Entry to Pipers

We are delighted that you are considering Pipers for your daughter and look forward to supporting you through this exciting journey of exploration.

We understand the importance of choosing the right school for your daughter and you should be reassured that we are here to help and advise at every stage. Whether you are considering a place in our Prep Department, at one of our smaller entry points, or for Year 7 or our Sixth Form, like the majority of applications, everyone has their own experiences and our highly experienced Admissions team are here to support you.

Demand for places is at an all-time high and we remain oversubscribed in the majority of year groups. In order to give everyone the best chance of securing a place, we encourage families to register their daughters as early as possible, and ideally two years prior to the desired year of entry. The offer of a place at Pipers is subject to demonstrating a good-average ability level at assessment, and a positive interview and a satisfactory reference from the current school. Offers are always made in order of registration date.

To register your daughter, please select the following link | Registration Form

Our Sixth Form students are our greatest ambassadors, which is why they tour our prospective families. Their first-hand experience of a Pipers education affords families the opportunity to learn about life at School.


The Headmistress is always happy and willing to meet any family considering Pipers, although owing to a sheer number of applications, meetings are reserved for those applying for that year of entry. However, she is always always available at open days to chat to families more informally.

The important thing for all of our families to be aware of is that offers are made in order of date of registration, subject to meeting our entry criteria, so it is vitally important that families register early to stand the best chance of being offered a place.


If you have any questions, I hope you won’t hesitate to pick up the phone to speak with us on 01494 719843 or send us an email at [email protected].

For more information about your preferred entry point please use the Admissions Calculator below.

We look forward to speaking with you soon.

Mrs Zoe Galvin, Registrar


APPLYING TO PIPERS 

Girls are admitted to Pipers Corner School from age 4–18 years, usually at the beginning of the school terms. In exceptional circumstances girls may be admitted at other points during the year. There are entry points in the Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior and Sixth Form.

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Our main intake for Pre-Prep is in Reception. Our intake is only small and, as we are usually oversubscribed, early registration is advisable to secure the best possible chance of a place.

Students registered for entry to Reception are invited in for an individual Familiarisation Morning, in order of registration date. These typically take place during the Spring Term. This involves the student spending time in lessons with the Reception class and during their time with us the Head of Pre-Prep and Pre-Prep staff will informally assess their level of literacy and numeracy and observe their social skills. Offers are made to those who meet our 'good average or above' ability criteria. 

Following the visit, a feedback report will be prepared by the Head of Pre-Prep for review by the Headmistress. It is on the basis of this report that offers are made to those who meet our 'good average ability and above' admissions criteria. All offers are subject to receipt of a satisfactory reference from any current nursery/school.

For Years 1 and 2, we usually only have one or two places available and hold waiting lists for these year groups. As and when a place becomes available, we invite students in for a familiarisation day visit in order of registration date.

The Head of Prep assesses prospective pupils during a day visit to the Prep Department.

All prospective pupils are interviewed by the Head of Prep (or Deputy Head of Prep) and asked to complete specific English and Mathematics exercises.

During their time in school girls also attend lessons during which staff assess general levels of literacy, numeracy and social skills.

The Head of Prep completes a report of the visit after considering both their own assessment and the input of the teachers who have worked with the prospective pupil. This report is submitted to the Headmistress and it is on the basis of this report that offers are made, subject to receipt of a satisfactory reference from the current school and an acknowledgement that all fees have been settled in the previous school if relevant.

For entry to Year 3, 4 and 5 these visits are usually arranged on an individual basis. For Year 6 entry a group assessment day is normally arranged for the November preceding the September of the year of entry.

YEAR 7

Year 7 entry is by entrance examination in the January of the year of entry. Prospective students spend a morning at Pipers taking entrance tests in English and Mathematics. They are also interviewed by the Headmistress or a senior member of staff in the November preceding the assessments.

The results of the tests, together with the progress report from the previous school, are the basis on which the Headmistress makes offers of places.

Offers are made by the end of the February half term.

YEAR 8 – YEAR 10

Girls are considered for entry to these year groups when places are available. All prospective students are invited to spend a day at Pipers during which they are asked to sit assessment papers in English and Mathematics. They also attend lessons with their relevant peer group, during which staff assess general levels of literacy, numeracy and social skills.

The results of the tests, together with the progress report from the previous school and any feedback from the lessons girls attend, provide the basis on which the Headmistress makes offers of places.

In Years 8-10 where, in addition to core subjects, there are also choices to make regarding the optional subjects available, the school will make reasonable steps to try and accommodate a girl’s choice of subjects. However, the school reserves the right to refuse access to subjects when planned classes are full.

Pipers Corner School also offers deferred Year 9 entry to girls who are currently educated in Prep Schools which go to Year 8. The admissions process is such that girls are assessed when they are in Year 6, alongside girls in the same year group looking for Year 7 entry (see above for the Year 7 entry process).

 

The Sixth Form is open to all students at Pipers as well as students who have attended other schools. Girls entering the Sixth Form need to have achieved at least five GCSEs grades A* – C / 9-4 (including Mathematics and English). It is usually necessary to have a minimum of a B or 6 grade in the subjects a student is hoping to study at A Level. 

Applicants from other schools are invited to attend an entrance interview with the Headmistress or the Head of Sixth Form. Any offer of a place will be based on the entrance interview, predicted GCSE grades and a reference from a girl’s current school.

A student who has qualified for entry to Year 12 will, in most cases, be able to study the subjects for which she is qualified, but this will be dependent on there being sufficient places in the classes provided for each subject.


