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St Edmund’s School is a private day and boarding school in the historic cathedral city of Canterbury for boys and girls aged 2 to 18. The school prides itself on being pupil-centred and seeks to develop creativity, leadership qualities and original thinking. Every pupil is known and understood as a result of small class sizes and a strong family atmosphere.
Pupils applying for 11 plus entry to St Edmund’s School join the junior school. Children study a broad curriculum, with classes in both traditional and modern subjects including computer science, modern foreign languages and design & technology. The innovative St Edmund’s Diploma, taken by all pupils in Years 7 and 8, gives pupils the opportunity to undertake independent research on a topic of their choice to make for a rich and rewarding learning experience. This also forms a strong foundation for the sixth form Leadership diploma or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
Young people at St Edmund’s School enjoy plenty of opportunities beyond the classroom to enhance their school experience with variety and discovery. Some of the many opportunities include membership of a House, a wide range of clubs and societies, community and leadership opportunities (including prefects and school councillors), school sport, access to the Forest School and outdoor education. The school also has a particularly strong reputation for the creative arts, with a range of musical groups, choirs and orchestras, frequent drama productions and an annual public creative arts festival featuring world-class performers.
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Key information for St Edmund's School
Head: Mr Edward O’Connor
Address: St Edmund’s School, St Thomas Hill, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8HU
County: Kent
Admissions contact: Andrea Strong – [email protected], 01227 475601
Age range and gender: 2–18, co-educational
Number of pupils: 600+
Open day date: Saturday 4th March 2023 – register your attendance on the school website
Overview of 11+ selection procedure: verbal and non-verbal reading tests, school reference and school reports
Registration closes: not applicable (register any time)
Assessment date: TBC
St Edmund's School fees and financial assistance
The fees for St Edmund’s School in 2022–23 are £5,836 per term for day pupils in Years 7 and 8, and £7,660 per term for day pupils in Years 9 and above. Weekly boarding begins at £9,316 per term, increasing to £13,424 per term for full boarding in Years 9–13.
There is a limited bursary provision (means-tested financial assistance) available for new families applying to St Edmund’s School. Bursaries are offered for 12 months at a time, and families in receipt of a bursary are required to provide new information about their income and assets each year. Plenty of other financial support is also available, including:
25% discount for children of the clergy
25% discount for children whose parent(s) are employed by the Dean & Chapter at Canterbury Cathedral
10% discount for children of former pupils
10% discount (applicable to boarding fees) for children of parents in the Armed Forces
Sibling discount (amount undisclosed) for the third and subsequent children of the same family, studying in the school at the same time
Everything you need to know about bursaries
Children applying for 11 plus entry to St Edmund’s School can also apply for scholarships, which are awarded on merit to the highest achievers in exams and assessments. The available scholarships at 11 plus entry are academic, drama, art, sport, music, and dance. All scholarships carry a financial award, plus free instrumental tuition for children who hold a music scholarship.
St Edmund’s School term dates
The term dates at St Edmund’s School for 2022–23 are:
Autumn term (Michaelmas): 6th September – 16th December 2022
Half term: 15th–30th October 2022
Spring term (Lent): 4th January – 24th March 2023
Half term: 11th–19th February 2023
Summer term: 18th April – 8th July 2023
Half term: 27th May – 4th June 2023
The term dates at St Edmund’s School for 2023–24 are:
Autumn term (Michaelmas): 6th September – 14th December 2023
Half term: 21st October – 5th November 2023
Spring term (Lent): 4th January – 22nd March 2024
Half term: 17th–25th February 2024
Summer term (Midsummer): 16th April – 6th July 2024
Half term: 25th May – 2nd June 2024
How to apply for 11 plus entry to St Edmund's School
Children applying to 11 plus entry to St Edmund’s School join the final two years of the junior school.
1. Visit
Prospective families are encouraged to visit St Edmund’s School before making an application. There are three types of visit: formal open events, individual tours, and taster days. At a taster day, your child will be accompanied by a current pupil with staff on-hand to help them make new friends, and they will contribute to lessons and join in with activities. Individual tours and taster days can be booked by contacting the admissions office.
Open events must be booked online. The next whole school open morning will take place on Saturday 4th March 2023.
2. Registration
If you have visited St Edmund’s School and decided to proceed with your child’s application, you will need to complete the online registration form and pay a non-refundable registration fee of £150. Your child will then be added to the provisional list for entry in the year indicated on the form.
The admissions office will then approach your child’s current school for a report on their recent academic progress, and to find out more about your child as a student. The head of the junior school at St Edmund’s will also wish to see your child’s two most recent end of year school reports.
3. Assessment and interview
All children who have been registered for Year 7 entry to St Edmund’s School will be invited to spend a half or full day in the school to see how well they fit into the school environment. This experience will include entrance tests in verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, reading and writing. Where possible, your child will also have an interview with a member of staff.
How to ace the private school interview
You may find our 11 plus exam guides helpful to get an idea of the sorts of questions your child might see in the tests:
St Edmund’s School also considers using Kent Test results to determine entry into the school. This is an 11 plus test administered by all the grammar schools in Kent.
4. Scholarships
Children applying for Year 7 entry to St Edmund’s School are also welcome to apply for academic, art, dance, drama, music or sports scholarship. All scholarships need to be applied for separately by completing the relevant application form and uploading any relevant reports and documents. The closing date for scholarships is normally in early January in the year of entry, with assessments held later in the month.
The assessment is different for each scholarship:
Academic scholarships: written tests which assess skills, aptitude and intellectual potential
Art scholarships: submission of a portfolio of work and an interview with the head of art
Dance scholarships: pre-choreographed dance solo, a set contemporary phrase, and interviews with the head and the dance staff
Drama scholarships: auditions involving a prepared monologue, a theatre workshop and interviews with senior staff
Music scholarships: two performances of at least Grade 4 standard on the child’s first instrument, one performance on their second instrument, a singing performance (if possible), sight-reading, aural tests, and an interview
Sport scholarships: practical skills and games assessments, fitness assessments, and interviews with the head and the director of sport
5. Offers
The head of the junior school at St Edmund’s will make formal offers of places to children who meet the school’s requirements in the entrance tests and interview, and who have positive school references and reports.
If your child is offered a place in Year 7 at St Edmund’s School and you would like to accept, you will need to accept the place in writing, complete the joining instructions and pay a £750 deposit. This is refundable on the final term’s fees, but will not be refunded if your child does not take up the place at the school.
How to prepare for 11 plus entry to St Edmund's School
If your child is applying to St Edmund's School for entry into Year 7, they will take written tests in English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning during Year 6.
Atom Learning is an all-in-one exam preparation platform which can help your child consolidate everything they need to know and prepare effectively for success in the St Edmund's School admissions process.
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Over 90,000 interactive questions in Key Stage 2 English, maths, science, verbal and non-verbal reasoning
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A detailed parent dashboard, allowing you to track your child’s progress, set targets, and quickly create exercises for your child
See how Atom Nucleus can help your child prepare effectively for the St Edmund's School entrance exam – start your free trial today.
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