Prep School

Preparing for Senior Schools

Whilst we seek to ensure that our pupils have a fun and fulfilling time at Dorset House, we are keenly aware that ensuring they gain entry to the right senior school is a major part of our task.

When considering an independent senior school education for your child, you will be faced with a daunting array of information.

There are increasingly slick and interactive websites, glossy prospectuses, chatter on the dinner party circuit, family traditions, first-time buyer puzzlement.  But what you really want to know is what differentiates one senior school from another?

Within a two hour radius of Dorset House School, there are many outstanding schools to choose from.

We prepare children for a wide range of both boarding, flexi-boarding and day, co-ed and single sex senior schools for entry at 13+.

The process of selecting a school generally starts in Year 5, with meetings to discuss the various options.  This is often followed up by one to one meetings with Matt Thomas, our Headmaster who is very experienced in this area. Many schools now hold pre-tests during Year 6 and some will also interview at this stage.   It is always advisable to make a short list of possible schools and to book appointments to visit.  Senior schools will be happy to advise you of their Scholarships and Bursaries.

Interviews are becoming increasingly important as part of the selection process for senior schools.  With this in mind, we routinely give pupils comprehensive practice interviews and preparation guidance before they go to their assessment days.

Our chief aim is to match each pupil with a senior school that suits their particular strengths and academic ability, so that they are comfortably stretched when graduating to their new environment.

Our pupils regularly gain scholarships and awards to senior schools and we frequently hear that alumni/ae have been appointed as prefects or Heads of House or School by the time they reach sixth form.