing connection with the school, pupils usually go into the same house as a sibling or if the parent is an Old Princethorpian. Otherwise the houses are allocated to ensure that the boys and girls are evenly distributed across all four houses.
Will my child get lost when they come to Princethorpe?
Princethorpe has an excellent induction programme that is offered on two separate occasions. We have an Induction Day in June for all new pupils when they spend a day in class and get to meet their Head of House, their form tutor and other members of the Princethorpe community. We also have a Year 7 Preparation Day which takes place at the end of the summer holidays. This is a fun day with all the new Year 7 children taking part in games, treasure hunts and activities in and out of the classroom. This is another opportunity to find their way around and meet more staff and children in their House just before they begin school, in September.
How do we find out what is happening at school?
The College has a bi-weekly electronic newsletter, The Flagpole, that includes news articles, events, important information and advice. We start sending it to new parents towards the end of the summer term and it is the best place to find out what is happening in school. You will be sent a digital copy of the school calendar each term and you will also find a wealth of information on My School Portal, which you will be introduced to when you receive your Joining Pack.
Do you offer before and after school care?
The school is open from 7.30am each day with breakfast available in the Sixth Form Centre for early birds. Period 1 and registration is at 8.40am. School finishes at 3.45pm with buses departing at 3.55pm. Princethorpe Prep, our supervised Homework Club, is available for pupils until 6.00pm.
What extra charges, apart from the school fees are there likely to be?
When your child first joins Princethorpe there will be the cost of the school uniform. All text books are loaned to the child and there is no charge unless one is lost or badly damaged. There are school trips, usually for each year group and these are always connected to the curriculum. Children will need to buy food from the Refectory or bring a packed lunch. We use a fingerprint system so money does not need to be brought into school. Princethorpe takes great care to ensure that costs are kept to a minimum and are always good value.
The cost of external public examination fees are also chargeable and are applicable in Year 11 and Upper Sixth and occasionally in other years. Individual subject costs vary and the total cost is also influenced by the number of examinations entered.
These are our most frequently asked questions, but we delve deeper into some of these topics on our Admissions Podcast, Pathway to Princethorpe. You can listen and catch up on all our episodes on Spotify, YouTube or Amazon Music. Click here for details.
