Rydal Penrhos School's Admissions Policy.
INTRODUCTION
Rydal Penrhos School is a co-educational independent school for pupils between the ages 2 and 18 years with day and boarding provision, the latter accommodating pupils between the ages of 11 and 18.
In that deciding on the right school for any child is very important, Rydal Penrhos encourages prospective pupils and their parents to make a personal visit.
A number of open events are held which provide a general introduction to the School, and details of these are published on the School’s website; prospective parents and their children are also welcome to visit the School at other times.
THE ENTRY PROCEDURE
Rydal Penrhos is a selective school, but the criterion for entry is that pupils will be able to benefit from our balanced and well-rounded education, and will be able to make a positive contribution towards the life of the School.
The usual points of entry for the Prep School are at 2 years for the Pre-School/Nursery, at 4 years for Pre-Prep, and at 7 years of age for the Prep. For the Senior School, they are at 11+/Year 7, 13+/Year 9 and 16+/Lower Sixth. The School may also have occasional places at other ages.
All offers of places are subject to the School’s Terms and Conditions which are available on the School website or on request from the Admissions Department.
EQUAL TREATMENT
The aim of Rydal Penrhos is to encourage applications from candidates with as diverse a range of backgrounds as possible, for this enriches our community and is vital in preparing our pupils for today’s world. Generous bursaries are offered in the Senior School in order to enable as many as possible of those who meet the admission criteria to attend the School.
Rydal Penrhos is committed to equal treatment for all, regardless of a candidate’s sex, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or social background. The School’s provision for bursaries is described below.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Rydal Penrhos does not unlawfully discriminate in any way regarding entry; the School welcomes pupils with disabilities and/or Learning Support needs, provided that we can offer them the support that they require, that we can cater for any additional needs that they might have, and that our site can accommodate them.
We strongly advise parents of children with Learning Support needs or physical or mental disabilities to discuss their child’s requirements with the School before he or she applies for entry, so that we can make adequate provision for him or her. If an Educational Psychologist has drawn up a report on the child, this should be passed on to the School, along with any relevant medical evidence.
The School will discuss thoroughly with parents (and their child's medical advisers, if appropriate) any adjustments that can reasonably be made for the child if he or she becomes a member of the School.
THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS
The aim of this process is to identify potential; Rydal Penrhos is looking for well-rounded pupils with a genuine interest in education in the broadest sense of the word, with interests that stretch beyond the confines of the academic curriculum.
The School has strong traditions in music, drama, art, sport and community activities; furthermore, there are many co-curricular activities, all of which are important in developing a well-balanced, confident individual.
No specific preparation for the entrance assessment or entrance tests is needed, such that all candidates start on an equal footing, with identical opportunities to display their aptitudes and skills.
Assessment for entry to the Prep School (from the Pre-School to Year 6) is based on observing the child during taster sessions; there is no formal entrance test.
Prior to the age of sixteen, all candidates for entry to the Senior School sit tests which are designed for their age group.
Our offer of places in the Lower Sixth is conditional upon a candidate achieving a minimum of five GCSE passes at Grade 5 (alternatively Grade C) or better, including Grade 6 (alternatively Grade B) or better in the subjects proposed for study in the Sixth Form. All Senior School candidates for whom English is not their first language will sit tests in English and Mathematics.
For candidates who are living overseas and are thus unable to take the tests at School, these tests must be taken at the offices of one of our approved agents or of a lawyer, or at their current school under examination conditions.
We interview all candidates for the Senior School of as part of our assessment process for each age group; candidates who are based overseas and are unable to be interviewed in person will be interviewed by Skype or by similar means.
The dates for the assessment process for the current year are published on the Rydal Penrhos website and in an annual Entrance Examination and Scholarship publication.
Arrangements for overseas pupils, for those who have missed the deadline for assessment, or who are seeking to join the School at times other than the normal points of entry can be made via the Admissions Department, subject to the availability of a place in the appropriate year group.
SIBLING POLICY
Many siblings join their brothers and sisters at Rydal Penrhos; if the School has limited places or is operating a waiting list, priority is given to siblings wishing to enter the school. However, admission is not automatic and there may be occasions when the School judges that a sibling is likely to thrive better in a different academic environment. Siblings are expected to follow the normal admissions process.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships are designed to reward excellence and to celebrate exceptional talent. In recognition of this achievement, the scholar is offered a ten percent reduction per scholarship awarded on the fees throughout his or her time at Rydal Penrhos School.
Rydal Penrhos offers scholarships for excellence in:
• academic subjects; • music; • sport.
An Entrance Examination and Scholarship publication detailing the current assessment criteria for each scholarship and the expectations held of scholars is published annually; this publication should be read in conjunction with the present policy.
Scholarships are awarded at key entry points to the Senior School at 11+, 13+ and 16+, and are made available to external candidates only; candidates may apply for no more than two scholarships. The dates for the scholarship process for the current year are published on the Rydal Penrhos website and in the annual Entrance Examination and Scholarship publication.
Parents are asked to complete a separate application form if they wish to apply for a scholarship for their child, and details of the arrangements will be sent to all who express an interest.
We encourage the parents of scholars who anticipate that they will experience difficulty in meeting the balance of the tuition fees to apply for one of the School’s means-tested bursaries upon registration.
A scholarship may be withdrawn in accordance with the terms upon which such an award is made, or in accordance with the School's Terms and Conditions.
BURSARIES
The bursary programme at Rydal Penrhos is designed to allow as many pupils as possible who meet the School’s entry criteria to take up a place. The School offers means-tested awards annually for Senior School entry, and parents should indicate on the application form that they require financial support.
Bursaries are means-tested in accordance with the criteria set out in the Bursary Policy and published in the Entrance Examination and Scholarship publication. Both parents are required to provide proof of their income and assets; the level of support varies according to parental need, but can extend to full fee remission in cases of proven need. Before the offer of a bursary is confirmed, a member of staff may visit the family at their home.
Bursaries are always offered for 12 months at a time, and the family is required to provide fresh information about its circumstances for every year that their child attends the School. Levels of support may vary with fluctuations in income or wealth.
The School’s expectation is that parents who do not choose to apply for a bursary at the time that their child is being assessed for entry will not require financial support throughout the time that their child attends the School, except in wholly unforeseen circumstances.
Our Bursary Policy may be obtained from the Admissions Department.
A bursary may be withdrawn in accordance with the terms upon which such award is made, or in accordance with the School's Terms and Conditions.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Rydal Penrhos welcomes applications from prospective pupils of all faiths and of no faith.
Although Rydal Penrhos has Methodist roots, the School does not select for entry on the basis of religious belief, and it offers the opportunity for those of other religions to practise their own faiths.
However, parents should be aware that there are compulsory Chapel services in the Senior School that all pupils are expected to attend; these may be held in the Memorial Hall or in St John’s Church.
SCHOOL’S TERMS & CONDITIONS
Copies of the School's Terms and Conditions are published on the School’s website and will be made available to parents as part of the admissions process.
COMPLAINTS
The School trusts that parents and pupils will not have any complaints about the School’s admissions process, but copies of the School’s Complaints Procedure are published on the School’s website and will be made available to parents as part of the admissions process.
This policy is subject to review on a biennial basis; however, it may require earlier revision in the light of any regulatory change which comes into force in the interim.