Prep Admissions

To register, please complete and return our Registration Form along with the appropriate registration fee.  If you require bursarial support, this must be made clear at the time of registering your child.

Registrations are welcomed throughout the year and places will be offered subject to space availability in each year group.

If you would like to apply for a 2025 place, please register by Thursday 31^st October 2024 to be added to the New Year assessment list.

Registration Form

Children looking to join King's Ely Prep in Years 3 to 7 who have been registered by the admissions deadline, will be invited to attend a Taster Session in the November prior to sitting the January assessments.

At all other times of the year, every effort will be made to orchestrate additional Taster Sessions, subject to a very busy programme of school events and activities.

All registered children are invited to attend an Assessment Day during the Lent Term priory to September entry.  For Years 3 to 6 and Year 8 this is during the school week.  For our Year 7 candidates, the Assessment Day takes place on a Saturday morning.

Assessments, carried out online using the INCAS (Years 3 to 6) and QUEST (Years 7 and 8) testing platforms, cover Maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

The day will also include an interview with the Headmaster, Mr Simon Kibler.  Offers are usually made by the beginning of February.

A report from your child's current School will be requested by the Admissions Team prior to the Assessment Day.

The Assessment date for our 2025 Year 7 intake is Saturday 25^th January 2025.  Full details will be sent out closer to the time.  Dates for all other year groups are still to be confirmed.

Further Assessment Days will be scheduled throughout the academic year to accommodate late applicants.

A place at King's Ely Prep is subject to your child's assessment results, their current school report, and feedback following their interview.

Offer Letters are sent out by post at the beginning of February.  The Acceptance Form is included with the Offer Letter.

Acceptances (of first wave offers) are due by the first working day in March, in line with Cross Association Code of Practice for Schools.  Extensions cannot be offered, unless in exceptional circumstances.  Waiting list candidates will be kept informed, via email, of the availability of places, but a pupil's position on the waiting list will not be revealed.

Payment of the deposit is required with the return of the completed Acceptance Form.

Joining details, uniform lists and house allocation are sent out by the end of May in the school's Welcome Pack.  The main Induction Day for King's Ely Prep children starting in September is in mid-June each year.

During their Move-Up Morning, all pupils will meet their form tutor and spend time with their future classmates, participating in team-building activities which includes enjoying lunch in the 14^th Century Montastic Barn.

A new joiner Parents' Information Evening is held in June for all parents who have accepted places for September.  The evening will be an informal chance for parents to meet members of staff, including form tutors, and to have any outstanding questions answered.  The informative Parent Handbook is made available to take home at this session.

We welcome late enquiries after the January assessments.  These can progress to registration and assessment subject to space in the appropriate year group.  Please contact the Admissions Team in the first instance. 

Do I need to share school reports with King’s Ely when making an enquiry?

It is useful that a copy of your child’s latest school report is emailed to us prior to a visit, particularly if there are any specific educational needs that we should be aware of.  Knowing as much about your child’s academic profile, their interests and challenges, will make for a more productive and informing visit.

My child has Special Educational Needs. Can we still apply for a place?

King’s Ely is proud of its SEN team and the support that they offer students with a range of special educational needs.  Full disclosure, and a copy of any relevant reports, shared at time of application, will allow the school to confirm if it can meet a pupil’s needs as early on in the process as possible.

Will King’s Ely contact my child’s current school when we apply for a place?

A reference will be requested after Registration.  Therefore, it is advisable for you to contact your child’s school in advance of registering at King’s Ely.

How can I help my child prepare for the online assessments?

We advise parents that children can prepare for our online assessments by learning to work quietly on their own, completing homework set by their current school, and by reading and trying to understand all the words in any books they read.  Older children should also, wherever possible, be encouraged to try to solve problems by looking things up for themselves.

Does King’s Ely recommend any practice papers for Year 7 assessments?

We do not feel that parents need to subscribe to any commercially available materials or tutoring services in preparation for our Year 7 assessments.

Is my child required to wear their current school uniform on Taster Days and Assessments and what should they bring with them on the day?

We ask pupils to wear their current school uniform and will email details out to you before the day, so you can prepare with your child.

Is there school on Saturdays?

Pupils do not have compulsory lessons on Saturdays. There are fixtures on Saturday which pupils are required to attend should they be chosen to represent a team. Other compulsory Saturdays are published in advance, such as Open Events.  Rehearsals for school drama productions and music concerts may also take place on Saturdays.

We are relocating and need to seek a place for our child mid-year, do you have availability?

Should you require a mid-term or mid-year start in a particular year group, please contact Admissions to enquire.  Subject to place availability, mid-year admissions can be orchestrated successfully.

We need our child to stay at school beyond the end of the school day. Is this possible?

Day pupils can stay in school until 17:30, joining prep sessions and after school clubs.  Following 17:30, day pupils can join the boarders for tea in the Monastic Barn, returning to Priory House thereafter.  Flexi boarding and wraparound care are also available.

We would like to apply for a scholarship for Year 7 entry.  Is this possible?

It is not possible to apply for a scholarship for entry into Year 7 or below.  Our Scholarship Programme is applicable only to students looking to enter the school in Years 9 and 12. 

We would like to apply for Financial Assistance with the fees. How do we do this?

Bursary applications are accepted for Year 7 upwards. In exceptional circumstances, applications may be considered for younger pupils.  It is important that you notify the Admissions Team at point of registration that you require financial assistance.

Can my child bring a packed lunch?

All Prep pupils attend lunch in the Monastic Barn, where food is provided and inclusive of the fees.  They are escorted there by a member of staff.  Pupils do not bring packed lunches.

How do I accept an offer of a place and secure this for my child?

A £600 acceptance deposit is payable to secure your child’s place at King’s Ely.

Can we tour King’s Ely Senior when we visit King’s Ely Prep?

Please make Admissions aware of your request so that they can prepare a customised itinerary for your visit.  A tour of both the Prep and Senior Schools can take up to 90 minutes and will involve covering the vast majority of the school’s 76 acre site.  Be prepared for some walking!