Secondary School Preparation
Older pupils are highly successful in gaining entry to senior schools, including those whose entry is by academic selection. ISI
An important part of our work at Waverley is to prepare your child for his or her next school. Although we have good relationships with many secondary schools, we are not exclusively linked to any so we are able to offer impartial advice as to the schools which will fit each child's academic abilities, talents and pastoral needs. We work very closely with you and your child to explore suitable options and we pride ourselves in being able to help your child achieve a place at their chosen secondary schools across Berkshire and beyond.
We prepare your child for entrance tests, just as we prepare them for any exams that they might be required to take internally or externally. Having prepared children for these examinations for many years, we understand the requirements of each school and are able to offer targeted support to your child whatever their choice of school. Our children are confident and happy when sitting examinations and flourish at interview.
We aim to give every child roots and wings. From your child's earliest days at nursery we provide a solid academic foundation and, as your child leaves us to continue the next chapter of their lives, a firm understanding of their self worth along with the confidence and motivation to succeed.
Entrance exams that our pupils are required to sit generally fall into one of three categories
- Reading School and The Kendrick School Exams (Grammar Schools requiring 11+ exam)
- An independent school’s own entrance exam, set by the destination school and taken on the premises at the destination school
- The Independent Schools Examination Board Common Entrance exams - to gain a place at an Independent School which uses this exam as its entrance criteria
Our Preparation Programme
We prepare our pupils for these tests, just as we prepare them for any exams that they might be required to take internally or externally. Our KS1 programme focuses on literacy skills to arm our pupils with the correct vocabulary and understanding and in KS2 we continue to build on pupils' key skills. A strong focus on the core subjects, with specialist teaching in reasoning skills, alongside an enriched problem solving curriculum ensures that our pupils are well prepared for examinations in any of their chosen schools.
This exam consists of three papers to be sat by boys in the September of their Year 6. The tests will cover English, Mathematics and Reasoning (Non-verbal and/or Verbal reasoning)
The Kendrick School
This exam consists of three papers to be sat by girls in the September of their Year 6. The tests will consist of a Verbal Reasoning and a Non Verbal Reasoning paper.
Independent Senior Schools
We have wide experience of preparing pupils for many different Independent Senior Schools and have a good knowledge of the content and layout of the variety of tests used by individual schools.
In many cases destination schools include an interview as part of their selection criteria. Pupils are supported to produce a personal CV and to focus on the many and varied skills they will take to their chosen schools. The Head Teacher conducts ‘mock’ interviews with pupils to ensure that they are well prepared so that they may present themselves at their best.
ISEB Common Entrance
This exam consists of three papers which pupils may sit in the January of Year 6: English which is split into two separate tests to assess comprehension and creative writing skills; Maths and Science. The broad and balanced curriculum which is taught throughout the school ensures that pupils are familiar with the content of each of these papers.