Frequently Asked Questions

  

 

1 - Can you explain the Admissions procedures?

Not very briefly! There are four points of entry to CLS, depending on the boy’s age on 1st September. A Confidential Report is requested for each candidate from his current school.

Age 10-11:

Group One, for entry to Old Grammar (Yr 6).
Up to 24 places.

Entrance exams in Mathematics, English and Verbal Reasoning, and a Group Interview, where the candidates are observed whilst being taught. The best are called back for individual interview in February.

1, 2

Age 11-12:

Group Two, for entry to the First Form (Yr 7).
72 places.

Entrance exams in Mathematics, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The best candidates are called back for individual interview in February, when they will also attend a Group Interview, where they are observed whilst being taught.

1, 2, 3

Age 13-14:

Group Three, for entry to the Third Form (Yr 9).
About 40 places.

Entrance exams in Maths, English, Science and French (or, by arrangement, another modern foreign language). The best candidates are called back for interview in February. Boys intending to continue Latin at CLS should take the optional Latin paper once they have been offered a place.

1, 2, 3

Age 16-17:

Sixth Form, for entry to the Junior Sixth (Yr 12).
About 12-15 places.

Apply by 17 October 2008 for entry in September 2009.
Candidates sit two subject-based tests towards the end of October. Successful applicants are called back for interview about two weeks later. Minimum requirement: six A grade passes at GCSE including Maths and English.

1
To enter the School in September 2009, register by 30/11/08.
Groups 1 & 2 Entrance Examinations are on 19th January 2009.
Group 3 Entrance Examinations are on 21st January 2009.

2
Results are posted to parents towards the end of February and
acceptances have to be made within about a week.

3
CLS is part of an agreement with other day schools in the London
area. We all post results to parents on the same day and require
replies by the same day. Please contact us if this poses problems.

More information on Admissions can be found in the Admissions section of the website - please use left hand menu or click here.

 

2 - May I have copies of past entrance examination papers?

Yes. The easiest way is to download the papers from our website: http://www.clsb.org.uk/. Alternatively, contact the Admissions Secretary. No past papers for Verbal or Non-verbal Reasoning are available.


 

 

3 - Are there any Scholarships or Bursaries?

Yes, there are Academic Scholarships at all normal entry points. They may range in value from one-sixth fees to one half fees. There is no separate exam for Academic Scholarships but potential scholars will be given a scholarship interview. Those applying for a Music Scholarship will be auditioned, and further details are in the booklet that accompanies the prospectus, or from the Director of Music.
The School also offers a number of Sponsored Awards, up to full fees, to assist those parents of academically very bright boys, who otherwise could not contemplate private education. These awards are available only at 11+ and 16+.
As a guide, full-fee sponsorship would normally only be available to parents whose joint gross income did not exceed £30,000 per annum. If joint gross parental income exceeds £30,000, any award will be for less than full fees and, under normal circumstances, no award will be made where gross parental income exceeds £60,000 per annum.
Should you wish to be tested for a means-tested award, please tick the appropriate box on the Registration Form, and for further details please contact the Finance Manager.

 

 

4 - Are there any Choral awards?

Yes, Choristers are recruited normally between the ages of 7 and 9 into either the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace or the Temple Church. Once a boy has passed an audition, parents are advised to make early contact with the Director of Admissions. An early entry test can be arranged and if this is passed, the boy will be offered a guaranteed place at the School for the September after he passes his tenth birthday.
He may be admitted to the choir when a vacancy occurs. Fees earned during the terms he sings in the choir before joining CLS may be used to finance an equal number of terms at the School after his voice “breaks” and his choristership ceases. Fuller details of how to apply for an audition should be sought from the relevant choirs:

for the Chapel Royal:
Dr. Andrew Gant (tel. 020 7930 4832)
e-mail Andrew.gant@btopenworld.com 

for the Temple Church:
Liz Clarke (tel. 020 7353 8559)
e-mail liz@templechurch.com

 

 

5 - How is the pastoral system organised?

At the heart of the Pastoral system is the Form Tutor who is responsible for all aspects of a boy's progress through the School - personal, academic, extra-curricular and social.
Tutors are encouraged to contact parents by telephone or email if they are concerned or delighted by any aspect of a boy's performance, and parents are encouraged to reciprocate. We seek an active dialogue, a partnership where trust has been built up between Tutor and parent. A boy will generally keep the same Tutor for two years, the exceptions being for those in Old Grammar (Yr 6) and the Third Form (Yr 9). Tutors are supported by a Head of Year and the Second Master, who has overall responsibility for the pastoral system. All parents of new boys receive a Pastoral Handbook, which explains policies and procedures in greater detail.

 

 

6 - Does the School accept boys with learning difficulties?

Yes, provided they meet the academic requirements of the School. Parents of a child who has any special educational need should submit all relevant educational psychologists’ or medical practioners’ reports at registration. This information is required in order to make appropriate arrangements during the exams or at interview.
After admission, the learning support department, in consultation with parents, will make recommendations as to the type of help needed by each individual pupil. Support may include individual or group lessons, providing study skills or specialist tuition, enabling boys with special educational needs to work with greater independence and success within the School.

 

 

7 - How does the House System work?

There are six Houses at CLS, and the boy’s Tutor Group from the Third Form onwards determines the House he is in. The House System allows boys to compete with others in their age group, particularly at sport, and enjoy a sense of loyalty and belonging. It is not part of the formal Pastoral System.

 

 

8 - What links does the School have with City of London School for Girls?

Although both Schools are owned by the City of London Corporation, they are run separately. However, there is much co-operation and assistance in extra curricular activities such as drama productions, musical concerts, clubs and the annual Sponsored Walk – not to mention social occasions.

 

 

9 - What is the ethos of the School with regard to Sport/Games?

The programme is based on participation, whether in Games activities, Form and House competitions, or club training sessions. An important aim for us is to gain the interest and enthusiasm of each boy for an activity, with the hope that he will continue with it after he leaves CLS. We teach a variety of sports - football, cricket, athletics, swimming and gymnastics – at the lower end of the School, and the range widens, as the boys get older.
By the Fifth Form this includes fencing, water polo, squash and sailing. A range of outdoor pursuits is available in the CCF – for example, climbing, canoeing and sub-aqua - and a fitness-training programme is also on offer. Of course, CLS also has an extensive fixture list, and we are proud of our successes.

 

 

10 - How long is the average travelling time to and from School?

Boys attend CLS from all over the Greater London area. The majority travel by public transport, the average journey time being about 45 minutes. Some parents have initial misgivings about their sons covering such distances but the boys tend to make light of it, often using the time to their advantage by reading and learning. Moreover, we find that commuting often engenders a sense of independence and confidence in our boys that they would otherwise lack.

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