Choosing the right school for your child is one of life's most
important decisions. Many parents considering sending children to
Bolton School express a wish to talk to parents who already have a
child at the School. You may well have some questions which you
would like to ask of current parents.
If you would like to contact a parent with a child in our
infant, junior or senior schools, please email info@boltonschool.org
stating which part of our school you are thinking of applying to,
where you live, what your question is and whether you would prefer
to be contacted by telephone or email. One of our current parents
will then contact you shortly.
Below are some of the more frequently asked questions by
parents:
Why should I send my child to Bolton School?
We believe we have everything in place for your child to reach
their full potential.
Annual examination results at GCSE and A Level continue to rank
us amongst the top schools in the North of England. However,
academic success is not enough. We provide challenge, encourage
initiative, promote teamwork and develop leadership capabilities.
Our School has a well-deserved reputation for being a warm and
friendly place where each child is encouraged to do their very
best. You can learn more about our pastoral
provision. We offer genuine support and guidance to your child
and we are passionately committed to their holistic development. We
will equip your child with the knowledge, skills and attributes
that will allow them to lead a happy and fulfilled life and to make
a difference for good in the wider community.
Extra-curricular activities help develop interpersonal skills
and broaden horizons: they are an integral part of the Bolton
School Experience. In the Senior Schools your child will be
actively encouraged to join some of the 90+ clubs and societies
available to them. They will make use of our outstanding
facilities, including our own outdoor pursuits centre, Patterdale
Hall, in the Lake District.
We hold an enviable reputation for sports, with pupil success at
national and international level. Our aim is to encourage all
students, whatever their level, to achieve their personal best.
Bolton School offers the potential for a continuous education
from Nursery to the Sixth Form and we have a good mix of children
here - both socially and geographically. Our bursary provision in
the Senior Schools means all academically able children are
entitled to a Bolton School education and our coach service that
covers 22 routes ensures pupils are drawn from a wide area.
The separate teaching of boys and girls offers the best of both
worlds. Pupils are not distracted by the opposite sex during
lessons but the proximity of the Boys' Division and Girls' Division
means there is mixing at lunchtimes, through clubs and activities
and on the coaches to and from school.
As your child progresses through the School they will undertake
an intensive careers programme which ensures they leave us well
prepared for future challenges in the world of work and Higher
Education. The vast majority of our pupils achieve outstanding A2
results and go on to study at their chosen university.
View our recent inspection
reports.
Can I come and have a look around the School?
Yes, of course. We believe this is the best way of truly
appreciating our School. During term time, you can arrange a
personal visit by
contacting the Secretary to the Head in the School that you
would like to visit. Alternatively, you can visit us on our Open
Morning when the entire campus is open. This is held on a Saturday
in mid-October each year. You can view more details about ways of
visiting the School.
I'd like to come but I am not sure I can afford the
fees
We offer financial help to pupils in the Boys' Division and
Girls' Division Senior Schools. Depending on annual income, some
pupils are entitled to bursaries that cover the entire tuition fee.
The amount of money we allocate to bursaries continues to grow. In
the academic year 2006-07, 286 pupils received assistance with
their fees. We are continually striving to offer an education for
all academically able children. This is the ethos of Lord
Leverhulme who re-founded the School in 1913.
Find out more about
bursaries that could help finance your child's education.
How competitive is it to get into Bolton
School?
Each year we do see more applicants than there are places and we
do choose the most academically able and well-motivated children.
However, this should not put you off applying. The Entrance Exam
and interview should reveal whether this is the right school for
your child. Your child needs to demonstrate a good level of
competence in English, Mathematics and Verbal and Non-Verbal
Reasoning in the Entrance Exam (there is no exam for entry into the
Infants' School). Your child will also be interviewed. A good
reference from your child's Head Teacher will also help their
application. Each year we take approximately 75 new children into
our Infants' School (at age 4), 50 new pupils into each of our
Junior Schools (at age 7) and 120-140 into our Senior Schools (at
age 11).
I know Bolton School has an excellent record
for academic achievement but what about extra-curricular
activities?
The range of extra-curricular activities is something we are
particularly proud of. Due to the size of our school we are able to
offer an incredible range of extra-curricular activities and pupils
are strongly encouraged to get involved. We know that it helps
build character and many pupils develop interests which stay with
them for the rest of their lives.
An incredibly diverse and strong extra-curricular programme
offers unique opportunities, challenges and fun. There are numerous
club activities and many foreign and residential visits, including
to our own outdoor pursuits centre, Patterdale
Hall, in the Lake District.
Find out more about our extra-curricular
provision.
How do I apply?
Firstly, you should request an application pack from the
relevant secretary and fill out an application form. Admission to
our Infants' School is by interview. Entrance to our Junior and
Senior Schools is by an Entrance Exam and interview: we will also
require a reference from your child's Head Teacher. Candidates
considering applying to the Sixth Form will need (the prediction
of) six good GCSE grades and will be called for interview. Entry
into Bolton School is possible at any age and at anytime. You
should consult directly with the School to see if places are
available. If they are not, and your child reaches an appropriate
level in the Entrance Exam, your child will be placed on a waiting
list.
How can I prepare for the Entrance Exam?">How
can I prepare for the Entrance Exam?
The Entrance Exam is held in mid-January each year for entry in
September of the same year. The examination comprises papers in
English, Mathematics, Non-Verbal and Verbal Reasoning.
The exam for entry into the Senior School comprises an English
paper (set by the school) and Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal
Reasoning papers (these three papers are set by NFER Nelson and
practice papers are available from any good bookshop - look for
NFER Nelson 11+ practice papers). As an indication of the required
standard, we would normally expect your child's teacher to be
predicting Level 5 in the Key Stage 2 SATs test.
Specimen assessment papers for the Junior Schools are available
from the secretaries of the two schools.
I don't live in Bolton and I am worried that my child
will not know any other children
This is not a problem. Our pupils are drawn from towns from
across the region, many of them (over 900) make use of our fleet of
coaches which cover 22 routes. This is a friendly school and pupils
get along well together. Friendships develop in form groups,
classes and in the many societies and clubs that the pupils are
involved in. Friendships often flourish on the bus routes into
School.
Where do students go after Bolton School?
It is our aim that your child will leave the School as a
self-confident young person ready to face the world. As pupils move
up through the School they will become involved in our intensive
careers programme, which helps prepare them for application to
Higher Education and for the world of work.
The vast majority of pupils stay on into the Sixth Form and
then, after their A Levels, go onto university. We have an
excellent track record of sending students to the universities to
where they aspire to go to. You can see where recent pupils have
gone to for Boys' Division and
Girls'
Division.