Admissions FAQs
Q. Are your schools co-educational?
Across our schools, we offer an educational pathway for boys and girls aged 1 through to 18. We are fully co-educational at our Early Years sites in Cambridge and Madingley, at Dame Bradbury’s School and at our Sixth Form. In Senior School, we operate a Diamond Model between the ages of 11 and 16, which combines the social benefits of a co-educational setting with the academic strengths of single –sex learning – the best of both worlds.
Q. Can I visit the schools?
We hold a number of Open events throughout the year, for which booking is necessary so that we can manage numbers. Dates for these Open Events will always be advertised on our website. We would recommend for your first visit that you attend an Open Event and listen to school leaders talk about our values and approach to education. You are then welcome to book a tour to see the school on a normal working day. The tour will include the opportunity to meet with our Head of School or a senior member of staff. For those interested in boarding (Sixth Form only), there is an opportunity to visit our boarding houses and meet with the Head of Boarding. Tours can be booked via our online admissions portal at www.stephenperse.com/join-us. We hope you will appreciate as a very busy and over-subscribed school, we are not always able to accommodate tours of the schools outside of these published dates.
Q. What is the Dame Bradbury's assessment process?
At Dame Bradbury’s we will invite you in to see the school and your child to spend some time with us so we can get to know them and their interests. Dame Bradbury’s is selective school.
Q. How do I register my child for a place?
Our online application form is the first official step in the application process.
When making an application it will include a payment of a non-refundable registration fee of £100. We will also approach your child’s current school for a reference as soon as they have made an application. For any pupils with individual needs we will ask for all supporting information at the application stage.
Once the form is completed and you have created an account on our admission portal, all correspondence about your application will be sent through this.
Q. Can I apply at any time of year?
Yes, with the exception of the Sixth Form. Entrance testing for Rosedale House, Dame Bradbury’s and Senior School usually takes place in the January before the September start (e.g. January 2019 for September 2019 entry). However, we understand that families are often looking for places at a new school at other times of the year, such as when relocating for a new job, so we are flexible wherever possible providing that there are spaces available.
Q. Can my child do the assessments while we are still abroad?
While it is obviously better to do the tests and interviews in person, if at all possible, if you have to remain overseas we can accommodate your child sitting the entrance exams in your home country. If your current school is a registered international school we are happy for the exams to take place there; otherwise we ask that you arrange for him/her to sit the papers at the British Council. This is to ensure that the integrity of our tests is preserved and
ensures fairness across the board as this will emulate the testing environment here at Stephen Perse. We will do our upmost to accommodate your travel timetables when booking your child’s assessment.
Q. Will you need to contact my child’s current school as part of the admissions process?
We do require a satisfactory reference from your child’s current school. If you do not want us to contact your child’s current school before a place is offered the offer of a place will be conditional on receipt of a satisfactory reference.
Q. Do both parents have to sign the forms?
We require a signature from both parents/guardians who hold parental responsibility, except in exceptional circumstances.
Q. Will my child automatically get a place in the next school up?
Transition is automatic through Stephen Perse however if there are any concerns then we would arrange a series of consultations with the parents, well in advance of either transition.
Q. My child needs additional learning support, is this something you can accommodate?
Yes, each of our schools benefits from the guidance of a Special Educational needs Coordinator (SENCO) and if your child requires support we will work with you to ensure that his/her needs are met. In the event that our specialist teachers do not have the expertise necessary to plan for your child’s continued progress we would consult with an external specialist teacher with your agreement. At the application stage you will be required to indicate if your child has SEND requirements. Please also make our Admissions Registrar
aware of this to enable her to arrange for you to meet our SENCO.
Q. Where are the schools?
We have schools in and around Cambridge, and in Saffron Walden. See our contact pages for maps of each school's location.
Q. Do you provide transport?
We run a shuttle minibus from Audley End Rail Station to the School for children from Year 1 upwards, which leaves the Audley End station bus stop daily at 07.45.
There is also a minibus from Babraham and Trumpington Park and Ride for children from Kindergarten upwards, which leaves at 07.50 and returns from Dame Bradbury’s at 16.30.
For further information regarding charges and booking please contact the Dame B's school office.