Abingdon School

Abingdon welcomes applications from boys wishing to enter the sixth form as day or boarding pupils. We receive applications from boys attending a very wide variety of schools ranging from the local independent and maintained sector schools to those attending schools overseas.

The sixth form admissions process takes place between November and early March of the year immediately preceding entry. Please contact us at any time before this if you have any questions about our sixth form entry. Listed below are the details of the sixth form entry procedure as well as the key dates for sixth form entry in 2012 and some for 2013.

Application

Sixth form boys are usually aged 16 on 1 September in the year of entry. As far as possible boys should be registered by December in the year prior to entry.

Overseas admissions to sixth form

Parents of overseas boys seeking admission to the sixth form should refer to the overseas admissions page containing more detailed information relevant to overseas assessments and transfer.

Boarding entry

Both weekly and full boarding places are available in the sixth form.

Procedure

• Following registration candidates will be asked to provide further information about choice of A level subjects.
• The Sixth Form Open Evening in October gives candidates an opportunity to discuss the sixth form curriculum at Abingdon and A level subject choice before the assessments take place. Booking for this event is recommended.
• We will ask a boy's current school for a reference.
• Academic assessments and interviews take place from November. However most locally based candidates, including those wishing to sit our academic sixth form scholarship, attend their interviews and assessments in the Lent term (late February or early March). Please feel free to contact the Registrar to discuss dates for assessment.
• Candidates will have an interview with the Upper Master or a member of senior academic staff as well as at least one subject interview. Candidates whose first language is not English will usually be interviewed by our Head of EFL.
• Candidates will be offered places based on the results of their interviews and assessments, and in the case of those taking GCSE's, the strength of their predicted grades. For those taking GCSE's Abingdon has a minimum grade requirement for entry to the Sixth form of A grades in the subjects chosen for A level study. Please contact the Registrar for further information.
• Overseas candidates may take their examination papers overseas by prior arrangement and papers may be sent from November onwards. Interviews for overseas candidates may also be conducted using Skype or a similar medium. However we always encourage candidates to visit the School if at all possible and we do reserve the right to ask individuals to attend the School for assessment when it is considered necessary.

Scholarships and exhibitions

A number of scholarships and exhibitions are offered at this entry point.

Financial assistance

Bursaries are available and can be up to 100% of the fees. All bursaries are means-tested.

Results

Offers of places are usually sent two weeks after interviews with the first offers made in December. Parents will be asked to give a firm acceptance of the place and to pay a deposit which will be credited to the parents’ final account when their son leaves the School. Candidates whose places are conditional upon GCSE results (or their equivalent) should inform the Registrar of their results as soon as they are known.

Visits

We welcome visits at any time during the admissions procedure. Should you wish to discuss the entry procedures further before visiting us, please contact the Registrar’s office at admissions@abingdon.org.uk or telephone +44 1235 849041.

Key dates for Sixth Form entry to Abingdon in September 2012

(for candidates wishing to transfer from schools in the UK and some candidates from overseas*)

Key dates for Sixth Form entry to Abingdon in September 2013

(for candidates wishing to transfer from schools in the UK and some candidates from overseas*)

* Overseas candidates should contact us to discuss their procedure for entry.

Jane Jørgensen, Registrar