Entrance Requirements

Registration

Registration for entry may be made at any time. A Registration Form is included in our prospectus. The Registration Fee is non-returnable, and acceptance of registration does not constitute the offer of a place.

Age of Entry

Pupils are admitted to the Junior School at 7+ and 8+. There are usually 42 places each year at 7+ and 6 at 8+.

Pupils are admitted to the Senior School at 11+, 13+ and 16+. At 11+ there are about 75 places, approximately 35 of which go to external candidates. At 16+ there is no specific quota for boys, or girls. At other ages there is no regular entry, but occasionally vacancies arise, and a pupil may be admitted, subject to satisfactory performance in examination papers.

Information about Entrance Examinations

For the 7+ entry there is no formal examination, but there is an assessment with the Master of the Junior School and tests in reading, language skills and mathematics.  This lasts about one hour in total. The tests are administered in groups of three or four and are taken simultaneously to recreate a classroom working atmosphere in which focus, concentration and independent working can also be gauged.

Candidates at 8+ take papers in English and Mathematics. The English examination tests comprehension, writing and reading. In the writing test, boys will be asked to write a short story in which credit will be given for imaginative ideas and interesting vocabulary. Punctuation, spelling and handwriting are also taken into account. The Mathematics examination will include: addition and subtraction (to hundreds); some simple multiplication and division sums; calculations with money and time; symmetry; fractions; area, measurement and problem solving.

Candidates at 11+ take papers in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning. The written examination is held annually at the College in January. Examples of the English and Mathematics papers are sent to candidates after registration:

• English
  70 minutes
  There will be three sections to the paper:
  Section A : There will be questions on a narrative passage and testing understanding. There will also be a question or questions designed to test a candidate's understanding of the links and relationships between ideas (i.e. punctuation).
  Section B: There will be questions on the same narrative passage but asking for a pupil's comment and analysis of the piece.
  Section C: Candidates will also be asked to write a short composition. They will be assessed for interesting ideas, range of expression and vocabulary. There will also be an assessment of a pupil's accuracy and quality of spelling, punctuation, grammar and presentation throughout the paper.
• Mathematics
  45 minutes
  No calculators may be used.
  The paper is likely to include questions on: whole numbers, decimals and fractions; the metric units of length, area, volume and time; calculation of perimeters, areas, volumes, time and the 24 hour clock; simple direct proportion; number patterns; averages; estimation and approximation; simple use of indices; linear graphs; common geometric shapes; lines of symmetry; angles: acute, obtuse, reflex; simple use of percentages; simple function machines and algebraic equations in words; nets of simple solids; interpretation of simple pie charts. A boy's ability to solve worded problems and to display problem solving skills will be tested as well as his skills in computation. All working must be clearly shown where appropriate.
• Verbal Reasoning 45 minutes
  This paper is intended to supplement, in the candidate's interest, the result of the English and Mathematics examinations. Boys will be interviewed by members of staff on the same day: this is a valuable part of the selection process. Shortly after the examination boys may be invited to spend an afternoon at Eltham where they will experience a variety of lessons and they will be observed by staff in classroom and group activities. Places are allocated after this process.

Candidates at 13+ take papers in English, Mathematics and Science and a Modern Foreign Language (French or German). Parents are advised to register their sons as early as possible.

Candidates at 16+ take papers in three subjects which they are likely to study at AS level, as well as a Critical Thinking Test. The Sixth Form Entrance and Scholarship Examination is held in January.

Interviews

All candidates of whatever age are interviewed. The Headmaster attaches considerable importance to the interviews and forms his decisions about admission on the basis of these, the examination results and a report from the candidate's current school.

Parent Contract

On accepting a place, parents are required to pay a deposit, currently £1,500, and sign a contract which outlines the standard terms and conditions under which their son/daughter is accepted as a pupil at Eltham College.

Withdrawal

A pupil's attendance at the College shall be terminated only by the parent giving a full term's notice in writing prior to the beginning of the last school term to be attended by the pupil, or alternatively by payment of the fees for a full term. A term's notice of withdrawal from private music tuition is required and the termly fee will be charged if due notice is not given.