Admissions Process
A GUIDE TO THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS AT CHARTERHOUSE
1. Registration:
Registration is the first stage of the admissions process, and shows that parents are interested in a place for their son at Charterhouse. Parents fill in the registration form, and pay a non-returnable fee, and thus secure a place for their son on the list for his year of entry (Year 9 - usually, the September after his 13th birthday). Parents normally visit the school before registration, although some prefer to register their sons when they are very young. Recently, the list has been closed nearly 3 years in advance, so it is essential to contact us when boys are starting Year 6 at the latest.
2. School report and deposit:
In January two years before a boy is due to enter, we ask the Prep Schools of all those who are registered for a report on their progress, both academic and in other areas. Based on these reports, we write to parents in April, in most cases offering places in the school (conditional on success in Common Entrance), but in some suggesting that Charterhouse is not the right school for their son. To secure the place, parents pay an initial deposit and, because we only accept a fixed number of deposits, it is advisable to do so quickly.
3. House visits and interviews:
A number of House selection days will be held during the Easter term (Long Quarter) before the school places are offered. Parents and boys will visit up to three Houses, in the first of which the boy will be interviewed, and then be asked to state their order of preference between them. House places (where possible in the first or second choice House) will be included in the offers. If parents choose to reject the House place, or if they have not attended a House selection day, their sons will be placed on the General List. They will then be able to visit at least two Houses in the boy’s year of entry before making a decision. The Houses to be visited will be decided by the Registrar, but those with close family links to a particular House will be able to visit that House if they choose.
4. Second deposit:
In November of the year before entry, we write to parents for a second deposit. If they have not done so before, this is the time when we ask parents to commit themselves to Charterhouse as their first choice school.
5. Common Entrance:
Apart from those who sit for a Foundation Scholarship, all boys at Prep Schools take Common Entrance, and are expected to reach the pass-mark of 60%. We do not aim to fail a specific number of boys – indeed, all candidates are expected to pass. Those who are in danger of failing will have been warned in advance, and encouraged to find another school.
6. Commitment:
It is our firm belief that it is in the best interest of boys to know which school they are going to well in advance. We encourage parents to make a firm decision early on, and then stick to it. We urge parents to be honest with us about their preference, and we are usually happy to refund deposits to those who have told us that Charterhouse is not their first choice school. But we would much rather they did not continue to occupy places which deprive other boys of the chance to come here.
H.D.Gammell
Registrar