Year 9 Admissions Process
The majority of pupils who join us in Year 9 are predominantly from preparatory schools in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London.
Our key objective throughout the Admissions process is to ensure that your child will benefit positively from the curriculum, facilities and opportunities we offer, and enjoy academic and personal success in the future. Pangbourne College is committed to ensuring great academic outcomes for all pupils. At the same time, we place a great deal of emphasis on preparing pupils for life after Pangbourne College.
There will be an activities and assessment morning that takes place in mid-November in the first term when your child is in Year 6. We recommend that your child is fully registered whilst in Year 5 and if attending a prep school, you advise them that your child will be sitting the entry assessment for Pangbourne College.
Late applications may be considered if places are still available. If you are seeking a place in Year 9 for September 2025, please contact the Admissions team by email: [email protected] or by telephone: 0118 976 7415 or complete the online enquiry form.
Key Admissions Dates
You can download the key admissions dates for the following entry years:
Register
To register your child please complete the online registration form and pay the relevant non-refundable registration fee. The closing date for registration is at the end of September, three years prior to entry (Autumn term of Year 6).
If your child has any SEN/Learning support needs, this should also be indicated on the registration form and submitted with supporting documentation. The Admissions team will contact you to discuss further the appropriate access arrangements for the entrance assessment.
Please note that if you wish to apply for a means-tested bursary, the application must be submitted by the end of the September of the following year (two years before your child is due to start).
Assessment
Your child will be invited to come to Pangbourne for a morning of activities and assessment day. During the morning, they will take part in a variety of teacher-led team activities which will be observed by senior members of staff. The morning will also include a short online assessment. The activities and assessment morning will typically take place in mid-November at the start of your child’s Year 6 year.
The morning is designed to be an enjoyable experience for your child and we would like to emphasise that no additional preparation or tutoring is required for the activities or assessment morning.
As part of our assessment process, we will request copies of your child’s latest school reports and contact their school for a confidential report in advance of the assessment day.
Reflection & decision
Once the assessment process is complete, we will notify parents in writing with the outcome of their application.
On receiving an offer, if you have any unanswered questions, or need more information our Admissions team will be happy to help. Whether it’s a simple question, speaking to a key member of staff or visiting us again we will ensure you have all you need to make your decision.
When we make an offer of a place, we firmly believe that Pangbourne is the right school for that child. Offers need to be formally accepted together with a deposit payment.
Applications and assessment dates for Scholarships will vary according to the type of scholarship, these will be communicated to you in the September of the year before your child is due to start.
Join
We are mindful that there is a significant time period between acceptance of a Year 9 place and joining. We encourage families to become involved with our community during this time, be it through following our social media or maybe attending events.
A year before your child is due to join, your whole family will be invited to attend a Year 9 ‘Connect’ event. Whilst attendance is not compulsory, it is a fantastic opportunity for your family to spend some time at the school and meet other families who will be joining in the same year as your child.
In the Summer term before your child is due to join, your family will be invited to a Welcome event, which is a further opportunity to meet the other families who will be joining our community. You will also meet the Pastoral Divisional Lead of your child’s Division (House) and other key members of the teaching and pastoral team.
Naturally, we will guide you through all of the preparations required in the run-up to starting at Pangbourne.
