Channing School Entrance Guide

There are specific open events for each entry point to Channing school. 4+ and 11+ entry mornings take place every term and are bookable via the school website. A Sixth Form open evening for 16+ entry takes place in the Autumn Term. In addition, virtual tours are available on the school website for those families unable to visit the school. 

Following an application, girls and their families interested in 4+ entry to Channing School are invited to an assessment morning in the Spring term prior to entry. This is a two-stage process, and there are around 4 applicants for every place. Girls are assessed informally through group work whilst parents wait for them (this takes around one hour). Following this, selected girls are invited back for the second stage, which has a similar format. Offers are sent out by the end of the month and must be accepted promptly. 

11+ entry to Channing School is a two-stage process, but all candidates are invited to both stages. The first stage takes place via the London 11+ Consortium test, as Channing School is part of this group of schools. Girls sit the test at Channing on a specific date in the Autumn term prior to entry. Alternatively, they may sit the test at their current school or at another school in the Consortium (if their current school offers provision, they must sit it there). Familiarization tests are available, and the test is partly adaptive; results are standardized to the candidate’s age at the time of testing. It is important to note that this test has a new format this year, and is now 100 minutes long, with extra time available for those girls with supporting evidence available. There are five sections: non-verbal reasoning, English comprehension and verbal reasoning, Maths, creative writing and problem-solving. Following the test, all girls are invited for the second stage of the 11+ entry process, an interview with a staff member. This is scheduled for the Spring term. Decisions are made following the interview, taking into account the results of the test and references from the child’s current school, and offers are sent out the following month. 

16+ entry to Channing School is via an interview process which, following an application, takes place in the Autumn term of Year 11. 16+ applicants are encouraged to visit the school for the Sixth Form open evening, and must achieve specific GCSE grades, on which their offer of a place will be conditional. 

Scholarships are available at Channing School at 11+ and 16+. Academic scholarships at 11+ are based on the child’s performance in the entrance assessment. At 16+, potential academic scholars must sit a specific scholarship examination in the Autumn term, following their application. Music scholarships are also available at Channing School at both 11+ and 16+. Applicants for these scholarships will be assessed on an audition day following submission of supporting documents. Music scholarships are worth up to 50% of fees. Art scholarships are available at 16+ entry only and are assessed via submission of a portfolio.

Bursaries are available at Channing School for 11+ and 16+ entry. These are offered to ensure girls who would otherwise be unable to access the education provided by the school can do so with fee remission up to 100%. The process is outlined on the school website.