Manor House School, Bookham: parents’ guide to Year 7 entry

Manor House School is a selective independent day school for girls aged 2–16 in Bookham, near Leatherhead, Surrey. The school’s vision is to ensure that girls leave with the confidence to pursue their dreams and ambitions with integrity and kindness while developing a better understanding of democratic ideas and responsible citizenship.

The school is a GCSE specialist, meaning girls leave at the end of Year 11 to pursue A levels at a variety of independent and state school sixth forms and colleges including Epsom College, Charterhouse, Reed’s School and Surbiton High School. Manor House School was one of the first schools in the local area to integrate iPads as a learning tool; every student in the senior school uses an iPad in lessons to enhance their research and digital skills.

Beyond the classroom, girls have access to over 50 clubs to enjoy at lunchtime and after school, including debating, subject and language clubs, fitness sessions, and art and sports clubs. Activities all take place on the school’s 17-acre site, which consists of a Grade II listed Queen Anne building and landscaped grounds, purpose-built art and textiles studios, music technology and ICT suites, a food technology kitchen, a forest school and a wellbeing centre. In 2016, Manor House School was voted one of the UK’s most beautiful schools in The Telegraph.

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Key information for Manor House School, Bookham

• Head: Ms Tracey Fantham

• Address: Manor House School, Manor House Lane, Bookham, Surrey, KT23 4EN

• County: Surrey

• Admissions contact: Mrs K McSweeney – [email protected], 01372 457077

• Age range and gender: girls aged 2–16, boys aged 2–4

• Number of pupils: 287

• Open day date: Wednesday 1st March and Wednesday 10th May 2023. Register your interest online

• Overview of selection procedure: CAT4 assessment, interview, school report, reference, and experience day

• Registration closes: October in Year 6

• Assessment date: November in Year 6

Manor House School, Bookham fees and financial assistance

The current fees at Manor House School are £6,374 per term. Fees include the cost of lunch, which is compulsory for all students.

Manor House School has a long history of providing financial support to families in need. Means-tested bursaries are awarded to families on an annual basis to support the child’s tuition fees, and may include a small amount to assist with additional costs such as school uniform. For more information about bursaries and eligibility, refer to the school website.

Year 7 applicants to Manor House School may also be awarded academic, art, drama, music, and sports scholarships. Scholarships are not means-tested, but still provide a fixed percentage of fee reduction for the duration of a girl’s education at the school (subject to ongoing performance review).

Manor House School currently offers a sibling discount of 30% of the basic tuition fee for the third or subsequent sibling. A 10% twin discount is also available.

Manor House School, Bookham term dates

The term dates at Manor House School, Bookham for 2022–23 are:

• Autumn term: 5th September – 14th December 2022

• Half term: 17th–28th October 2022

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

• Half term: 13th–17th February 2023

• Summer term: 17th April – 12th July 2023

• Half term: 29th May – 2nd June 2023

The term dates at Manor House School, Bookham for 2023–24 are:

• Autumn term: 6th September – 15th December 2023

• Half term: 23rd October – 3rd November 2023

• Spring term: 9th January – 22nd March 2024

• Half term: 12th–16th February 2024

• Summer term: 15th April – 12th July 2024

• Half term: 27th May – 31st June 2024

Admissions process for Year 7 entry to Manor House School, Bookham

Manor House School is a selective school. Applicants should be performing academically at nationally expected levels, as a minimum.

If you are interested in Manor House School for your daughter’s secondary education beginning in Year 7, you will need to start the admissions process by visiting the school, either through a termly open morning or by arranging a personal tour. Once you have decided to continue with an application, you will need to complete the application form and pay a non-refundable registration fee of £100. The application form will need to be returned to Manor House School by the end of October when your daughter is in Year 6.

All children who have been registered for Year 7 entry will be invited to attend an experience day at the school in early November. This will include an interview and the CAT4 assessment (see more details about this below). Meanwhile, Manor House School will contact your daughter’s current school to request a reference from the headteacher.

Offers of school places will be made before the end of the autumn term in December (including offers of academic scholarships, which are automatically awarded to children based on their performance in the CAT4 test). If your daughter has been successful in securing a place for the following September, you will then be able to apply for a co-curricular scholarship:

• Early January: deadline for art, drama, music and sports scholarship applications

• Mid-January: all scholarship assessments take place

• End of January: scholarship offers are made

The deadline for accepting a school place and scholarship offer (if applicable) will be the first Monday in March when your daughter is in Year 6.

The 11 plus exam at Manor House School, Bookham

If your child is applying for entry to Manor House School in Year 7, they will take the CAT4 test in November while they’re in Year 6. This is an online aptitude test, set by GL Assessment, which measures a child’s natural ability.

Children will have a little over an hour to work through three main sections:

Non-verbal reasoning

Non-verbal reasoning is a critical thinking skill that involves solving problems and identifying patterns using pictures and diagrams. In the CAT4 test, non-verbal reasoning is assessed through questions on figure classification and figure matrices.

No additional resources, such as a pencil or paper, are allowed to be used in this section.

Verbal and quantitative reasoning

Verbal reasoning is a measure of how we think and solve problems using words, while quantitative reasoning measures our ability to solve problems using numbers. Children will see questions on verbal classification, verbal analogies, number analogies, and number series.

This is the only part of the test where your child is allowed to use a pencil and paper for working out.

Spatial ability

Spatial ability (sometimes referred to as spatial reasoning) involves transforming visual images in the mind. The CAT4 test measures spatial ability through questions on figure analysis and figure recognition. Your child will not be allowed to use additional resources in this section of the test.

How to prepare for entry to Manor House School, Bookham

Build foundational knowledge

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Engage with their progress

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