Admissions Process | Maida Vale School

The Maida Vale School admission process aims to identify inquisitive, intelligent Pupils who will profit, enjoy and engage with all areas of school life. 

11+ ADMISSIONS

Each year we strive to select a balanced mix of boys and girls with different strengths and personal qualities who will support, motivate and inspire one another. Click to read our admissions policy

Siblings may be given preference, subject to meeting our admissions criteria, at the discretion of the Headmaster. Faced with candidates of equal merit, sibling preference permits the Headmaster to favour one application over another. There is no automatic sibling priority.

Click here for Sixth Form Admissions and for Years 7, 8 and 9 please contact the Admissions Registrar 

11+ ADMISSIONS PROCESS STEP BY STEP

STEP 1: ATTEND OPEN MORNING

Our Open Events give prospective parents a chance to see the school in action and get a snapshot of a ‘day in the life’ at Maida Vale School (MVS).

Headmaster Magnus Bashaarat will give a presentation followed by a tour of the school. Tours are led by senior staff who will be able to answers your questions and give their personal view of the school, its ethos and its character.

STEP 2: REGISTER YOUR CHILD

Complete a Registration Form online and pay the registration fee. You will receive an acknowledgement email from our Admissions Registrar. 

STEP 3: INTERVIEW & PRE-TESTS, AUTUMN

Maida Vale uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test. This is a widely used and respected computer-based assessment for pupils moving from primary or prep schools to selective senior schools, run by the Independent Schools Examination Board (ISEB). There are four timed sections, which assess the English and Mathematics content covered in the National Curriculum up to the end of Year 5 as well as Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The tests are designed to identify potential as well as what pupils have been taught and learnt, and no specific preparation is required. The tests provide a universal and standardised measure of attainment, ability, and potential. Candidates are registered by their parents by completing the ISEB online registration form and emailing their ISEB Applicant ID code to us when applying. Results are available to all senior schools for which the candidate is registered, so the candidate only has to sit one test. Students will sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test at their own junior schools,  but if this isn't possible, they can sit them at Maida Vale School (dates of these sessions are below). We hope that the flexibility offered by the ISEB Common Pre-Test will reduce anxiety in pupils and parents alike and make the test more accessible for all. 

In addition to the Pre-Test, an enhanced confidential reference is requested from the child’s current school, together with internal assessment results and an example of their work.

All applicants are required to attend an informal interview for which they should prepare a 2-3 minute presentation with the Headmaster or Senior staff member. The interview usually consists of four pupils being seen at the same time. This format gives the interview a more relaxed, conversational feel, which we hope puts candidates at ease. It also shows how Pupils can work in a group. Pupils can present on any area of achievement or a topic of their choice and are encouraged to bring in something visual with them.  Interview dates are listed below.

STEP 4: OFFER OF PLACE, SPRING

Once all interviews have been conducted, offers are made for places. All decisions are sent via email and by post on or before Friday 9th February 2024. The deadline date for acceptance of offers is Friday 1st March 2024. Offers are held open until this date, after which, places will be offered to those on our waiting list. 

For other year groups we will hold examinations and make offers throughout the year. 

Pupils will be invited in to the school for our 'Offers Morning' in February to spend time getting to know our staff and some of our Pupils to experience real life at MVS and meet others who may be joining the school in September

STEP 5: ACCEPT & CONFIRM OFFER

Once a place has been confirmed and an offer is accepted, parents are asked to complete an Acceptance Form and pay a deposit by bank transfer. This deposit payment is retained until the pupil comes to the end of their school journey, (e.g. at the end of Year 13 or if they leave the school at an earlier stage). The deposit is thereafter returnable provided we are given a full term’s notice (see terms & conditions). The full deposit of £3000 is also required from successful applicants currently attending the Gardener School Group’s Preparatory schools, Kew Green Preparatory School and Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School.

STEP 6: TASTER DAY

We invite our new Pupils who have accepted a place for an induction day in June to experience life at MVS prior to starting in September. They will familiarise themselves with the school, meet staff members and fellow classmates so that they feel relaxed about starting with us after the Summer break.

KEY DATES FOR ENTRY SEPTEMBER 2024

The following dates are for entry into Year 7 in September 2024. All deadlines are at 12 noon. For dates of upcoming open events, please see our Open Events Booking page.

Wednesday 1st November, Friday 3rd November, Wednesday 8th November & Friday 10th November 2023

Interviews
Tuesday 31st October 2023ISEB Common Pre-Test (for pupils not able to take the assessment at their current school)/Entrance Examination
Friday 15th December 2023Registration deadline
January 2024Interviews
Monday 8th January & Tuesday 9th January 2024ISEB Common Pre-Test (for pupils not able to take the assessment at their current school)/Entrance Examination
Friday 9th February 2024Results sent by post and email
First week of March 2024Deadline for all responses