INDIVIDUAL LEARNING NEEDS

The highly-experienced team at Pipers provides not only one-one support for those students have individual needs, but also lead the integration of bespoke learning strategies  throughout the curriculum for those students who require it.

The department provide pastoral mentoring care for students, as well as supporting students to manage their emotional needs. They adopt state-of-the-art learning techniques, which includes multi-sensory learning to ensure that the girls thrive in our supportive and nurturing environment.

Girls with mild specific learning difficulties may be offered places at Pipers Corner, subject to meeting the school’s ability profile. All prospective pupils are asked to provide evidence of any Educational Psychologist assessment, or similar report, if applicable, prior to assessment.

Each student EP assessment is subject to review by our own in-house Education Psychologist, and learning support awards are made in line with the Senior School JCQ guidance. As of September 2020, all new joiners will be subject to additional charges for Learning Support - more information is available upon request.


FURTHER INFORMATION

Please email [email protected] for more information about entry to Pipers Corner and if you would like to make an appointment to visit us.

USEFUL LINKS

We look for students to demonstrate a good-average ability level at assessment. Of those who meet this criteria, offers of places are made in order of registration date - so those who register earlier are more likely to secure an offer. 

We ask for a good-average ability level to ensure that each individual can keep up with the pace of learning here at Pipers, make the most of the opportunities available to them and reach their full potential. 

Unlike the Buckinghamshire 11+ system, which measures a very narrow range of skills or potential, our approach to admissions is far more holistic. As part of the process we also seek a reference from each applicants current school, and learn more about each student as an individual through either a familiarisation day or interview. We always give them the opportunity to tell us what they can do, rather than focusing on what they have not yet mastered.

Each entry point has a slightly different structure.  

Pre-Prep applicants carry out some simple tasks with our head of Pre-Prep to assess their level of understanding in numeracy and literacy. 

Applicants in Year 3 and above sit an English paper, which includes a Creative Writing and Comprehension task, and a Maths paper.  

The content of the assessments is based on what students are learning (or have learnt) in school – we do not test girls on verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Past papers aren’t available, and girls are not required to revise or have tutoring to sit the assessment. We don’t want this process to be stressful or cause anxiety and we try to make it as enjoyable as possible! 

Each applicant will have an interview with a member of our Senior Leadership Team, to get to know them more as an individual. We will also ask for a reference from their current school and a copy of their latest school report. 

We have natural entry points to Pipers in Reception, Year 6, Year 7 and Year 12. At these points, we assess all those on our registration list and places are offered in order of registration date.  

For all other year groups, it is the norm that we hold waiting lists and only have a small number of places available each year.  

Please call and speak with one of our Admissions Team to find out whether there is a waiting list for the year group you are considering for your daughter.  

Yes – provided we have a space in the Year group you would like her to join girls are able to start at any point in the school year. 

We cover a wide catchment area and run 14 bus routes. Almost 70% of students in Year 3 and above use the coach, from Year 3 upwards. Our coach service is run by an independent company exclusively for Pipers students. 

Students can attend our supervised Breakfast Club from 0730 hours every day. 

For Pre-Prep (Reception – Year 2) there is a £3 daily charge, and breakfast is included. 

For Year 3 upwards, there is no daily charge, but girls can buy breakfast if required. 

After school, Pre-Prep girls can attend Crèche – this is not an extension of school, rather a time to play with peers. Year 3 upwards can attend After School Prep (ASP) until 1800 hours – girls can be collected anytime from the end of the day.

There is no additional charge for this. Please visit our Wraparound Care section.

Can you tell me about extra-curricular activities including trips and visits? 

We offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities through all years at Pipers – an example can be found here.

We offer a significant number of school trips each year. Students will go on curriculum trips or have the opportunity to go on other trips or study visits dependent on the options they have chosen. Some trips are open to all students. Many trips in the school holidays are optional. Every year group from Year 3 – Year 6 goes on a residential trip which is an opportunity to build independence and explore the world in which we live. 

Your fees include tuition, a daily hot meal, all classroom resources and textbooks as well as subject specific materials for subjects such as woodwork and food and nutrition. 

Additional charges, on top of your fees, include: 

  • Private music lessons 
  • School Coaches
  • School Trips and Visits 
  • Fees related to Public Examination entry 
  • Uniform 
  • Some art supplies for GCSE and A Level students 

The School offers a means-tested bursary award to students joining our Reception class. In exceptional circumstances, the value of the award can be as high as 100% of fees and lasts for the duration of Pre-Prep education (Reception to Year 2).

Girls entering Year 7 can apply for a scholarship in Art, Drama, Music, PE and Academic. A scholarship application can be supported with a means tested bursary. You cannot apply for a bursary without a scholarship application and a bursary will not be awarded independently of a successful scholarship. 

Applicants wishing to join Pipers from a state school can apply for a Jessie Cross Award – a means-tested bursary – select the link to learn more.

In the Sixth Form, girls can apply for a scholarship in one of the following subjects:

  • Academic 
  • Art  
  • Textiles 
  • Design and Technology 
  • Food Science and Nutrition 
  • Music 
  • Dance 
  • Drama 
  • Physical Education 

At Sixth Form, applicants can apply for a means-tested bursary independent of a scholarship if required. 

We welcome applicants from families living abroad who are planning on moving to the UK for their daughter to join Pipers. We are not a boarding school and cannot welcome students who wish to study in the UK, using a sponsor family, whilst their parents stay abroad.