General Admissions
Further information regarding applications to Bablake.
The specific application procedures for our Pre Prep, Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form are explained below.
Please click here to request more information or a prospectus.
Junior and Pre Prep School
Join us at anytime
Entrance to Bablake Junior and Pre Prep School is available any time where vacancies exist.
Arrange a visit or a taster day
To arrange a visit to the school or a taster day please call the Junior School (ages 7-11) on 024-7627-1260 or the Pre Prep School (ages 3-7) on 024-7622-1677.
Send us an application form
If you would like your son or daughter to be considered for entry into the Junior School or Pre Prep, please complete the application form.
Please note: Year 3 and Year 4 entry examinations are on Saturday 6th February. Please either call the Junior School or send us an application form to register for the exam. Entrance assessments for older children looking to join throughout the year, or younger children at the Pre Prep, may take place on any suitable occasion or during a visit.
Further information
During their time with us pupils will make a considerable amount of progress. Our entrance assessment is about recognising a child's potential and not simply what or how somebody has been taught. Pupils come to us from many different backgrounds and have had varying educational experiences.
It is our hope that all of our pupils will go on to gain entry into the Senior School. This is quite an academic challenge and we therefore accept children into Bablake Junior and Pre Prep School who we feel have that potential.
Entrance assessments in Reading, English and Maths are based on the work that will be done by the children at their current schools. In Reading, we assess each child's skills in comprehension, spelling and grammar and we also ask them to do a little writing. In Maths, we expect each child to have a broad ability and a working knowledge of mathematical terms.
Pupils will also have to complete a non-verbal reasoning paper. This test seeks to give an indicator as to their potential and suggests how easily they may acquire new concepts.
In advance of the Year 3 entrance assessment many children will visit us and perhaps spend a half day with us. They usually want to stay longer! Older pupils visit for the day and are usually assessed during that visit. As well as sitting the entrance assessments, we will also contact your child's present school to get further information about their progress to date.
Pre Prep entry is also available at any time, again where space permits, although most children join the school either in Kindergarten (3+) or Reception (4+). Entry into Year 2 after the academic year has started is occassionally permitted in special circumstances.
From September 2009, Cheshunt School became part of Bablake Junior School as Bablake Pre Prep. As a consequence Pre Prep pupils can progress into Year 3 at the main school site without the need to take the normal entrance exam. We therefore have a child friendly, informal assessment procedure for pupils wanting to join our school for the full time, pre-school (3+) year in Kindergarten or later into Reception, Year 1 or 2. It is preferable that pupils accepted into the Pre Prep have the long term potential to succeed at Bablake School.
To facilitate this process at the Pre Prep we like children to come into school for a morning to spend some time with their prospective classmates and to meet the teachers. The experience is planned to be a positive one; children join us from many different backgrounds and we are looking for potential. Your child's visit can take place any time over the academic year as we approach the date of their enrolment. For entry into Kindergarten this visit should take place in the Summer Term preceding entry.
If you would like your son or daughter to be considered for entry into the Junior School or Pre Prep, please complete the application form. We look forward to welcoming you into our school.
Senior School
Approximately 120 children join the Shells (Year 7) each year. In addition to this, we welcome new pupils into the Second, Third and Fourth Years as well as a substantial number into the Sixth Form for A level study.
We are looking for pupils who are academically able and who will embrace the ‘Spirit of Opportunity’ that we value so highly. Our pupils work hard to ensure that they achieve their academic potential, and they feel supported and encouraged by attentive pastoral care. Furthermore, pupils are passionate about their involvement in the wider life of the school, and the huge choice of co-curricular activities means that there is truly something for everyone. The Bablake ‘can do’ attitude contributes very positively to the strong sense of community in our school and we encourage intellectual curiosity and independence - which we believe will equip our pupils with the skills necessary to succeed in the world of further study and work, and indeed in life.
