Year 8, 9 and 10 Admissions
Whilst the overwhelming majority of children join us in Year 7, pupils looking at entry to Years 8, 9 or 10 are welcome to join the College as space allows, since places are limited.
The normal starting term is at the beginning of the academic year in September, though we understand that circumstances, such as relocation, may necessitate a mid year start date, Spring and Summer Term starts are both possible should an appropriate place be available.
To download our Prospectus Pack including the GCSE Options Booklet click here.
My parents were worried that I just wasn’t getting pushed academically at the state school I went to, so encouraged me to apply and I moved in the January of Year 8. There are tons more opportunities at Princethorpe and I definitely feel like the lessons are more challenging. I was a bit worried about how much homework I would get here compared to my old school where there was barely any, but it is quite manageable.
"I moved half way across the country with my family, so knew no-one when I first started just after Easter. Princethorpe is a lot bigger than my old school and the facilities are brilliant. I have to admit the first couple of weeks were a bit tricky, but over time it just gets better and better and my friends can’t believe I’ve only been here two terms, as it feels like I’ve always been here now."
Please contact the Registrars to discuss your son or daughter’s application and the date of the next Mid-Year Entrance Exam session.
Email: admissions@princethorpe.co.uk
Call: 01926 634201/297
Visit the School
As with all prospective pupils, we encourage those interested in applying for a place to visit us before registering to sit the Entrance Examinations. There are a number of opportunities to visit every year, including Open Events, an individual meeting with the Headmaster, Grove du Toit and a tour with our Sixth Formers is also possible, along with informal opportunities such as our Summer Fête and Christmas Fair.
In addition, in January in parallel to our Year 9 Options Evening, we offer a Year 9 to 11 Curriculum Insights Event for prospective families.
CURRICULUM INSIGHTS EVENING - THURSDAY 9 JANUARY 2025 - BOOK YOUR PLACE
Taster Days
A key par
t of the Year 8 to 10 Admissions Process is a Taster Day. All candidates who register with us will attend a taster day as part of the process. Depending on levels of interest they will attend either an individual Taster Day, where they will shadow a buddy, or they will attend a dedicated group Taster Day with other prospective pupils. This will include attending lessons, and the opportunity to have lunch with and ask questions of current Princethorpe pupils from their year group.
As part of our Taster Days, visiting pupils will also have a personal interview with Mrs Sue Harris, our Head of Transition and Induction. The interview covers the candidate's interests, achievements, aspirations and communication skills.
"The Taster Day before I sat the Entrance Exam was very helpful and gave me a really good feel for what the College would be like if I joined. I couldn’t wait to move to be honest!"
Registering for the Entrance Examinations
Princethorpe is a selective school and all prospective pupils sit Entrance Examinations. This is particularly important for those entering in older year groups as we need to benchmark them against the current cohort and place them in an appropriate set if we are able to offer a place. For details for Year 8 to 10 exams please see below. Depending on the timing of their enquiry, pupils either sit the Entrance Exams in the main session in November or at one of our smaller Mid Year Entrance Exams.
TO REGISTER FOR OUR SPRING ENTRANCE EXAM on Friday 21 March CLICK HERE
Please register for our next Entrance Exam Session by Friday 14 March 2025.
Scholarships and Bursaries
Scholarships and bursaries are available to those entering Year 8 to 10, though it is important to note that assessments and awards are geared towards the November Entrance Exam session. Funding is limited, so it may not be possible to make awards to later applicants.
"I moved from my local state school in the Easter of Year 8 and was delighted to be awarded a Sports Scholarship. I am a naturally sociable person, but even if you weren’t everyone makes you feel so welcome. The buddy system really works, I also made friends quickly in my classes, my tutor group and also in my relay team as Athletics is my main sport."
To find out more about Scholarships and Bursaries please click here
The Entrance Exams
Mid Year Spring Entrance Exams Session
Our Spring Entrance Exam Session is scheduled to take place on Friday 21 March 2025. Please register for our next Entrance Exam Session by Friday 14 March 2025.
Once you have registered your son or daughter to sit the Entrance Exams, a confidential reference will be requested from their current school.
Format of the Day
Candidates for Years 8 to 10 should bring two pens, two pencils, an eraser, and a ruler.
Candidates sit papers in English and Maths, and for those looking at Year 9 and 10 a French or Spanish language paper. The papers are all 1 hour. Candidates for Years 7 to 9 also sit a 50 minute online assessment which includes Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning. Candidates for Year 10 sit a verbal reasoning paper.
To view our Admissions and Entrance Examinations Booklet please click here.
Following the exams, the Admissions Panel will sit to review the results of their papers, the reference from their current school, their personal interview, any scholarship assessments, and to discuss the application. If a suitable place is available you will receive an offer letter with a start date. Following your acceptance and deposit you will receive a Joining Details Pack and access to My School Portal, with full information on many aspects of school life.
To register for our Spring Entrance Exam session please click here
Induction and Transition
Once we know a pupil is coming to Princethorpe they are allocated to a House, we have four Houses – Austin, Benet, Fisher, and More - they will be assigned a House Tutor and a House Tutor Group. This House Tutor Group will be their ‘Princethorpe family’ up to the end of Year 11. We operate a vertical tutoring system, so there will be three to four pupils from each year from Year 7 to 11 in the form. The form meets daily with their tutor, important information is shared, and any queries can be raised and advice given.
