Assessment Process
Preparatory School entry at age 3+
Entry to Pre-Reception at 3+, i.e. the school year in which the child will have his/her 4th birthday, is by interview and the successful completion of a trial session, which will include the relevant assessments. Places may be either full-time or part-time, with preference given to those seeking full-time. There is a minimum requirement of 6 sessions per week. A session is either a morning or an afternoon.
Preparatory School entry at age 4+(Reception) and other Year Groups
The process is as above, with a full day trial session. Assessment dates for entry can be arranged at a convenient time during any term. The assessment day will primarily be spent working with the appropriate class and experiencing
daily life at New Hall.
Senior School entry at age 11+
a) All 11+ candidates
Entrance examinations in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non Verbal Reasoning are held in late
November/December for boys and mid-January for girls. Sample papers, the examination entry form and the
scholarship application form are sent in the summer prior to the year of entry, to all those who have registered.
The forms should normally be returned at least two weeks prior to the examinations. A report/reference is then
requested from the current Headteacher, which is an important part of the assessment process.
All candidates will be interviewed, usually in pairs, by a senior member of staff on the assessment day. Candidates
need to prepare a short presentation or performance (approximately 3 minutes) on a topic of their choice.
b) 11+ scholarship candidates
Following the assessments in part a) above, the highest performing candidates (from those who have applied for any
of the academic scholarships) will be invited for an additional assessment on a following Saturday. There will be a scholarship essay paper of 45 minutes, plus an individual interview. Candidates who are invited to the scholarship assessment will also be given a topic for a five-minute presentation to be made at interview.
Assessments for music and sport scholarships are held on a separate day.
Senior School entry at age 13+
All 13+ candidates
The examination entry form and the scholarship application form are sent to all those who have registered in the
summer or autumn prior to the year of entry. The forms should normally be returned at least two weeks prior to
the interview and assessments, which take place on 31 January 2009.
New Hall 13+ Assessments
All 13+ examinations will take place on 31 January 2009. Candidates will sit papers in the following subjects:
Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics and English.
Sample papers are sent out in advance to all students who have registered. Following on from these examinations, candidates will be interviewed by a senior member of staff and will be asked to prepare a short presentation on a given topic. A report/reference is also required from the current headteacher. The interview and report/reference are important parts of the assessment process.
Common Entrance
Candidates that are being prepared for Common Entrance examinations by their current school will normally sit these in May/June prior to entry in September. Candidates who are successful in the New Hall 13+ Assessments will be given a conditional offer of a place subject to Common
Entrance examinations. The expected standard in Common Entrance is normally at least 60%.
13+ Scholarship candidates
New Hall offers up to 10 scholarships for entry at 13+ to the Upper School. Scholarships are awarded separately for boys and girls and each scholarship is offered in both the Boys’ Division and the Girls’ Division. Candidates wishing to apply for a scholarship will sit additional New Hall examination papers in the following subjects: Humanities, Language (French or Spanish), Latin (optional) and Science, unless they are being prepared for the Common Academic Scholarship Examination (CASE) by their current school. Candidates, who have been prepared for CASE (set by the Independent Schools’ Examination Board (ISEB)) at their current preparatory school, will take these examinations at New Hall in February, on a date set by the ISEB.
Assessments for drama, music and sport scholarships are held on a separate day.
Senior School entry at age 16+
a) All 16+ candidates
Entrance into the Sixth Form will be dependent on GCSE results, or equivalent, an interview with a senior member
of staff and a report/reference from the current Headteacher. The normal minimum requirement for students
entering the Sixth Form will be six GCSE passes (grades A*-C), with grade B or above in the subjects to be studied
at A Level. Students who wish to join us in the Sixth Form are invited to participate in any relevant part of the Sixth Form Experience Week, which takes place in the Autumn Term of Year 11. This also includes a Sixth Form Open Evening, details of which are available from the Registrar.
b) 16+ scholarship candidates
Scholarships are awarded in the Spring Term preceding entry and are based on interview and GCSE mock results
and/or supporting school report and/or entrance examinations.
Overseas candidates
Overseas candidates may apply for entry to the Preparatory and Senior School. For details of the relevant assessment
process please contact the Registrar.
