Welcome to the Sherfield School Admissions FAQs page. Here you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding our admissions process. If your query is not addressed here, please do not hesitate to contact our Admissions Team for further assistance.
How do I apply for a place at Sherfield School?
To apply for a place at Sherfield School, you first of all need to submit an enquiry form, which can be found on our make an enquiry page or call us on +44 [0] 1256 884 800. Our admissions team will then guide you through the admissions process.
What year groups do we accept new pupils into?
Our main entry points are Reception, Year 3, Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12.
We offer rolling admissions and welcome applications from parents throughout the school year for children from 3 months to 18 years old. As most of our pupils transition through the school from Early Years Centre we have limited places in most year groups.
Our GCSE courses start in Year 9 so we look at applications for Year 10 on a case-by-case basis and rarely take students in Year 11 or Year 13.
As we go from two classes to four in our Year 7 we are able to take more pupils into this year group. Our Year 7 is becoming fully subscribed by the end of the previous autumn term so it is advisable that you begin the admissions process the summer before at the latest i.e. Summer 2024 for a September 2025 entry.
What are the age requirements for entry?
Sherfield School accepts students from Nursery (age 3 months) through to Sixth Form (age 18).
What is the admissions process?
The admissions process typically involves attending an open day or private tour, submitting a registration form and a taster day and assessment for your child. For full details, please visit our admissions process page.
Are there entrance assessments?
Yes, entrance assessments are required for certain year groups to ensure that each student can thrive in our school. Details of these can be found on our admissions process page.
When should I apply?
We recommend applying as early as possible to secure a place for your child. Applications for the following academic year are accepted on a rolling basis, but some year groups may have waiting lists.
Is there a deadline for applications?
While there is no strict deadline, early application is advised, especially for high-demand year groups such as Year 7.
What fees are associated with attending Sherfield School?
Our fee structure is outlined on the Fees page of our website. This includes tuition fees, as well as additional costs for some wrap-around care.
Are scholarships or bursaries available?
We do not offer bursaries. We do offer scholarships, these are honorary and come with no monetary value/discount.
Can we visit the school before applying?
Absolutely. We encourage prospective families to visit Sherfield School to experience our facilities and ethos first-hand. Open days and private tours can be arranged through the Admissions Team by filling in the enquiry form on this page.
What support is available for international students?
Sherfield School welcomes international students and provides comprehensive support, including English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, pastoral care, and assistance with visa applications.
How does the school support students with additional needs?
We welcome children with a range of learning preferences and celebrate diversity supporting pupils as necessary using teaching strategies tailored to meet the diverse range of our learners. Sharing educational history with us prior to a place being offered is essential so that we are able to assess whether we can meet your child’s needs. For more information regarding this, please visit our inclusion page.
What are the term dates?
Our term dates are published on our website, here. These include start and end dates for each term, as well as half-term breaks and holidays.
Do you have more information regarding each phase of the school?
Do take a look at the various phase sections of this website. We also have handbooks for each phase which can be viewed through the links below:
Early Years Centre Handbook
Pre-Reception and Reception Handbook
Junior Prep (Year 1 to Year 4) Handbook
Senior Prep (Year 5 to Year 8) Handbook
Senior (Year 9 to Year 11) Handbook
Sixth Form (Year 12 and Year 13) Handbook
Parent Handbook
Boarding Handbook
What are the school hours?
The normal school day runs from 8.25am to 3.15pm for Reception to Year 2 and 8.25am to 4.15pm for Year 3 to Year 13. Wrap around care can extend the school day from 7.30am to 5.45pm. The Early Years Centre is open 48 weeks of the year and details can be found here, on our term dates page.
What are our class sizes?
We have a maximum of 18 in each class/form but often have less this than in our Junior Prep classes and some GCSE and A Level option classes.
We are a two form entry (class) school from Reception to Year 6. We then become a four form entry school from Year 7 to Year 11.
What are our GCSE and A Level Results?
You can find our latest results here.
What clubs do we offer?
You can find a list of our clubs here.
What GCSE options do we offer?
We offer three year GCSE courses and flexible blocks with no compulsory options.
On top of Maths, English Literature and Language and double or triple Science, students typically take four options of their choice. As well as the standard Humanities, Arts, Drama, Technology, P.E. and Languages options we can also offer more unusual GCSEs such as Psychology, Classic Civilisation, Media Studies, Economics and Astronomy. More able students can choose to take one or two GCSE exams in Year 10. For more information please click here to view our options booklet.
Where can I purchase school uniform?
The Sherfield School uniform is available from Stevensons in Reading. Call +44 (0) 118 959 6462 to place an order or visit their online store here for Sherfield. The latest school uniform lists can be obtained from Reception.
Please see our uniform lists below:
The school has a uniform shop onsite that sells second-hand uniform and is run by parent volunteers from 'Friends of Sherfield'.
This uniform shop will be open on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8.15am until 8.45am and from 4.00pm to 4.30pm. We are also opening by appointment. Please drop us an email to uniform@sherfieldschool.co.uk to arrange a suitable time.
Does the school offer a transport service?
You can find out more about daily transport to and from the school by visiting the Transport Page under Parent Info. Please contact the school for more information.
Does Sherfield School have a Parents Association?
Friends of Sherfield (FOS) is the Parent Association for the school and arranges many events throughout the school year for the school and wider community. You can find out more here.
We hope this FAQ page has been helpful. For any further questions or specific information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We look forward to welcoming you to Sherfield School.