"The great thing about my vertical tutor group when I first arrived is that there was a ready-made friendship group waiting for me and there was always someone to ask for advice if I wasn’t sure about something."
The next step once the House is known is a Uniform Shop appointment so they can be kitted out in time for their start date. The Uniform Shop is open in the holidays by appointment and after school (days) during term time. Uniform link.
Year 8 to 10 pupils joining the school in September are invited to attend the College Induction Day at the end of June where they are allocated a buddy for the day, follow a lesson timetable, meet their tutor and tutor group. Parents are also invited to attend a Presentation and Parents Information Fair at the end of the day.
Any bus transport required is booked during the summer holiday and their timetable is released on My School Portal just before the start of term. A buddy will be available to them in the first few days of term, but we find that they quickly find their feet and make friends in their teaching groups, tutor group, or in the co-curricular clubs.
Those joining in the Spring or Summer Terms would be met by Mrs Harris or the Admissions Team, along with their buddy, who would keep an eye on them for the first few days. They will also receive their timetable and be allocated to teaching sets dependent on the year group they are joining and any options choices or setting based on their entrance exams.
"I started secondary at a local, smaller independent school, but I just wasn’t happy there. I didn’t get on with their style of teaching and there were not many sports opportunities, so I ended up moving in the January of Year 8. I already knew some of the pupils in my year from my prep school, but my buddy also helped me make new friends. Within two weeks I was playing my first match for the B Team at Netball and haven’t looked back, it was definitely the right change for me and easier than I thought it would be."
Information about older new joiners entering the College is shared with all the staff so they can offer support as appropriate.
Over the first few weeks, Mrs Harris, their Head of House, and House Tutor will continue to support their transition. The House Tutor is the first port of call if you have any queries or concerns, and their contact details can be found on My School Portal.
"We are excellent at helping our new pupils transition and settle, so our Year 7 and older pupils flourish when they join the College"
Admissions Podcast
Listen to our specific episode on older year admissions with our Registrars:
To register for our Spring Entrance Exam session please click here
Curriculum Overview
Class sizes throughout Key Stages 3 and 4 are capped at 24 pupils, with most between 17 and 22. Design Technology groups tend to include between 10 and 16 pupils and some optional subjects run with smaller groups.
The majority of our Key Stage 3 curriculum is taught in mixed ability teaching groups, with setting in place for Mathematics from Year 7 and English from Year 9. At GCSE, Mathematics, English and Science are all taught in subject sets with other subjects taught in groups determined by option choices.
Our curriculum is designed to be knowledge-rich and broad, providing pupils with a well-rounded education from Year 7. As pupils mature, we allow them the opportunity to choose where to specialise, with Options processes for those entering Year 9, Year 10 and of course Sixth Form.
For some pupils with specific learning needs, we offer a slightly adjusted curriculum in discussion the Learning Support department.
Lessons are taught in small classes to allow staff to cater effectively for the needs of each student to both support and challenge them in their learning.
All pupils are expected to have a laptop in school as we blend traditional and digital media in teaching, benefitting from the best of both approaches. The College offers a laptop purchase scheme, click here to visit our BYOD information.
Years 7 to 9 Curriculum in brief
Pupils in Year 7 to 9 follow a traditional programme, which draws on the best of and goes beyond the National Curriculum. The subjects studied are English, Mathematics,
Science, Religious Studies, Latin, History, Geography, Computer Science and Technology, Art, Modern Languages, Music, Drama, PE and Games. Personal, Social and Health Education is delivered in dedicated lessons and through Tutor times.
In Year 8 pupils continue to study Spanish, with French also being introduced. Pupils will either continue their study of Latin or follow an English Development course designed to improve their literacy skills.
For Year 9 pupils are given further choices: they continue to study one main language (French or Spanish) and choose two optional subjects from the following list: Art, Computer Science, Drama, Spanish, Latin and Music. This options system allows pupils to play to their strengths and gives more time to their areas of interest. With the exception of languages, it is not a requirement to take an option subject in Year 9 in order to take it at GCSE.
Years 10 and 11 Curriculum in Brief
In Years 10 and 11 the curriculum needs to be broad and balanced, in order to keep as many doors open for subsequent choices to be made at A-level and then for degrees and careers.
We offer 27 Level 2 qualifications which are a mix of GCSE, IGCSE and L2 BTEC. Pupils typically gain 9 or 10 such qualifications at the end of Year 11.
Core GCSE subjects:
- English Language
- English Literature
- Mathematics (L2 Further Mathematics and the FSMQ Additional Mathematics are also available for some pupils)
- Science - Pupils study either Combined Science (Dual Award) or the ‘Triple’ Science option which leads to three separate GCSE Science qualifications for Biology, Chemistry and Physics. We make this decision based on their performance in Years 9 and 10.
- Religious Studies
Pupils then choose three further options from the following option subjects:
- Art
- Business Studies
- Computer Science
- Dance (BTEC) – NEW for September 2024
- Design and Technology: Resistant Materials or Electronic systems, programmable components and mechanical devices
- Drama
- Food Preparation and Nutrition
- French
- Geography
- History
- Latin
- Music
- Physical Education
- Psychology
- Spanish
- Sport (BTEC)
- Textiles
Learning Support can be available in place of one GCSE option if appropriate.
In addition, all pupils continue with non-examined Games and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).