Oundle 13+ Entry Procress

OUR APPROACH

We believe in an admissions process that is based on mutual trust and partnership with our prospective families. While the majority of our candidates join us from a UK feeder school, we are proud to welcome talented individuals from all over the world.

Our step by step 13+ entry guide is designed to offer clarity across each stage of the admissions process, with the Admissions team ready to support individual applications at all times.

STEP 1 STEP 2

Visit Oundle

Three to four years prior to entry

We welcome visits up to five years ahead of entry, with the ideal timeframe being three to four years prior. We offer a variety of initial visit options, including an interactive website tour. Once you have explored Oundle virtually, an individual visit is essential for gaining a genuine and authentic insight into the School. We offer both Open Days and individual visits, both of which are hosted by the Registrar and include a tour of the School, a visit to a House, time with pupils and lunch. Open Days usually take place on a Saturday and include an individual tour with pupils as well as the opportunity to speak to a variety of key staff over lunch.

We strongly advise all families to visit us in person ahead of registering.

Registration

We welcome registration up to five years ahead of entry, with the ideal timeframe being during Year 5. We highly advise registration by the start of Year 6.

Registration, along with a non-refundable payment of £250, guarantees you consideration of a place at Oundle. For boarders, a House preference may be stated at this time but there is no requirement to do so. The Registrar will always help advise on House choice but it is worth considering that House lists often fill up two to three years in advance.

If you are joining from a UK feeder school, we recommend talking to your current Head for an endorsement of Oundle as a good fit for your child ahead of registration. For overseas applicants or those from other UK schools, registrations are accepted following either a successful UKiset report or provision of other suitable academic information, such as a detailed school report, and cognitive ability test scores.

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Late Registrations

These are accepted depending on availability of places; we seek always to be honest and fair in this regard.

The Admissions team helps guide families enquiring at different stages and should be the first port of call.

Bursary SupportWe believe that for well-suited children, financial circumstances should not limit access to an Oundle education. Registration is the time to indicate whether bursary support may be required.

Decisions regarding bursary assistance are made approximately two years ahead of entry and confidentiality is assured every step of the way.

STEP 3

Request for Testimonial Report

Autumn Term of Year 6

For those joining us from within the UK, we request a school report and reference from the Head of each candidate’s school. It is subject to this report that we offer a place at Oundle; we do not pre-test.

This step does not apply to the majority of those joining us from overseas. It is also adapted for late application candidates from UK schools who apply having joined their school at the start of Year 7 or later.

STEP 4

Early Offers

Spring Term of Year 6 (not applicable to those joining from overseas schools)

We offer most formal places in the Spring Term of Year 6, based upon a satisfactory school reference.

There are two types of offer:

1. A firm offer, whereby we expect your child to confirm their place with ease in the Year 8 Common Entrance or Oundle Entrance examinations.

2. An offer subject to continued progress and the sitting of our Practice Common Entrance papers early in the Autumn Term of Year 8.

Should we be unable to offer your child a place, we liaise closely with you and your child’s school Head.

Place Acceptance

We ask that all places are accepted within a certain timeframe, at which point both the Acceptance Fee and Deposit are payable. Bursary applicants pay a pro-rata rate.

If you require bursary support but have not yet explored the option with us, now is the time to do so.

?What about late applications?

Late applicants will always be considered on a case-by-case basis, but no guarantees can be made with regards to availability of places.

Candidates who joined their school at the start of Year 7 or later are expected to gain the endorsement of their school. Offers made are usually subject to continued progress and the sitting of our Practice Common Entrance papers in the Autumn Term of Year 8.

What if my school is overseas or doesn’t offer Common Entrance?

For children from schools that are either overseas or that don’t offer Common Entrance, we gather as much information as we can on proven ability, including cognitive scores, in order to offer a place.

Candidates will generally sit the Oundle Entrance Examination in January of Year 8; the Admissions team will advise accordingly.

STEP 5

Consolidation of Entry Route

Year 7. (Scholarships in Year 8)

Once you have accepted a place, there are no more formal Admissions stages ahead of reconfirming your place in October of Year 8. This is the time to consolidate your child’s trajectory at his or her current school and to enjoy the many opportunities that these final two years bring.

Keeping in Touch

If your offer is subject to continued progress, you can expect us to touch base with both you and your school during Year 7; our aim is always to give you as much reassurance as possible and to ensure that Oundle is the best fit for your child.

Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded during the Autumn and Spring Terms of Year 8. Application deadlines range from October for Sport to January for all other disciplines. Assessments take place at Oundle at the following times:

• November (Sport)

• January (Music)

• February (Academic)

• March (Art; Design, Engineering and Technology; Drama and the Oundle Scholarship).

For those joining via a UK feeder school, applications are generally made through your child’s school. Candidates applying outside this route who wish to apply for a Scholarship should liaise with the Admissions Office early in the Autumn of Year 8, the final year before joining Oundle at 13+.

STEP 6

Place reconfirmation October of Year 8

We ask you to reconfirm your acceptance of a place at Oundle as your first choice of school.

Now is the time to let us know if anything has changed for your family. In our years of experience, accuracy of place offers and House lists are best achieved if we work in honest partnership with our prospective families.

STEP 7

Practice Common Entrance Examination

Autumn Term of Year 8

This is sat by candidates in receipt of an offer subject to continued progress and success in this examination. We liaise closely with you and your child’s school over the results.

Candidates holding firm offers do not need to sit these papers.

This stage does not apply to those taking the Oundle Entrance examinations.

STEP 8

Oundle Entrance or Common Entrance Examinations

January of Year 8 (Oundle Entrance Examinations) June of Year 8 (Common Entrance Examinations)

Oundle Entrance Examination

If your child’s current school does not offer Common Entrance, or is located outside the UK, your child will sit Oundle Entrance papers, set and marked by Oundle staff, in January of Year 8. Successful candidates will have their place offers confirmed as soon as possible following the examinations.

Common Entrance Examination

This is usually sat in UK feeder schools at the beginning of June, with papers marked by Oundle staff. Places are confirmed within two weeks.

New Joiners Event

Once places have been confirmed, we host an event to welcome all our new pupils to Oundle ahead of September. This is an opportunity for the cohort to come together socially and to meet their Housemaster or Housemistress; to experience a small taste of life at Oundle and start to build the friendships that will be so much a part of their lives for the next five years and beyond.

Final Joining Stage

This is the final and phased stage of Admissions, whereby we ask you to complete a range of forms and give you all the information you need to start your child’s journey at Oundle.

Certain aspects of this joining stage are commenced well in advance of the final place confirmation in order to facilitate September planning; the Admissions team remains your point of contact throughout.

Following completion of the joining instructions, you can expect to receive a formal welcome letter from the Head, followed by House and School handbooks over the summer. Your child’s Housemaster or Housemistress will also be in touch to welcome you to Oundle and to outline the induction programme which takes place at the start of term for all new pupils.

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