Application Process 13+

Pupils join Canford from around 50 different schools each year at 13+, mainly from Prep Schools but also some from the maintained sector. Pupils come to us from schools across the UK and some internationally. We strive to build good relationships with staff, parents and pupils at all schools with which Canford has a connection.

We are aware of just how crucial and often difficult it is for parents and pupils to make a decision about senior school education. In order to make an informed choice about whether we are the right place for you, we do our best to ensure schools are fully aware of what we offer, especially our vision, mission and values. To help achieve this, we attend future schools exhibitions at many Prep Schools and senior staff are invited to Canford on a regular basis.

The first step is usually to visit the school. Please contact our Admissions team to let us know you are interested in coming to see us and they will be in touch with lots of helpful information, as well as ensuring we welcome you on site in due course. In the meantime, you are welcome to gain a sense of school life through the recording of our recent Virtual Open Day. Please visit www.canford.com/virtual-school-visit to access this and other online resources.

joining canford at 13+

Visit and Registration

After visiting the school, the submission of a completed registration form and fee secures a place on our Admissions List, known as the 'Headmaster's List'.

Parents are encouraged to visit at an early stage and to register as soon as possible. We hold open days twice a year in April/May and October. Personal visits can also be arranged with an opportunity to spend more time speaking to individual staff.

Book a Private Visit or for an Open Day

13+ Admissions Guide for Pupils in Year 6, 7 or 8

The comprehensive Admissions Guides below should answer most questions relating to the admissions process for Canford. However, if you do have a more specific question relating to your child, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us.

13+ Admissions Guide

the Headmaster's List Guide

The number of places available by this route will vary from year to year but over recent years about 65% of those who attended Headmaster's List assessments were later offered conditional places.

key dates and timeline

After registering for the School, the following is a guide to the Admissions timeline and what happens next. With Covid-19 restrictions in place at the present time, please take below as a general overview of historic events. Some elements may change according to what we are able to offer within given timeframes. For the latest information please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Admissions office admissions@canford.com.

What Happens Next - for 13+ entry
YEAR 6 or YEAR 7	Canford makes contact with parents of registered children on the Headmaster's List to ask if they wish to sit the ISEB Common pre-test at their prep school (or at Canford if not at a prep school). Success in this leads to an invitation to a Headmaster's List Pre-Assessment Day at Canford.
YEAR 7
April/May	Year 7 event. Details TBC.
YEAR 8
October	Canford sends out details of scholarships to be held in the Spring
December	Scholarship information evening Scholarship and bursary application closing dates
January	Canford Entrance Tests take place (for those not taking either the Academic Scholarship or Common Entrance) Music Scholarships take place
February	Sport Scholarships take place Music and Sport Scholarships results notified Art, Drama and Design Scholarships take place
March	Academic Scholarships take place Scholarship and bursary results notified
April	House allocations are notified New Pupil Packs and new joiner forms sent
June	Common Entrance takes place and results notified Familiarisation Day at Canford for those joining in September Visa letters (CAS) issued for those requiring Child Student Visas
YEAR 9
September	Arrival at Canford

scholarships, fees and finance

It is Canford's policy to encourage excellence through the awarding of scholarships and for those awards to be funded by a financial package to enable pupils to come to the school who, without the assistance of a scholarship, would not be able to do so. As a guide, scholarships are generally worth between 5% and 20% of the fees, which may be enhanced by a bursary if parents are able to demonstrate, through means-testing, that they could not otherwise send their child to the school.

All Canford's scholarships are indexed as a percentage of the fees so that their relative value remains constant throughout the scholar's school career. Awards for new entrants to the school are made at both 13+ and 16+, for excellence and potential in various fields.

Further information regarding Scholarships, Fees and Finance can be found here:

Scholarships, Fees and Finance

admissions policy

terms and conditions

overseas entry

Canford welcomes applications from overseas families. As a 7 day a week boarding school, we are well equipped to cater for the needs of pupils whose parents live abroad, with a full programme of evening and weekend activities offered, and overseas families can be reassured that on average at least 70% of boarders are in school on any given weekend, and there are a number of weekends with 100% of boarders on the campus. Currently around 10.5% of pupils are resident abroad, which includes 6.5% who are non-native English speakers.

General School EAL PolicyChinese Student Applications and Enquiries

All enquiries from students or agents relating to Chinese students in mainland China should be directed through the school's approved representatives for China. Please contact us for more information.

EAL policy in Traditional Chinese

EAL policy in Simplified Chinese

From the 1st of August 2022, any pupil for whom English is not their first language, whether studying in the UK or abroad, will need to provide a UKiset result at the point of registration.

We would strongly recommend that a UKiset result is provided with the initial enquiry to allow a more informed assessment of each candidate, but if this is not possible, we will now be requiring an in-date UKiset result at the point of registration.

We offer excellent EAL support here at Canford. Pupils where English is not their first language are required to attend EAL lessons until their level of English is of the standard required to apply to UK universities. An Individual Learning Plan is made for each pupil with English support provided through one-to-one lessons each week to assist their learning. Our EAL policy can be found here English as an Additional Language Policy.

late availability places

useful links and FAQs

WHY CANFORD? OUR VISION

REGISTRATION FORM

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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