Parents who have had children successfully transition to future schools will know that it is not just about securing a positive result in an entrance examination that leads to a smooth transition to senior school. It is, most crucially, about the child’s development and happiness in their first few terms, and years, at the school. With a focus on individual progress in our academically rigorous, broad and coherent curriculum and our attention on nurturing the leadership skills to succeed in life, our children are equipped to deal with the expected, as well as the unexpected. They demonstrate the curiosity, enjoyment of learning, perseverance, resilience, the ability to self-manage, complete challenging tasks independently, relish reading a wide range of literature and make connections between areas of knowledge, all pre-requisites for successful entry. That said, gaining a place at a London senior school, given the highly competitive context, is not assured for any child no matter how able and talented they may be. Many children in London will miss out on a place by the slightest of margins; even though they have been very deserving of a place. 

To maximise opportunities, our Growth Mindset, five Core Values and Development Group initiatives together with regular practise of examination-style questions and interview techniques, timetabled critical thinking, UK Maths Challenge preparation, poetry, general knowledge, science competitions and clubs provision, provide the foundations for success in high stakes tests. Furthermore, the children are challenged through next step targets and develop the confidence to problem-solve as they progress through the school from Nursery through the school. Furthermore, we know that working in partnership with parents and our colleagues at senior schools at every stage of the process, is essential for success. The transcript, or Head’s reference as it is commonly known, includes details of the breadth of the child’s contributions to school life, academic performance, potential, character, attitude to learning, personal development, aptitudes, interests, hobbies, and assessment data. This document is, as a result, hugely reassuring for the children who have proactively embraced all opportunities offered at The Hampshire School Chelsea. It demonstrates to the Head of the future school that they are likely to embrace everything that their school has to offer with enthusiasm and take full advantage of the educational provision on offer.

For parents who are about to navigate the senior school application process, the 2021-2022 Senior School Transition Booklet for Parents, which is a guide I have written for our community and details the array of admissions criteria, will be published in September. Furthermore, the annual Senior Schools Fayre scheduled for early in the Autumn Term, is proving to be very popular with Headteachers of senior schools who want to attend in person, or online, to attract our pupils and community. 

I look forward to welcoming all parents to the events ahead and to having 1-1 meetings to discuss future aspirations for senior schools. Below is the list of destination schools for the start of the academic year 2021-2022: