SENIOR SCHOOL PREPARATION

We work with you to make sure the next step after Pilgrims’ is as exciting as your time with us.  Pilgrims’ boys go on to a variety of schools, including some of the UK’s most famous independent senior schools. We’ll help your son prepare and be there for you too.  

Each year, over 40% of our boys go to Winchester College , but it’s important to say we are not a through school, so options are open for boys to go wherever suits them best.  Some boys move to co-ed, such as Canford or Marlborough, others remain in a single sex school such as Radley or Sherborne.  Many go with full boarding to Charterhouse or Harrow, others go to day schools such as Churcher’s College, King Edward’s in Southampton and Portsmouth Grammar School. 

Applying for Senior Schools 

Our Headmaster, Tim Butcher has a great relationship with senior school heads and will with decision making as to where your son will be happy and thrive after Pilgrims’, working with our Deputy Head of Academic, and your son’s tutor.  

Support for 11+  entry to senior schools   
Nearly all Pilgrims’ boys move on at the end of Year 8.  If your son is moving at the end of Year 6, specialist teachers prepare him for entry tests and interviews. This often results in a scholarship or other award.  

Some boys defer the offer from they then receive and delay their move until the end of Year 8 (13+), preferring the breadth and pace of the Pilgrims’ curriculum and the rich opportunities, especially since our merger with Winchester College.  

How do you prepare boys for 13+ senior school entry? 
We prepare the boys thoroughly for their senior school applications, making sure they feel confident to take the entry exams and well prepared for interviews.   

Boys apply for entrance to senior schools through Scholarship, Common Entrance, or a school’s own entrance examination. The process begins either in Year 6 or Year 7, depending on the choice of senior school.   

Before then, all the boys are given plenty of practice for the ISEB’s Common Pre-Test (CPT) from Year 4 onwards, which gives them confidence with computer-based tests and experience in techniques for interviews and any practical group tasks they might be asked to do.  

 How do boys get on with ISEB Common Pre-test (CPT) in Year 6? 
Boys get excellent support and practice in the lead up to the Year 6 pre-tests so that they are prepared for them and achieve high results.  

Is there Senior school interview practice? 
A good interview can make all the difference when it comes to an application to a prestigious senior school.  We spend a considerable amount of time helping our boys feel comfortable in conversation and teaching them the skills needed to offer an interesting exchange of views and opinions.   We help boys to understand that a considered response is required rather than overly schooled, prepared answer.  We want Pilgrims’ boys to come across as interested and interesting. 

Senior school references 
Every boy is different and what schools are looking for varies considerably too. The Headmaster and Deputy Head Academic know the senior schools our boys go to well and we  take great care tailoring a reference specially for your son.  They’ll also consult with tutors and teachers to ensure a reference reflects the real essence of a boy’s character and personality, with detail about his hobbies and interests as well as academic strengths.