The deadline to apply is 15 October when your child is in Year 9.  To apply, complete the online registration form and send in your £100 fee. By completing the online registration, you have automatically entered your child into the Entrance Exams. You can download a Registration Form if you prefer.

Once we have received notification of your registration and fee, we will send you an acknowledgement detailing what happens next, including draft times for the entrance assessments. 

TESTS TO BE TAKEN IN YEAR 9

Guidance for prospective parents and current teachers

2020 Entrance Examinations

Entrance examinations will take place on Saturday 9 and Saturday 16 November. Examinations will comprise an online test of Maths, English, General Knowledge and Non-Verbal Reasoning and a written English paper.  

If your child is entitled to extra time, or special considerations, or has any Special Educational Needs, please inform us prior to the examinations and provide us with any supporting information, e.g. Educational Psychologist's report, to enable us to make the necessary arrangements on the day of the examinations.

Specimen papers are not available for this test and no preparation is necessary.   

Interviews

Candidates who meet our academic requirements in the entrance examinations will be invited for interview  on Saturday 11 January 2020.  Candidates will have an individual interview with a member of staff and will also take part in some small group activities.  The interview allows us to find out more about your child, their hobbies and interests and how they think.   Interviews for candidates residing overseas can be conducted via Facetime or Skype.

School Report

In the Autumn term, we will request a report from your child's current school. The school report is an integral part of our assessment for each candidate and provides us with a wider picture of their academic and non-academic abilities and interests. We may also contact the Head of your child's current school for more information.

In accordance with HMC Guidelines, Freemen’s will not be able to reach a decision on an application for entry until we have received this report.

Overseas Candidates

Candidates applying from overseas who are unable to attend the entrance examinations at Freemen's in November, may be able to sit the exams at their current school, at an approved agents’ office, if appropriate, or at a local British Council Office.  Interviews can be arranged via Skype or FaceTime. Please make it clear on the Exam Confirmation Form or Registration Form that you wish to sit overseas.

 

Decision letters will  be sent by post in the first week of February. 

You will receive one of the following decisions:

• an unconditional offer 
• a place on the waiting list 
• a decline 

Feedback

We regret, given the large number of applicants, that we are unable to give feedback on examination results. 

Once we have sent your offer, you will have until the first week of March to make your decision.

When you accept your place, we will ask for a £1,000 deposit from day pupils or a term's fees for boarders: £500 (day) and £1000 (Boarders) will be held until the final account is due. The remaining will be offset against the first term’s fees. We will then send you links to the New Starter Pack, usually in May or June.This has all the information you need before starting with us. 

In June, we will invite all new starters for a taster day, so that they can meet the rest of their class and their teacher. That evening, we also invite all new parents in for a welcome evening and a chance to meet the Head of Year, the class teachers, current parents and the new parents joining that year.

Then you will be ready to start in September. Over the summer, parents usually set up activities and bonding events for you to meet and our parents' association: the Freemen's School Association (FSA) hold a welcome coffee morning on the first day of school once you have dropped your child off.