Admissions FAQs

Our main School Open Event will be on Saturday 19 September 2020 and we very much hope to welcome you to see our School in action then.

However, during the current School closures, we have created a unique way of learning more about the School. Initially you take a virtual tour of  our site and facilities and register for our Virtual Open Event where you can listen to our Headmaster,  and some other senior members of staff. Click here for more information.

In normal circumstances we would always recommend you come to visit the School prior to making your application, however we understand that this may not be possible if there are still restrictions on movement. You are very welcome to make your application based on the information on our website, the video tour of the site and attending one of our Virtual Open Events.

Full and weekly boarding commences from Year 9 (13+).

Further information on the Sixth Form Curriculum is available here

Whitgift offers 3 Academic routes at Sixth Form: International  Baccalaureate (IB), A Level and BTEC National Diploma.

We set our own entrance examination papers based on KS2 of the National Curriculum.  The papers are written to identify potential rather than test what may have been taught.  Past papers are not released, but there are some sample papers available here.  A wide range of reading is encouraged and recommend lots of practice on problem solving mathematics questions.

We do not have a ‘pass mark’, we set the examinations to identify academic potential.  As an indication, at 11+ successful candidates would usually be achieving level 5 in their Year 6 SATs.

10+ on average we receive approx. 200 applications for 60 places
11+ on average we receive approx. 600 applications for 120 places
13+ on average we receive approx. 200 applications for 40 places

Your online application will need to be supported with your son’s latest two school reports, copy of your son’s passport (or birth certificate) and a payment for the application.  Once your application has been received, we will request a confidential ‘Head’s’ reference from your son’s current school.

Yes, we welcome further applications as we appreciate students mature academically and can apply again at the next entry point.

We do not work to SATs but as a broad rule of thumb we would expect level 5 at KS2 but we do have several boys with level 4 in some areas.

We encourage you to be open and transparent about your son’s needs, so he can be well-catered for from the outset.  Applicants with special needs may be supported with exam concessions and access arrangements, all enquiries will be assessed by our Head of Learning Support in line with JCQ guidelines.  
Find out more about our Learning Support Department.
 

Based on CEFR levels we would expect the following:

Intake into year 9 age 13

 Minimum is lower end of B2 or on the cusp between B1/B2. Year 9 boys have three years to get to an upper-intermediate level and the transition to a C1/2 is easily achievable with support from our English as an Additional Language Department.

Intake into the Sixth form age 16

Minimum middle of B2, ideally upper-intermediate B2/ low C1 level. Tier 4 General Visa (18+) requires proof of EAL either IELTS 6.0 or over or Level B1 CEFR equivalent.

Our English as an Additional Language entrance exams are written internally using a mixture of the Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) and Advanced Certificate (CAE) level style questions.

To familiarise yourself with the format and types of questions in the exam, you may like to practise using the following websites:

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/first/preparation/

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/advanced/preparation/

The bursary programme is Income linked. The applications are dealt with centrally by the John Whitgift Foundation.  It is essential that parents provide prompt, accurate and complete information, otherwise, there may be a hold up in the decision-making.

Every applicant is considered on strength of their performance in the exam and the interview for an academic scholarship. Specific criteria needs to be met for specific scholarships: Sport, Music, Art, Drama and DTE. They are awarded by the Headmaster. The decision is reached when all files have been carefully reviewed.

Students in Years 6 and 7 are based in their classroom in the Lower School building (with their Year Group Team) so it is very similar to being in a small school for these initial years. However, they do have full use of the excellent facilities of the whole school through use of the Science labs, the DT and Art rooms and the Sports Hall. Essentially, they get the best of both worlds and the boys do settle very quickly.

This of course depends on the year group and option choices, but we aim to have classes of a maximum of 22/23 boys. On occasion, depending on option choices and setting, some classes may be larger, but this is rare – for example a top Maths set in the Fifth Form, and some may be smaller – for example a lower ability group where pupils require more individual attention. Class sizes in the Public Examination years can be significantly smaller, particularly at Sixth Form level. For languages, class sizes of 3 are not unusual.

The IB consists of six subjects studied over two years.  Students opt to study three of these subjects at Higher Level (HL) for specialist depth and three subjects at Standard Level (SL) to retain breadth.  The IB also has three additional elements that must be completed by all students: The Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) and an Extended Essay.  The IB is a widely respected and an internationally recognised qualification.  University Admissions Tutors are aware of the challenge and breadth that the IB provides and Diploma Programme students can be confident of being looked upon favourably.
A Level courses follow a fully linear programme with all exam-based elements being sat in June.  At Whitgift, students are expected to study four subjects in the first year.  It may be decided that a student may discontinue one subject at the end of the Lower Sixth year.  For a full list of subjects please refer to the Sixth Form Curriculum Guide. In addition, students at Whitgift study Critical Reflection in the Lower Sixth and have General Studies and Games lessons in both years of the Sixth Form.
A student’s path through Sixth Form should be based upon his individual ability, his interests and his ideas for university application and career.  It should be noted that IB and A Level students have approximately the same number of taught periods per fortnight and all students should be spending equal numbers of hours on their homework per week.

Trips and/or exchanges are offered in every language. We have exchange schools in Tokyo, Beijing, Toulouse, Munich, Nuremberg, Zaragoza and Valencia and have organised trips in the last five years to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Berlin, Dresden, Biarritz, Paris, Lyon, Granada and Bilbao. These opportunities are extremely valuable. Pupils learn a huge amount about the culture of the languages they are studying and often make life-long friendships as well as improving their language skills.

We offer a very efficient school bus service from Reigate, Keston, Worcester Park, Epsom, Wimbledon, Dulwich, Sundridge, Wandsworth, East Grinstead and Clapham Common.

Please visit our School Buses and Transport page for more information.

The entire co-curricular programme is designed to foster creativity, innovation, curiosity and excellence, allowing students to make the most of every day at Whitgift.

Co-Curricular Guide 

Students applying to enter our Sixth Form will sit Entrance Examinations in two subjects (which best represent their chosen A Level or IB options) plus a Critical Thinking paper.  If an applicant is studying GCSEs they will also be considered on the strength of their GCSE results.  All applicants will also have an interview as part of the admissions process.  This process also applies for international students; please note our examinations can be sat abroad and we can organise Skype interviews, please contact our Admissions team for further information.
Our standard Sixth Form offer for A Levels or IB is a total of 63 GCSE points from nine subjects, which is calculated by adding up all grades 6, 7, 8 and 9.  (The minimum therefore is nine grade 7’s, or equivalent; these should include Mathematics and English).  We also have individual subject requirements. 
Please contact admissions@whitgift.co.uk for further information.