Request a prospectus

By requesting a prospectus, you will automatically be entered on our ‘Enquiry list.'

 

visit the school 

 
Ideally, your first visit to the school should be on our Open Day at least one year prior to entry and preferably much earlier; children of all ages are welcome.  Following this visit, in the year prior to entry, you are invited to make an appointment with the Headmistress.  Please contact our Admissions Officer to request an appointment.

 

register

Candidates should be registered at least one year prior to their entry date, although late applications are acceptable. A registration form should be completed and returned to the Admissions Office with the appropriate fee.  Once your daughter is registered you will automatically receive details about the entrance process. 

 
entrance options

There are two options available to parents who wish their daughters to enter St Helen’s at Year 9 (13+):

a)  Diagnostic Test at 11+ 
Registered girls may enter for the entrance exam for Year 7 (11+) for diagnostic purposes. This would provide parents with details of their daughter’s performance and will result in the following options:

• Your daughter may perform so well that she is offered a place at 13+ only conditional on her maintaining her standard of work through to Common Entrance or Year 8 examinations at her school. This would require a report and a reference from your daughter’s current school which would indicate that the standard had been maintained.   However, if these girls would like to enter for a scholarship at 13+ they will be required to take the 13+ entrance exam at the same time as other candidates.
• Your daughter may perform sufficiently well for her to be on track to enter St Helen’s at 13+ but we will require her to be re-tested at 13+ to ensure she will feel comfortable here and to decide the appropriate sets.
• Your daughter’s performance shows certain weaknesses, which she will need to work on before she sits the 13+ tests. We will identify these so that her preparation can be discussed with her teachers and she can then obtain the support she needs to improve.

b)  13+ Examination
Registered girls may sit 13+ tests in November of the year before entry without having sat the 11+ entrance examination.

 

taster day

All registered Year 9 entrants, regardless of their entry process, will be invited to a Taster Day where they will be able to join current St Helen’s pupils for lunch and lessons.   There will also be a 20 minute interview.  See important dates for more information.

 

13+ entrance examination
 

The entrance test will take place in November of the year prior to entry. Further information about the tests will be sent to you in September. All the girls will be tested on the same day.  A reference will be requested directly from your daughter’s current school before the test date. Parents should notify the school that a request will be coming to avoid any embarrassment. See important dates for more information. 

The tests will be in English, mathematics, and French with a short oral. No special preparation is necessary.

 

offers and accepting a place

Parents will be notified of the outcome of the assessment within ten days of the Assessment Day.  Parents are asked to accept the place as soon as possible.

 

academic and music scholarships
 

All registered 13+ applicants will be eligible for a scholarship.  Following the entrance test those girls who have performed to a very high standard in the 13+ will be invited back for a scholarship interview. The interview will last about half an hour and those girls who are awarded scholarships will be notified by letter within a week.

All registered 13+ applicants will be invited to apply for music scholarships. Auditions take place by individual arrangement with the Music Department in the summer term. The value of a music scholarship is tuition in one musical instrument. 

 

bursaries

 

Bursaries are available for up to 100% of the fees.  More details are given on the bursaries page.