Welcome to Sevenoaks School Admissions
Our role is to give you the information you need to decide whether Sevenoaks is the right school for your child and, if so, to help you through the admissions process. If you like what you have read on the website, we very much hope that you and your child will visit Sevenoaks: there's no substitute for seeing the school in action.
In brief, Sevenoaks is a fully co-educational school with entry points for boarders and day pupils at 16+ and 13+, and for day pupils only at 11+. Although founded in 1432, we are modern, forward-thinking, unstuffy, diverse, non-denominational and open-minded.
All our students take GCSEs and IGCSEs in the Middle School and the International Baccalaureate in the Sixth Form. Academically Sevenoaks is fast-paced, and both our exam results and university entry statistics are impressive, although we are emphatically not a hot house. Students leave us as broadly educated critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. The educational focus here is on developing roundedness, and we are most proud that our students are kind, empathetic, collaborative and grounded people who can get along with anyone.
The Admissions Team
The Admissions department is run by Lorna Dolan, Director of Admissions, who has specific responsibility for Year 9 entry. The Assistant Director for Year 7 Admissions Olivia Power is responsible for entry at Year 7. They are both supported by Catherine Taylor, Registrar. The Assistant Director for Sixth Form Admissions, Sébastien Coquelin, is responsible for entry at Sixth Form level and is supported by Emily Smith, Sixth Form Registrar. You will also come across Melanie Fearfield, Assistant Registrar, and our Admissions Assistant, Karen Rowland, at any of our three entry points.
Visiting the school
We hold a number of Open Mornings and Group Visits throughout the year which give a general introduction to the school, a tour of the campus and, if appropriate, a visit to a Boarding House. Following a visit it is possible to arrange an individual meeting with the Director of Admissions or the Head of Sixth Form Admissions. Please contact the Registrar for Year 7 and Year 9 entry, or the Sixth Form Registrar for entry to the Sixth Form, for more information or to arrange a visit. The usual points of entry are at 11+/Year 7, 13+/Year 9 and 16+/Year 12.
We also offer virtual events if you are unable to visit the school in person. Please find more information here.
Boarding
We offer boarding to girls and boys aged 13 to 18. The school has recently increased its provision of boarding for boys at 13+ with the opening of Aisher House. A further girls' 13+ house will open in September 2023.
We do not offer boarding in Years 7 and 8. Please note that this will not affect the Continuity of Education Allowance for FCO personnel. Contact the Admissions Office for more details.
Criteria for entry
Sevenoaks is a strongly academic school, and we select students we believe will flourish in our fast-paced environment. All candidates are assessed through entrance tests, references from the candidate's current school, interviews and reports. The success of our students is partly due to a culture of mutual respect, admiration of success in any field whether academic or co-curricular, and a collaborative and supportive outlook within our student body. The character of our students is therefore very important to us, and this is assessed at interview.
We are also keen to identify students who will benefit from our balanced and well-rounded education, and who will make a positive contribution to the life of the school. This information is gathered either in a personal statement (for Sixth Form applicants) or through a form which parents fill in for Year 7 and Year 9 applicants.
Emerging talent programme
We are keen to support pupils with emerging talent in any area of the co-curriculum, and it is occasionally possible for pupils to be given special dispensation from lessons in order to further their talent at the required high level.
We consider such pupils on a case-by-case basis, but as guideline: for Music this would mean being a member of the National Youth Orchestra or obtaining a place on a recognised Saturday course at the junior department of a London conservatoire or similar specialist music programme; for Sport this would be participating in a national programme or a regional programme with a clear pathway to the national level; for Drama this would mean being a member of a programme such as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art or taking on roles in commercial performances.
Parents who would like to request such dispensation should contact the Deputy Head Co-curriculum to discuss options before accepting a place at the school; it can be difficult to put such arrangements in place at a later stage.
Agents
We are happy to receive applications from agents. We only pay commission to those with whom we have a formal agreement. We do not currently expect to enter into any further formal agreements with agents.
Contact us
Please contact our Admissions team for more information:
11+ and 13+ Admissions
regist@sevenoaksschool.org
Tel. 01732 467703
Sixth Form Admissions
regist6@sevenoaksschool.org
Tel: 01732 467713
