BCS Prep
Headteacher - BCS Prep Mrs Karen Wyborn
40 St. Osmund's Road Lower Parkstone Poole, Dorset BH14 9JYBCS Senior
Principal - BCS Senior Mrs Maria Coulter
College Road Southbourne Bournemouth Dorset BH5 2DYIn the last few years, the school has seen a significant increase in interest. To ensure we are able to provide this level of individual focus, and to be confident in our ability to offer the best possible level of support, entries will be through a selective process.
Whilst priority for Year 7 entry will be given to pupils from our Prep School, children of staff and siblings (where one or more is already in the school), all prospective pupils will be required to achieve a certain level of academic performance to be offered a place.
BCS has always supported a wide range of interests and abilities, and this is a true strength of the school. Please rest assured that this will continue to be the case. It is not the school’s intention to replicate a grammar approach to admissions and we will continue to consider all aspects of the entry process. Offers will then be sent out for acceptance in February.
Pupils interested in joining the Senior School or Sixth Form are encouraged to follow the steps as stated below.
Parents considering BCS are encouraged to visit the school. Families can tour the parts of the school that mean the most to them, meet our staff and students and discuss the opportunities available at BCS.
Experiencing the school at work, reviewing the facilities first hand and meeting our staff and students is the best way to understand what a BCS education has to offer you.
Our upcoming Open Days are available in the link below or contact us to make a bespoke appointment.
Click Here: Open days and Webinars
Complete our registration form and return it with the registration fee, copy of your child’s latest school report and passport identity page. If applying for Sixth Form, a copy of your child's latest mock results will as be needed.
This formally registers your interest in a place at BCS.
Click Here: Registration Forms
In the autumn term prior to admission, students for Year 7 entry will be invited in to BCS to take our admissions’ entrance assessments in English and Maths. There is also a free writing component. This will take place on Saturday 9th November 2024.
Those looking for Year 8 to Year 10 entry will be invited in to BCS to take the CAT4 assessment and complete a piece of free writing.
Year 12 applicants will also have an interview with Head of Sixth Form and will need to provide their predicted GCSE results and most recent school report.
During the Autumn and Spring term, prior to the end of January, once the registration process has been completed, students will be invited to experience the school through a taster morning for Years 7 to 10 students or a taster day for Sixth Form students. This allows prospective students to meet teachers and pupils, familiarise themselves with the school surroundings and experience a typical day as a BCS student. Students will attend academic lessons and have an interview with a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Offers of your place in the school is released in February.
The welcome day provides the opportunity for pupils joining Year 7 to spend the day in school meeting other students joining BCS in September and getting to know their new teachers and the BCS school environment.
The mathematics paper is based on work which candidates would normally cover during Key Stage 2 of the national curriculum.
The English paper tests comprehension, vocabulary, and punctuation.
Pupils will also complete a free writing task which will last 10 minutes. There is no preparation for this and will be required to respond to specific topics given.
For the two GL Assessment (Granada Learning Assessment) papers, questions are of a multiple-choice style with candidates entering their answers on a pre-printed sheet. Scores achieved in these papers are standardised against national criteria by age.
All GL Assessment tests are designed to be taken within specific time limits. Many students within a wide range of abilities will be able to answer most of the questions, given sufficient time. No variation in timing is permitted unless the applicant has a relevant Education Health Care Plan or Statement in which case a maximum of 25% additional time may be permitted.
We recommend children familiarise themselves with the multiple-choice layout of the test, content and examples of some types of questions they will face. We want to give all children the opportunity to experience sample questions across a range of question types in advance of the test.
Free familiarisation material is available for each subject for use by candidates and their families and can be found here: https://11plus.gl-assessment.co.uk/free-materials/
As well as practice tests, you will find Parent Guides and mark schemes here too
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