JOINING PILGRIMS’

Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions you will make and it can be difficult knowing where to start.   

We’re here to answer any questions you might have and look forward to hearing about your son. 

The best way to get to know us is to come and visit. Individual tours take place every Tuesday during term time, or join one of our Open Mornings. 

Our boys will show you around and you’ll be welcomed by the Headmaster, Tim Butcher and other members of staff.  You’ll get the chance to explore our school and grounds, which is next to one of the world’s rare chalk streams, you’ll visit the pitches, set within the ancient bailey walls of Wolvesey Castle, and you’ll have the chance to visit the Winchester College Sports Centre used regularly by the boys. If you’re interested in boarding, there’s the opportunity to tour one of the boarding houses with the Head of Boarding who can answer any questions.     

VISIT US      OPEN MORNING

We’ve visited – what’s next? 

Registering your son is the next step on his journey to Pilgrims’. To register your son, for either Pre-Prep or the Prep, please complete the form below and pay the registration fee of £200.  

Depending on which year group your son is entering, there will be a ‘stay and play’ session or taster day. This gives us a chance to get to know your son through some age-appropriate assessments.  At the end of the day, we will feed back on the day and whether we think he would flourish at Pilgrims’. We take into consideration a broad range of factors, foremost of which is whether he will make – and get – the most of the opportunities the school provides. (For more detail, please see our Admissions Policy.)   

REGISTER NOW

ADMISSIONS HOME PAGE

Joining Pre-Prep

Joining in Reception
We look forward to meeting you and to welcoming your son to a ‘Stay and Play’ session. A short visit usually no more than one year before your son starts school. They’re every Tuesday in term time but do get in touch if another day would suit you better.

It is very similar to going to playgroup, and if he’s happy for you to go, we ask you to leave your son with us. If it would help him to know you’re nearby, you’re welcome to wait. 

EMAIL US TO ARRANGE A ‘STAY AND PLAY’  

The ‘Stay and Play’ Session
New boys get the chance to make new friends as they explore the activities on offer in the classroom or outside. Your son might play with the train set, Lego and other construction games, he can try on costumes in role-play corner, enjoy an art activity, put together some puzzles, and play outside. Usually there’s even enough time for a story or music session before you collect him.

Boys come into pre-prep at various stages of their social and educational development. We do not look for any particular level of academic ability, we want boys who are sociable and ready to learn. During their visit, we encourage boys to do something creative and to follow some instructions around new skills. 

Pre-Prep is an integral part of The Pilgrims’ School, and there is no further entry assessment for Pilgrims’ boys to continue to Year 3 of the Prep. The Pre-Prep curriculum is firmly aligned with that of Year 3. Each boy’s progress is closely monitored, ensuring the smoothest transition into Year 3.  

” A magical school with excellent teachers. ”   A Year 2 parent

Can my son join in Year 1 or 2?
If places are available, boys already in full-time school are very welcome to join the Pre-Prep and are invited to spend a taster day with us. Your son will be a Pilgrim for a day, joining in with lessons, breaks, lunch and whatever sport and activities are scheduled. The class teacher will hear him read and the Head of the Pre-Prep will help him work through simple exercises to assess his basic numeracy and literacy skills. The atmosphere is informal, relaxed, and fun.

JOINING THE PREP SCHOOL

Taster days 
We want you to feel you’ve made the best choice in choosing Pilgrims’. Taster days are booked by appointment, are held on Tuesdays in term time and include our assessments.  

We welcome boys to Taster days no no more than three terms ahead of their planned start date. Great care is taken so your son feels part of things from the word go and has an enjoyable day. 

Boys are met by a Pilgrim of the same age, who will look after them the whole day and introduce taster day boys to the boys in his class. Your son will spend the day as a Pilgrim, starting with the entry assessments and then joining in with lessons, sport, lunch, breaks, snacks and activities, all of which will give him a  sense of what school’s like with us. 

Boarding Tour 
If your son is joining as a boarder, your visit will start with a detailed tour of one of the boarding houses with the Head of Boarding who’ll explain the daily boarding routine and describe the activities and fun excursions that take place in the evenings and at weekends. Your son will be looked after for the day by a current boarder, who will give him lots more information about boarding at Pilgrims’.  Please note, we are unable to offer an overnight stay to boys who are not currently at the school. 

Our entry assessments
We use age-appropriate assessments to assess your son’s current levels of ability and more importantly, his future potential.  This includes Maths, English, and NVR (non-verbal reasoning). Your son will be working with a senior member of staff, either individually or in a small group.

If your son is musical, he might enjoy showing Russell, our Director of Music what he can do or he can just attend a choir practice or an orchestral rehearsal. 

There’s no need to prepare for our entry assessments, if there’s anything your son doesn’t understand, the teacher will be on hand to help.

Assessments are done in user-friendly workbooks, and there is a lot of chat and sharing of ideas. Getting a sense of your son’s personality is just as important as checking in on the academic side of things. We’re  looking for the best possible fit with boys’ wellbeing always front and centre.  

 

 

STARTING A NEW SCHOOL

After being offered a place, boys are welcomed back to the school for another visit on New Boys’ Day. It’s a chance to deepen friendships and become more familiar with the school before they start. By the time you join the school, we hope that you will feel very much at home. We make sure that you and your son have a clear idea of what lies ahead, so you both feel excited and look forward to joining.  

We find boys settle in easily at Pilgrims’, but every boy is different. We’re here for you if there are any bumps in the road. Once you have confirmed that your son is joining us, you will be looked after by the school’s administrators, who have lots of experience welcoming new families. Many are former Pilgrims’ parents, so they know pretty much everything about the school. 

Your son will be paired up with another Pilgrim in the same year. This helper we call a ‘Substance’.  He’ll meet your son on his first day, although it’s highly likely they’ll have met already on a taster day. Boys may also be given a ‘Boarding Substance’ so they have a familiar face in the boarding house from the start.  

 

The Pilgrims’ Parents’ Association 

Our very active Pilgrims’ Parents’ Association (PPA) has year reps who will ensure that you meet parents of boys in your son’s class. They are a terrific source of information, as is the school handbook, which will be given to you. 

Headmaster’s Welcome

I came to Pilgrims’ as a boy. I came back as a teacher, and now I'm very proud to be Headmaster. Like I did, boys arrive not entirely sure of themselves and leave, 9 years later, with a particular kind of confidence. Not the loud kind, not the performed, but the kind that comes from having been genuinely stretched across many different things. That’s what we’re doing here. Not producing specialists. Not selecting for one talent and building everything else around it.

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