Pupils join Bablake from a wide range of schools and each academic year, we welcome children from up to 75 different primary schools! Just under half of our intake into Year 7 will come from our own Junior School.
Entry at 11+
We would recommend that all prospective pupils and their parents take advantage of one of the visits to see the school and to speak to staff and pupils.
Parents are asked to complete an application form and return it to the Admissions Officer, together with the Application Fee.
Prospective pupils will be required to sit an Entrance Examination which includes papers in English, Mathematics and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. To help prepare your child for the Entrance Examination we send out practice papers after we receive the application form. The vast majority of 11+ applicants will take our Entrance Examination day in January, however, we are able to arrange for applicants to take the exam at other times during the year.
Pre-selection
We offer pre-selection testing for children in Year 5 and this takes place in January, alongside the 11+ examination. Pupils sit papers in Mathematics, English (comprehension and composition) and Reasoning (verbal and non-verbal) and parents then receive a letter indicating the likelihood of success at 11+, based on performance. Verbal feedback is also offered to give parents an idea of their child’s strengths and areas on which they may need to focus. The vast majority of those who sit the pre-selection test apply for the 11+ examination (no further registration fee is required) and are able to build upon their performance of the previous year. Please contact the Admissions Department for further information.
Entry into other school years
We welcome applications for entry into our Second, Third and Fourth Year, and are able to conduct an entrance examination at any point during the school year. Please contact the Admissions Department for further information.
Sixth Form
Sixth Form
Bablake admits a significant number of new pupils into its Sixth Form each year. The Sixth Form is a vibrant part of the school in which students are actively encouraged to seize the many opportunities afforded to them both inside and outside the classroom. Impressive A level results in 2014 and 2015 meant that the vast majority of our students proceeded to the university of their choice. There is a wide range of academic-related opportunities, challenges and competitions on offer, as well as co-curricular activities in which Sixth Formers often take a leading role. Rest assured that a Bablake Sixth Former is never bored! The positive and stimulating environment ensures that students flourish and achieve their potential in every way possible.
We are incredibly proud of our Sixth Form students as they leave us to continue their lives outside Bablake, We are very fortunate to maintain strong links with our former pupils, benefitting hugely from their experience and expertise when they return to school to attend such events as our Sixth Form Mock Interview Morning, or to deliver a presentation to current Sixth Form students as part of our highly successful Enrichment programme.
Entry to Sixth Form Evening
Prospective students are advised to attend the Entry to Sixth Form Evening which is held during the Autumn term. The evening enables students to meet others who have joined Bablake for the Sixth Form and to attend presentations by staff and students relating to the wide range of A level subjects offered. It is a useful and informative evening and is an excellent starting point to the Sixth Form application process. We would also highly recommend a tour of the school and a taster day.
For further information on our Sixth Form please read our information booklet.
For 2016 Entry into the Sixth Form parents are asked to complete an application form and return it to the Admissions Officer as soon as possible.
Subsequent to receipt of an application, students are invited to interview with the Headmaster, Mr John Watson, and the Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Alison Tumber, and a provisional offer may then be made (dependent upon GCSE results).
International Applications
We have a small number of Sixth Form students from Mainland China and welcome applications for Sixth Form entry via our agent, Gateway. Upon receipt of an application and completion of the international entry examination, we will invite successful candidates to interview through Skype. A high standard of English is required for students to cope with the level of work expected of them in their A level studies at Bablake. Students stay with host families locally and are encouraged to take part in the wider curriculum that Bablake offers outside the classroom - so that they can benefit fully from life in the Sixth Form.
Gateway's details are as follows:
Gateway Education
2-4 Darnell Way
Moulton Park
Northamptonshire
NN3 6RW
Tel: +44 (0)1604 642 082
Email: applications@gateway-education.co.uk
For information regarding applications from elsewhere overseas, please contact the Admissions Officer, Mrs Laura Baines by email: lb@bablake.coventry.sch.uk.
