Enquiries

Applications to enter St John’s School are welcome from girls and boys at two main points of entry: Fourth Form (Year 9) and Lower Sixth (Year 12). Places may occasionally become available in other year groups and further details are available from the Admissions Registrar. Choosing a senior school for your son or daughter is an important decision for a family and we would encourage both prospective parents and pupils to visit the School. You will be most welcome at one of our Open Events or, should you wish to explore your interest in the School further, arrange to meet the Headmaster on an individual or group visit. Dates of our Open Events including details of a separate evening for pupils wishing to join the Sixth Form are listed on the Open Days page.  If you wish to attend our Open Events or arrange a visit, please call the Admissions Registrar on 01372 373000 or e-mail: admissions@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

Admissions Policy

In 2012/13 the School will offer approximately 80 places to boys and 40 places to girls aged 13 wishing to enter the Fourth Form (Year 9) and approximately 40 places to girls and 10 to boys aged 16 wishing to enter the Lower Sixth (Year 12). Selection is made on the basis of recommendation from a pupil’s current Head and a pre-assessment at St John's in the January of Year 6 or an academic assessment and interview in the November of Year 11, as well as taking into consideration his or her co-curricular strengths. A conditional place will then be offered subject to him or her achieving the required grades at Common Entrance or GCSE. Special arrangements are made for pupils who attend schools that do not prepare for these examinations and they will be required to sit St John’s School’s own Mathematics, English and Abilities assessment in the year prior to entry. Allowances are made for those with specific learning difficulties (SpLD), such as Dyslexia. However, an offer of a place may not be made if it is felt that the presence of such pupils in class will be detrimental to the learning of other pupils or if the School feels unable to meet the specific needs of the pupil.

To view St John's Admissions Policy click here

For a copy of St John's Application Form click here

ENTRY AT FOURTH FORM (YEAR 9)

Parents who wish their child to be considered for entry at 13 should firstly discuss their choice with their current Head whilst he or she is in Year 5.  Should you wish to proceed with an application, an Application Form, together with £100 registration fee should be received at St John’s by 1 November, at the latest, when a pupil is in Year 6 i.e. 34 months prior to entry.  

Once the closing date is passed, St John’s will request reference reports from applicants’ current Head and all applicants will be invited to a pre-assessment session which will be held in the final week of January when they are in Year 6.  

To see SAMPLE COPIES OF PRE-ASSESSMENT PAPERS click on the following links:

ENGLISH PAPER
MATHEMATICS PAPER

The link below should help both you and your son or daughter understand the Abilities assessment, in particular the look and feel and the method of answering questions through the use of a keyboard and mouse.

Click here for the GetINTU Abilities assessment demonstration website.

Based on a satisfactory report and pre-assessment a conditional offer may be made by the Headmaster of St John’s and a closing date given by which a deposit of £1,000 (£3,000 for pupils living overseas at the time of application) will be requested to accept the place.  The deposit is subject to the Schools terms and conditions as listed in the Parent Contract and may be refunded up to 20 months before the date of entry.  Parents are requested that in accepting a place at St John’s, they agree not to accept a place at another senior school.

Common Entrance

Candidates who have accepted the conditional offer of a place based on a predicted achievement are required to take the Common Entrance Examination at their current Prep School in the June prior to entry in September. The Common Entrance pass mark for entry is 55% and above in all subjects. Candidates who perform exceptionally across a range of subjects will be considered for Academic Scholarships. Should a candidate’s performance in Common Entrance be unsatisfactory and we are not able to offer a place, the deposit will be refunded.

Non Prep School Entrants

Candidates at schools that do not prepare for Common Entrance and have accepted a conditional offer are required to take the School’s own Mathematics, English and Abilities assessment. These examinations are held at the end of January of the year prior to entry in September. Should a candidate's performance be unsatisfactory and we are not able to confirm a place, the deposit will be refunded.

Scholarship Examinations & Assessments - Fourth Form

Scholarship Examinations are held in the Spring Term prior to entry and a number of Academic, Music, Sport and All-Rounder Awards are available. All candidates must be under 14 on 1 September in the year in which they sit and attend on the recommendation of their current Head. Applications must be received by 15 December when applicant is in Year 8. Further information about scholarships is given in our Annual Information Booklet.

2012 Scholarships & Awards ~ Fourth Form Entry (13+):

ENTRY AT SIXTH FORM (Year 12)

Selection for Year 12 entry is made on the basis of recommendation from an applicant’s current Head and predicted GCSE results, as well as an Academic assessment and short interview. A completed Application Form and a registration fee of £100 should be received by 15 October prior to the year of entry and assessments and interviews are held in November. A conditional offer will be made subject to achieving at least six B grades at GCSE, which must include B grades or above in the subjects they wish to study at AS level (where appropriate). In addition, all applicants must achieve at least a C grade at GCSE Mathematics and English Language (or equivalent). The same entry requirements apply to pupils already at St John’s. On acceptance of the place offered, a deposit of £1,000 (£3,000 for  pupils living overseas at the time of application) is payable. The deposit is subject to the School’s terms and conditions as listed in the Parent Contract. If a pupil’s performance at GCSE is unsatisfactory and regrettably we are not able to offer a place, the deposit will be refunded. Parents should note that, on accepting a conditional place, they become liable for the first term’s fees if they do not subsequently take up the place.

All Lower Sixth pupils can expect to proceed to the Upper Sixth in order to complete their A level courses. A minimum of three passes in their AS level exams taken at the end of the Lower Sixth is required for entry into the Upper Sixth.

Scholarship Examinations & Assessments - Sixth Form

Academic, Art, Music, All–Rounder and Sport Awards are also on offer to Sixth Form applicants and applications must be received by 15 October when the applicant is in Year 11, i.e. the year before the proposed year of joining St John's.  

Bursarial Assistance

The Bursary Scheme is designed to assist families who for financial reasons might otherwise be unable to afford their child’s attendance at the School. There are four categories:

• Admissions Bursaries for new pupils entering the School at Fourth Form or Lower Sixth
• Hardship Bursaries for families whose financial position worsens unexpectedly during a pupil’s education at the School
• Albany Award Bursaries for pupils from very low income families
• Foundation Remission Bursaries for children of Anglican clergy (Foundationers)

Bursary application forms are available from the Bursary and should only be completed after the offer of a conditional place. All bursaries are means tested. Bursaries may supplement the award of a Scholarship or Discount and are expressed as a percentage reduction of the basic day fees, except in cases of Albany or Foundationer places where it may be deemed in the best interests of the child to board at the School. The total value of assistance awarded may be up to 100% of basic day fees. Support for additional educational expenses is also available for Albany Award pupils and Foundationers. 

All applications for bursarial support presuppose that the child will meet the School’s entrance criteria or if already in School, continue to meet the expected standards of achievement. Bursarial awards are reviewed annually and may be withdrawn if parents, circumstances change during a pupil’s time at the School.
 

Grants

Where further financial assistance is needed in excess of bursarial assistance, the School will support applications to other grant-making bodies. Further information is available from the Bursary.

Standard Terms and Conditions

All places at St John's are offered subject to acceptance of the School's Standard Terms and Conditions, as set out in the Parent Contract.