11+ JOIN OUR SENIOR SCHOOL
King Edward’s Senior School is a high achieving school for children aged 11-18 years old and is consistently ranked amongst the highest performing schools in the south-west due to the outstanding exam results gained by pupils at both GCSE and A Level.
Located on our North Road campus to the east of the city, the School provides an exciting environment in which to learn, where intellectual and creative worlds combine to enrich the lives of our pupils. As children progress through the Senior School, they acquire a lifelong passion for knowledge, discovery and adventure.
Our main entry point for the Senior School is at the start of Year 7. We welcome a wide range of applicants from state and independent schools. Generally, we only admit a small number of new pupils at the start of Year 8 to 10 each year, with pupils occasionally joining mid-year, subject to availability.
Please take a moment to read our Senior School Entry Guide and FAQs below. If you have any further questions, or would like to book a visit at our Senior School, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly Admissions team.
Resources
SENIOR SCHOOL ENTRY GUIDE
| STEP 1: GET IN TOUCH |
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| Contact the Admissions team to discuss availability and to arrange a visit to the School. The Senior School has one Open Morning each year, which takes place in September/October. Individual tours are also available throughout the year. |
| STEP 2: APPLY |
| Parents will be invited to complete the Online Application Form, which must be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee. |
| STEP 3: ASSESS |
| Our main assessment morning takes place in January prior to joining. Children are invited into school to sit assessments in Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning. They will also have an informal interview with a senior member of our teaching staff. |
| STEP 4: SPECIAL TALENT AWARDS (YEAR 7 APPLICANTS ONLY) |
| Those looking to join at the start of Year 7 can apply for a Special Talent Award in Art, Drama, Music or Sport. Assessments for these awards take place at the Senior School in January prior to joining. |
| STEP 5: OFFER |
| The School will contact families to advise whether we can offer a place. When making an offer, the Headmaster will consider the pupil’s performance in the assessments and interview(s), special talents, school reports and references from their current school. |
| STEP 6: ENROL |
| If an offer is made, a contract will be issued. A place will be confirmed by the School once all paperwork has been returned and a £500 deposit paid. Please note that this deposit will be deducted from the child’s final account upon leaving the School. |
KEY SENIOR ADMISSION DATES & DEADLINES for 2027 entry
| Key Year 7 ‐ 10 Events, Entry Dates & Deadlines | Deadline Dates |
|---|---|
| 2026 | |
| Autumn Open Morning (Senior School & Pre-Prep and Junior School) | Saturday 3 October 2026 |
| Deadline for online Registration for our Taster Morning (For local children who are in Year 6 in September) | Monday 2 November 2026 |
| Taster Morning (For local children who are in Year 6 in September) | Saturday 7 November 2026 |
|
Deadline for completed Year 7 application forms with registration fee |
Monday 16 November 2026 |
| Deadline for all completed Year 7 Bursary applications | Friday 27 November 2026 |
| 2026-2027 | |
| Year 7 interviews | November 2026 – January 2027 |
| Special Talent Awards Assessments: | |
|
w/c 11th January 2027 |
|
Tuesday 12th January 2027 |
|
Tuesday 19th January 2027 |
| Main entrance examination for Years 7 to 10 | Saturday 16 January 2027 |
| Deadline for Year 7 offer acceptance |
Monday 1 March 2027 |
SENIOR SCHOOL frequently asked questions
| can i make a late application to join the senior school? |
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| For late enquiries and applications to our Senior School, please contact our Admissions team on 01225 820399 or via email admissions@kesbath.com |
| Do King Edward's jUNIOR sCHOOL pupils need to sit the Senior School entrance exam? |
| Pupils at the Junior School are not required to sit the Senior School entrance exam as a condition of progression into Year 7. Senior School places are offered to those pupils meeting the relevant standards at the end of Year 5, based on ongoing academic performance and assessment data. For pupils joining the Junior School in Year 6, Senior School places will be offered alongside those for entry into the Junior School. All King Edward's Year 6 pupils remain eligible to apply for Senior School Special Talent Awards, whilst those wishing to be considered for an Academic Scholarship are still able to sit the Senior School entrance exams. |
| How should I prepare my child for the assessments? |
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Practise papers for English, Maths and Verbal Reasoning are available by clicking here. |
| Do you offer financial assistance for entry into the Senior School? |
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Financial support is provided through our means-tested bursary programme. Bursaries are available to pupils joining Year 7 and Year 12 only. We are very proud of our long history of providing financial support for families and pupils from a wide range of backgrounds, with over 100 Senior pupils currently in receipt of a means-tested bursary. |
| Do you accept pupils into all years of the Senior School? |
| Our main entry points to Senior School are in Year 7 and Year 12, although a small number of places are offered for Years 9 and 10 each year. For Year 8 or any ‘in-year’ enquiries, please contact us to check availability before applying. Please note that we do not take pupils into Year 11. |
| Do you offer deferred places? |
| All prospective pupils are assessed during the academic year, prior to starting with us. We are not able to hold places for future entry. |
| Where can I find your GCSE and A Level results by subject? |
| The full breakdown of our latest exam results can be found on our website by clicking here. |
START AN ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
To apply for a place at King Edward’s, simply click on the ‘Apply To KES’ button below and you will be directed to our Admissions Application page.
