How to Join

A warm welcome to Alton School

Thank you for considering Alton School for your son or daughter’s education. We are always delighted to invite visitors to meet pupils and staff and give you a flavour of what makes Alton School and Nursery stand out.

You can see our school in action by visiting one of our Open Events, or we are very happy to arrange a one to one video call/tour. 

Register for an Open Day here.

You can keep in touch with Alton School by following us on Facebook and Instagram

For further information or to book a one to one tour, please contact Sally Pigott at admissions@altonschool.co.uk

Visit us 

We encourage prospective families visit us to see our School in action. 

In the first instance we recommend one of our Open Days, but we are also happy to organise individual visits. Some parents bring their children with them, whilst others prefer to make the first visit on their own and bring their children at a later date.   

There are two Open Mornings each academic year. The first in September and the second in May. We also offer School in Action Days throughout the school year.  Please see here for dates.

These events are informal and are an excellent way of getting a real feel of our School and the whole family is welcome.  You will be shown around by some of our pupils and will get the opportunity to meet our staff. 

To Register for the School 

By completing a Registration Form and returning it with the required £75 fee, you are showing a firm interest. This represents the first step in applying for a place at Alton School.  You can access a copy of our Registration Form by clicking here. 

Reception to Year 2  

Parents will meet with the Director of Lower School and pupils may join us for a Taster Day. Following receipt of a Registration Form and Fee and a successful Taster Day, an offer letter will be sent. Places are subject to availability. 

Year 3 to 6  

Parents will meet with the Director of Lower School and pupils will be invited to join us for a Taster Day. Following receipt of a Registration Form and Assessment Fee, pupils will then be invited to sit a CAT4 online Assessment and references will be requested from the child’s current school. Following a successful assessment, an offer letter will be sent. Places are subject to availability. 

Year 7 to 10 and Sixth Form 

External candidates for Year 7 – 10 will have an interview with the Head, be invited to join us for a Taster Day and sit a CAT4 online entrance assessment. Subject to success in the assessment and availability your son or daughter will be offered a place by letter. 

In the Sixth Form, entrance is via an interview with the Director of Upper School and successfully achieving 5 GCSEs at 7 and above. Places are subject to availability. 

Our main intake for Year 7 – 9 & Sixth Form will be in September; however, we welcome applications for any year group throughout the academic year. 

There is no deadline to register for Year 7 and 9 entries.  All applications will be included and allocated an interview time before we close for the Christmas holidays in December or before the entrance assessment in January. Individual assessments for entry for any year group can be organised at other times of the year.   

We will only consider pupils for Year 10 joining in September.  Only in exceptional cases will we consider entry during the academic year. 

Candidates who are living overseas may take the online assessments at home and you will be invigilated via Teams or Zoom.  Interviews can also be conducted remotely. 

Accepting a place 

To indicate your acceptance of a place we will ask you to complete an Acceptance Form and return it with a £500 deposit to secure the place.   This deposit is returned once your son or daughter leaves the school. Should the required place be full you will be offered the opportunity to place your son or daughter on a waiting list or your Registration Fee will be returned. 

Joining Instructions 

Before entry to the School or Sixth Form in September your son or daughter will be invited to an Induction Day in June.  Pupils entering Year 7 in September will have an Orientation Day the day before term begins for other pupils. These are opportunities for pupils to familiarise themselves with their peers and the School.  

In the Sixth Form pupils will be invited to an Induction Day at the beginning of the Autumn Term.

Taster Days 

We offer individual Taster Days for all year groups as well as group days for Year 3 and Year 7. See here for more details.

Entrance Assessment

Our online assessments for following September entry for Year 7 & 9 will take place in January.  Online assessments will also take place for other years of entry throughout the spring and summer term depending on availability.  Candidates will sit a CAT4 assessment.

Please follow this link which will give you more information on the tests we are now using.

Contact the School 

If you would like to know more about our School please contact: 

Sally Pigott, the Admissions Registrar 

Call: 01420 82070 

Email: admissions@altonschool.co.uk