SVS-Prep Admissions

Creating futures.

Since 1576.

PREP ADMISSIONS AT SUTTON VALENCE SCHOOL

SUTTON VALENCE SCHOOL

SINCE 1576

Joining our School Most children join us in Nursery, Reception or Year 3. Places in other year groups do become available, so please enquire if you would like to know more about mid-year admissions or admissions to other year groups.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-2026 Age on 1st Sept 2025

Age on 31st Aug 2026

Year Group

School Phase

2

3

Little Steps

Nursery

3

4

Young Climbers

Nursery

4

5

Reception

Pre-Prep

5

6

Year 1

Pre-Prep

6

7

Year 2

Pre-Prep

7

8

Year 3

Prep

8

9

Year 4

Prep

9

10

Year 5

Prep

10

11

Year 6

Prep

KEY ENTRY POINTS Nursery (Ages 2+) Children as young as two are invited to join our Little Steps sessions which is the entry point for our youngest pupils. Admission into Little Steps is open year-round, subject to available places. Children who turn three can join Young Climbers, the year before Reception. They can join us at any point during the school year, subject to availability.

Reception (Ages 4+) Children often begin their Prep journey in Reception during the September following their fourth birthday. The school day in Reception is focused on a structured curriculum and play-based pedagogy, with plenty of time spent outdoors in the fresh air.

Year 3 (Ages 7+) Year 3 is another significant entry point at the Prep School, often attracting families new to the area or children transferring from other schools.

SUTTON VALENCE SCHOOL

The School Day The Prep School offers wrap-around care from 7.30am until 6.00pm. Our wrap-around care options include a Breakfast Club, Little Suttons after-school activities and our Prep Clubs, which can include tea. These facilities can provide extended care every day during term time.

BEFORE SCHOOL Breakfast is served from 7.30am until 8.00am and is available for all pupils from Nursery to Year 6. This incurs an extra charge. Children are offered a continental breakfast, along with smoothies, juices, tea and hot chocolate. Children then have supervised playtime until their lessons start.

THE NURSERY DAY 8.30am to 5.45pm – A full day session (includes lunch and tea) 8.30am to 1.30pm – A morning session (includes lunch) 1.30pm to 5.45pm – An afternoon session (includes tea) THE SCHOOL DAY 8.15am registration, 8.30am lessons start 3.30pm finish – Reception to Year 2 4.10pm finish – Year 3 to Year 6 AFTER SCHOOL Reception to Year 2 For our Pre-Prep children, there is a selection of clubs from which to choose. Some clubs are run by external providers for a modest fee. Alternatively, they can join the wrap-around care programme, Little Suttons, which incurs a small charge per session. The timimgs of these sessions are as follows: 3.35pm – 4.10pm (Session 1) 4.10pm – 5.20pm (Session 2) 5.20pm – 6.00pm (Tea) Year 3 to Year 6 Our clubs offer a variety of engaging activities, allowing pupils to explore interests such as cookery, karate, STEM, bushcraft, football and philosophy. Clubs are either teacher-led and free of charge, or run by external providers for a modest fee.

Alternatively, pupils can also join supervised homework sessions from 4.30pm until 5.20pm free of charge. Pupils who stay until the end of the day can enjoy tea at School with their friends.

SINCE 1576

Admissions Process Our admissions process is designed to provide a warm, structured entry to Sutton Valence School, ensuring a seamless experience for new pupils and their families.

ENQUIRY AND SCHOOL VISIT During your initial enquiry, we will learn about your child and answer any questions.

You can explore our school during a personal tour or one of our Open Mornings.

REGISTRATION To apply, please complete our online registration form and pay a nonrefundable £120 fee per child (£100 for Nursery entry). We will then contact you and let you know about the next steps, including the booking of a taster visit.

TASTER VISIT We offer a Stay and Play session for Reception-aged pupils. From Year 1 onwards, we ask that prospective pupils attend a taster visit, allowing them to spend a full day with us and experience life at our school. During this day, they will be paired with a ‘buddy’ who shares similar interests and will participate in lessons and activities alongside them.

This experience helps children feel a sense of belonging from the very start and allows us to confirm that Sutton Valence School is a good fit for them academically and socially.

As part of the taster visit, we gently assess the children in an age-appropriate manner to help us understand their strengths and identify any areas where additional support may be beneficial.

OFFER OF A PLACE After a successful taster visit, we will send an offer, including details on fees, term dates and conditions. For pupils transferring from other schools affiliated with the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools, we will coordinate with their current school to ensure a smooth transition.

ACCEPTANCE OF A PLACE To accept the offer of a place, a deposit of £500 is required, along with a commitment to pay termly fees with a one-term notice period. Detailed terms are outlined in our Parent Contract.

SUTTON VALENCE SCHOOL

INDUCTION AND SUPPORT Our tailored induction activities include: – Meet-and-greet sessions with teachers; – Activity invitations (age-dependent); – Opportunities to connect with other families.

We are committed to making every child feel confident and supported. Please contact us with any admissions questions.

SINCE 1576

Sutton Valence School Prep School Church Road Chart Sutton Maidstone Kent ME17 3RF +44 (0)1622 845200 enquiries@svs.org.uk

SVS.ORG.UK A member of The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation Registered Charity No. 1181012 Founded in 1576 by William Lambe