ACADEMIC

Year 7 entry (11+) candidates are invited to attend scholarship selection on the basis of their pre-test scores, school reference and their written entry papers. Candidates from St Swithun’s prep school are invited to attend scholarship selection on the strength of their pre-test scores and their school reference. Selected candidates are invited for interview in January of the year of entry.

Academic scholars will receive:

• Opportunities to be involved in and to lead intellectually enriching activities

• Opportunities to present to peers and adults about their academic interests

• A scholarship mentor who will:

- Direct students to opportunities to extend and deepen their academic interests and skills

- Encourage students to take part in academic competitions

- Encourage students to lead academic activities

- Advise on managing a balance between academic interests and other opportunities

Academic scholars are expected to:

• Act as role models by willingly being involved in academically enriching opportunities such as lectures, clubs and competitions.

• Where appropriate initiate new intellectually stimulating clubs and activities

• Show an intellectually curious approach to all areas of the curriculum

Year 9 (13+) candidates are selected on the basis of their pre-test scores and school references, and they are invited to take Common Academic Scholarship Examination (CASE) papers and for interview in the spring of their year of entry. Internal candidates for year 9 scholarships are selected for interview based on their academic performance in U4, their scores in school assessments and aptitude tests, and feedback from teaching staff. They are invited for interview in the spring of U4.

Year 12 (sixth-form) scholarships are awarded based on interview and on performance in the sixth-form entrance assessments taken in the November preceding the year of entry. Candidates take examinations in three subjects that they plan to study for A level. Internal candidates may also put themselves forward for these assessments. Both external applicants and internal candidates compete for the available sixth-form scholarship awards.