The next step

The process of choosing a secondary school starts in Year 4. The Headmistress will talk to the parents about the process of the 11+ transfer in general and suggest that parents start to send off for prospectuses, arrange preliminary visits and draw up a" long list "of potential choices. Of course some parents will have registered their daughters much before this for boarding schools such as St. Swithun's in Winchester and Wycombe Abbey, but for the day schools registration is not required until the term before the girl sits her examinations. This is good because it allows us to monitor the girl as she develops and progresses and to let the later developers have a chance to show us their potential. In Year 5 there will be individual meetings where the Headmistress, the English and Maths Coordinators and the parents are present at which school choices are discussed in the context of the individual's attainment and progress. A further such meeting takes place at the beginning of Year 6 and before the final choices are made.

The Headmistress is readily available throughout the process to advise and reassure and through the rapport which she maintains with the Heads of all the schools to which we send our girls is able to give realistic advice.

When choosing a school it is important to be:

Open minded: be prepared to look at all possible options; talk to parents of pupils at the school if possible, obtain and study prospectuses; above all visit the school yourself as only this will determine the atmosphere of the school and you can judge whether it would suit your daughter

Ambitious: make sure your daughter is setting herself high standards and aims to make the most of her gifts and talents

Realistic: listen to what her teachers tell you and recognise and accept her actual abilities and thus ensure that the schools you choose will stretch her, care for her but not swamp her

Many would say that the system for girls, where they sit exams for several schools, is an onerous one but it does have the advantage of your being able to enter her for a range of schools so that those elements which cannot be predicted, such as the strength of the competition that year and the way the girl will actually perform on the day, can be allowed for. Most of our girls receive offers from all of the schools which they sit and we have never yet had anyone who has not received a single offer!

At Glendower we will guide and support you in this process and celebrate with you at the end of the penultimate term that she is here which is when all the results are known.

Scholarship

Most years Glendower girls are offered scholarships both academic and sporting, as well as in the fine or performing arts or music. We can advise you about this process too and help you to prepare your daughter in the best way.

Heads' Night

Each year in May the Parents' Association organises an evening where the Heads of the schools to which our girls frequently go are invited to address our parents and take questions both formally and informally over a glass of wine. Over the past three years we have welcomed the Heads of St. Paul's Girls' School. Godolphin and Latymer, Latymer Upper, JAGS, Francis Holland NW and SW, Queen's Gate, Wycombe Abbey, Downe House, Cheltenham Ladies' College, St. Swithun's, Sevenoaks, St. Mary's Ascot and St. Mary's Calne.