Welcome to Leweston. Our admissions process is designed to ensure that we are the right match for your family and to welcome you into the Leweston community. The Admissions Team are available throughout to answer questions, explain the different steps and make sure that you have all the information you need.
COME FOR A VISIT
We encourage everyone to visit the school as early as possible.
We have an annual Senior Open Morning in September but are pleased to welcome you for a guided tour and to meet the Headmaster, Mr Paget-Tomlinson, throughout the year. To arrange a mutually convenient time please contact the Registrar, Mrs June Smith on 01963 211015 or smithj@leweston.dorset.sch.uk
APPLYING FOR A PLACE
The first step in the process for any admission is to complete and return the registration form using the link below, along with a registration fee of £100 which is non-refundable. We encourage families who wish to join Year 9 to register when their child is in Year 5. Applications will be acknowledged and you will continue to receive updates and news from the school. All pupils who have expressed interest in joining Leweston are invited for an activity day when they are in Year 5. The day is a great opportunity for pupils experience a fun day at the school and meet some of the other children who will be in their year group in the future.
Applications for Year 9 should be with us by the February of Year 7, after this point offers can still be made but they will be subject to availability. Registrations are considered in the order they are received, which can have an impact on any selection decision. We are happy to answer any queries relating to our registration process.
ISEB COMMON PRE-TEST ASSESSMENT DAY
For pupils joining Year 9 from 2025 onwards Leweston has introduced the Independent Schools Examinations Board Common Pre-Tests (ISEB Pre-Tests) as part of our 13+ assessment process. The ISEB Pre-Tests are online, multiple-choice assessments that incorporate Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English and Maths. Pupils will be invited to sit ISEB Common Pre-Tests as part of an assessment day in January of Year 6, or Year 7, if their application is made later. On the day they will also participate in a group team-building exercise and have a short interview with the Headmaster or Deputy Head. We request a preliminary school report from your current school at this stage. Assessment and offers are made to pupils in Years 6 or 7 to assist parents with their decision making process and provide early certainty of a place.
CRITERIA FOR ENTRY
If the number of applications for Year 9 exceeds the number of places available, it is possible for candidates to be unsuccessful in their application or placed on a waiting list until a space becomes free. When deciding upon the allocation of places, offers will be made to those pupils who perform well across the school assessments, have positive references and are generally a good fit for the school. Leweston is a thriving, busy community which has high expectations of its pupils.
Successful candidates are 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, debating, community activities and sport. There are many co-curricular activities, all of which are important in developing a well-balanced, confident individual. The assessment process is not based entirely on academic performance and we welcome pupils with special educational or physical needs, providing that our Learning Support Department can offer them the support that they require to access the curriculum.
OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE
If you and the school are happy to progress after the Assessment Day, places are offered. Offers are subject to the Parent Contract which will be shared with you. Offers may be open for a limited time only. You will be asked to secure your place by completing the Acceptance Form and paying a deposit (which is returned against your final school bill).
If we feel that an applicant in Year 6 does not meet the entrance requirements we will provide detail about possible areas to focus on and invite them to join the assessment day again in Year 7.
During Year 8 we will ask your child’s school for an updated report and there will be other, frequent, opportunities for both you and your child to visit. Potential scholars can apply for 13+ scholarship awards in the January preceding their year of entry. The Admissions Team are always on hand to answer any questions you have about the process.
Joining information will then be shared with you ahead of your child’s start date.
COMMON ENTRANCE
Some pupils joining Leweston from independent preparatory schools take Common Entrance exams which are sent to Leweston for marking, however Common Entrance is not a requirement for our admissions process.
JOINING OTHER YEARS
Offers for places in Years 10 and 11 are subject to availability. Pupils interested in Years 10 and 11 will be invited to spend an Assessment Day at the school with the year group they will be joining. Your child will participate in a normal timetable of lessons and be accompanied throughout by a nominated pupil guardian. It should be noted that places in Years 10 and 11 may be are subject to GCSE choices and at Year 11 we cannot always match a your child’s current programme of study.
If you have more questions about joining the school please visit our Knowledge Base, a library of frequently asked questions which can tell you more about the admissions process as well as life at Leweston.
