Joining St Catherine’s
Choosing the right school for your daughter is a big decision and we want getting to know St Catherine’s to feel straightforward from the start.
The best place to begin is with a visit. We hold Open Events throughout the year, or you are very welcome to arrange a personal visit. Our Admissions team will be happy to answer your questions, talk through the right entry point for your daughter and guide you through the process.
Families are welcome to contact us well in advance of their intended entry year, and we also consider applications to other year groups where places are available.
Joining the Prep School
Years 3 to 6 | Ages 7 to 11
Girls can join St Catherine’s Prep in Years 3 to 6. We encourage families to visit first so that you and your daughter can experience the school, meet the Head of Prep and get a feel for life at St Catherine’s.
When you are ready to apply, we will invite your daughter to spend some time with us and complete age-appropriate literacy and numeracy activities. We will also ask for her recent school reports and a reference from her current school.
Girls who join the Prep School have an automatic place in the Senior School for Year 7, providing continuity as they move forward in a community where they are already known and supported.
Prep pupils can also apply for one of our four annual Prep Scholarships.
Joining THE SENIOR SCHOOL
Years 7 to 11 | Ages 11 to 16
YEAR 7 ENTRY
Applications for Year 7 entry in September 2027 are now open and should reach us by Wednesday 11 November 2026.
Girls are invited to St Catherine’s on Saturday 28 November 2026 to sit one-hour papers in Mathematics and English. The papers are designed to give every girl the opportunity to show what she can do, regardless of the curriculum she has followed at her current school.
We look at the whole picture when offering places. Alongside the entrance examination, we consider your daughter’s school report and reference and invite you and your daughter to an informal interview with the Head. The process gives us the opportunity to get to know your daughter and your family, while giving you the chance to get to know St Catherine’s and decide whether it feels right for your family.
view the Year 7 ADMISSIONS PROCESS for 2027
read our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Girls can also apply for one of our five Year 7 Scholarships.
Moving from Prep to Senior School
Year 6 into Year 7
For girls already at St Catherine’s, the move from Year 6 into Year 7 is a natural continuation of their journey through the school.
Every girl has an automatic place in the Senior School. The entrance tests taken in December are not used to decide whether she can continue; they provide useful experience and help inform scholarship decisions and setting in core subjects.
Because the girls are already known well, both academically and personally, they can approach the transition with confidence while continuing to enjoy everything Year 6 has to offer.
Joining the Sixth Form
Years 12-13 | Ages 16-18
Girls currently in Year 11 at St Catherine’s have an automatic place in our Sixth Form and do not need to reapply.
Girls joining from other schools would normally be expected to achieve six GCSEs at grades 6 to 9, including a grade 7 in the subjects they wish to study at A Level.
We understand that grades are only part of the picture. If your daughter is close to these requirements and shows strong ability and commitment, we would be very happy to talk with you about her options.
Joining another year group?
Places may be available in other year groups, including for families relocating to the area or considering St Catherine’s at a different stage.
Please contact our Admissions team and we will be happy to talk through availability and the next step for your daughter.
