Claremont Fan Court School: parents’ guide to Year 7 entry

Claremont Fan Court School is a co-educational independent day school for children aged 2–18 in Esher, Surrey. The 100-acre site, known as the Claremont Estate, is rooted in history; the mansion was commissioned in 1769 and, over a century later, was gifted by Queen Victoria to her youngest son as a wedding present. Children have been educated on the site since 1930, with over 1,000 pupils now on the school roll.

Claremont Fan Court describes itself as ‘gently selective’. While children are expected to meet national standards to secure a place at the school, it has a strong reputation for being compassionate and child-centred. The school is committed to investing in individual character and it focuses specifically on a set of 20 core character qualities, each of which is expressed through assemblies, discussions, activities and curriculum work on rotation over a two-year period.

While Claremont Fan Court is a day school, days are busy while remaining balanced. There are 60 co-curricular activities on offer (many taking place during the lunch break), allowing pupils to challenge themselves and have a go at new things. Sport is particularly extensive; while fixtures mainly focus on lacrosse, netball and cricket for girls, and rugby and cricket for boys, there are also opportunities in athletics, tennis, cross country, football, gymnastics, archery, fencing, and badminton.

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Key information for Claremont Fan Court School

• Head: Mr William Brierly

• Address: Claremont Fan Court School, Claremont Drive, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9LY

• County: Surrey

• Admissions contact: Mrs Claire Williams – [email protected], 01372 473794

• Age range and gender: 2–18, co-educational

• Number of pupils: 1,004

• Open day date: Fridays throughout the spring term and Saturday 22nd April 2023. Find out more and book via the school website

• Overview of selection procedure for entry to Year 7: written tests and interview

• Number of places in Year 7: 60

• Registration closes for Year 7 entry: November of Year 6 (7th November 2022 for 2023 entry)

• Assessment date for Year 7 entry: December of Year 6 (3rd December 2022 for 2023 entry)

Claremont Fan Court School fees and financial assistance

The current fees at Claremont Fan Court School are £6,370 per term for children in Years 7 and 8, and £6,805 per term for children in Years 9 and above. Lunch is an additional compulsory charge of £325 per term.

Claremont Fan Court School is committed to offering financial support to successful candidates where support is needed. Every year, the school offers at least one full means-tested bursary of 100% to a Year 7 applicant applying from a state school. Financial support is provided to a significant number of pupils and may include support with the costs of school uniform, the school bus, compulsory school lunches, essential academic trips and a school laptop. If you think your child would be eligible for fee remission, you will need to contact the bursar for further information and to request an application form.

Pupils applying for entry to Claremont Fan Court School in Year 7 can also apply for a scholarship. The available scholarships for Year 7 candidates are academic, music, and all-rounder. Most scholarships carry a financial award of £1,000, although a separate award known as the Wienpahl music scholarship, available for a pupil who demonstrates significantly high musical promise, is worth £2,000 per year.

Claremont Fan Court School term dates

The term dates at Claremont Fan Court School for 2022–23 are:

• Autumn term: 6th September – 15th December 2022

• Half term: 14th–30th October 2022

• Spring term: 5th January – 24th March 2023

• Half term: 10th–19th February 2023

• Summer term: 18th April – 6th July 2023

• Half term: 26th May – 4th June 2023

The term dates at Claremont Fan Court School for 2023–24 are:

• Autumn term: 7th September – 14th December 2023

• Half term: 20th October – 5th November 2023

• Spring term: 4th January – 27th March 2024

• Half term: 9th–18th February 2024

• Summer term: 16th April – 3rd July 2024

• Half term: 24th May – 2nd June 2024

Admissions process for Year 7 entry to Claremont Fan Court School

A typical pupil at Claremont Fan Court School is a team-player who is able to get stuck in and have a go. They recognise and celebrate differences – both theirs and their peers. If this sounds like your child, they will likely fit in at Claremont Fan Court School.

If you would like your child to be considered for a place in Year 7, you will need to submit an application form before the published deadline (7th November 2022, for 2023 entry) and pay a non-refundable registration fee of £125. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, you will need to complete a separate scholarship application and submit this by the same deadline.

All registered children will take the school’s own entrance assessments in December of Year 6 (see details about these below). Children who perform well in these tests will then be invited back to the school for a short interview with a senior member of staff in January. They will be invited to talk about their interests, school activities, their approach to learning and their character qualities.

Academic scholarships are automatically awarded to children who show particularly high performance in the entrance exam. If your child is applying for a music or all-rounder scholarship, there will be additional steps in the admissions process:

• Music scholarship: applicants will need to offer two instruments, one of which should be at Grade 4 standard. They will be invited to an audition in January, which will consist of a performance, rhythmic and sight-reading tests, and an interview with a senior member of staff and the director of music.

• All-rounder scholarship: applicants will need to offer strong evidence of success in at least two of music, sport, art, drama, and citizenship. They will be invited to an interview with a member of senior staff, where they will need to demonstrate an inquiring mind, breadth of knowledge and sound moral judgement.

Claremont Fan Court School will write to families with the outcome of their child’s application in early February. If your child is successful in being awarded a place at the school, you will need to confirm and pay a deposit by early March.

Claremont Fan Court School 11 plus exam

The Claremont Fan Court School entrance assessments take place in December of Year 6 (for 2023 applicants, the test takes place on 3rd December 2022). Children will take written papers covering four subjects:

• English comprehension: children will be provided with a passage of writing. They will answer questions which test their ability to analyse and interpret the text, which will include skills such as making inferences, deducing, rephrasing, and summarising.

• English creative writing: most 11 plus creative writing exams require children to write a story based on an imaginary scenario. Children will be tested on their spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG), the use of literary devices and their ability to write imaginatively.

• Maths: 11 plus maths exams normally assess children’s understanding and application of the Key Stage 2 national curriculum. This includes the main topics of number, measurement, geometry, position and direction, and statistics.

• Non-verbal reasoning: non-verbal reasoning tests our ability to analyse visual information and solve problems using shapes, diagrams and pictures. Children will need to demonstrate their skills in interpreting and manipulating shapes.

How to help your child prepare for the selection process at Claremont Fan Court School

Build foundational knowledge

The 11+ exam at Claremont Fan Court School will assess your child’s understanding of the Key Stage 2 national curriculum and beyond, with tests in English, maths and non-verbal reasoning (which is not taught at school).

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When working through challenging topics, your child will need immediate clarity with any misconceptions so that they feel truly secure in every topic. Atom Nucleus includes video tutorials, help sheets and examples with every question to help your child build confidence and competence across all the areas assessed.

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Celebrate your child’s improvement in areas of challenge together. An accurate and ongoing assessment of their areas of strength and development is helpful.

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