Choosing the right school for your child is clearly an extremely important decision, with many factors to take into consideration. Embarking on the Admissions process for senior school can therefore appear quite a daunting task, but the Admissions Team at Stowe is here to guide, support and advise you as you navigate the various steps of the process. We have endeavoured to put in place a logical, simple and digestible Admissions process which we hope will assist you in your decision-making process.
Whilst the Fourth Form (Year 10) is not a normal entry point, every year we do offer a small number of Fourth Form places. As the number of places available is directly proportional to the size of the previous Third Form intake, the number of places available cannot be confirmed until the first week of November (end of half term) of the year prior to entry.
The steps to be negotiated are the same as those for Third Form entry (interview, satisfactory academic evidence and a positive school report), but the timelines are reduced and candidates take Cognitive Assessment Tests (CAT4) or UKiset rather than the ISEB Pre-Tests. The steps are as follows:
Parents interested in pursuing a Fourth Form place should contact the Admissions Office in the first instance and provide a copy of their child’s last two school reports. On the basis of these reports you will then be asked to Register your child who will then be placed on the Waiting List.
Pupils are encouraged to visit for their interviews between September and February prior to the year of entry. A private visit consists of interviews with the Registrar and a Houseparent, a tour of a House and tour of the School with a member of the Sixth Form. During term time we offer four appointments per week-day and three on a Saturday morning. Please contact the Admissions Office to make an appointment. Please also bear in mind that our visit diary is booked up one to two months in advance.
Those pupils who are unable to provide cognitive assessment test scores in their reports must sit CAT4 tests in January/February of the academic year prior to entry. Overseas pupils for whom English is not their first language, are expected to take a UKiset test before February of the year prior to entry. On the basis of these results, the interview grades and reports, a decision about whether to offer your child a place will be made by half term of the Lent Term. Successful candidates will receive an unconditional offer.
On receipt of the completed Acceptance of Place Form and payment of the deposit of £1,500 (an Additional Deposit of £12,000 is required where a pupil’s normal residence is outside the UK), your child’s place at Stowe and House are confirmed.