Welcome and FAQs - Emanuel

Here at Emanuel we welcome applications from young people who want to work hard, throw themselves into the opportunities of school life and become responsible members of their communities.

A typical Emanuel pupil is bright and hardworking, but more importantly kind and thoughtful, contributing positively to the school. Our admissions process is designed to help us assess if each candidate will flourish both academically and holistically in the school. It is important to us that the pupils we offer places to will make the most of their time here, and gain most from the educational experience. While we value academic ability, we are also interested in pupils who display talent in other areas.

We want to address social injustice in all aspects of our school, including the admissions process. It is our hope that no prospective pupil is discouraged from making an application to our school. You may be interested in reading the headmasters response to the death of George Floyd.

If in doubt, or if you would like to learn more, please come and meet us, at one of our open events, to discuss your son or daughter’s application to Emanuel.

Please find answers to frequently asked questions below. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please contact the admissions office.

Please note that registration for entry at 2020 has now closed. We cannot accept any further applications for 2020 entry.

Welcome and FAQs

At what age can my child enter the school?

Our entry points are 10+, 11+, 13+ and 16+.

Can I register my child for 2020 entry?

No; registration for all entry points for 2020 entry closed at midday on Friday 18th October 2019. We cannot accept any further registrations.

Registration for entry in 2021 for all entry points is open and will close at midday on Friday 16th October 2020.

How many pupils are there in each year group, each year, and in the school in total?

Every pupil at Emanuel is part of a tutor group and is led by a form tutor, who oversees their holistic life and represents a consistent adult relationship. There are between 22 and 24 pupils in each form in the Lower School, 20 in the Middle School, and 16 in the Sixth Form.

In Hill form (Year 6), there are 48 pupils (two tutor groups of 24). From Year 7 to Upper Sixth, there are approximately 144 pupils per year group.

There are approximately 960 pupils in the school from Years 6 to Upper Sixth (10-18).

What is the gender divide among pupils?

Our gender split is almost exactly 50% boys and 50% girls.

This is reflective of the school’s original aims when established in 1594, with the provision of education for 10 boys and 10 girls. Find out more about our history here.

I can't book onto one of your Wednesday morning tours. How can I visit the school?

Our Wednesday morning tours are supplementary open events that take place across the course of the year. As these are held during normal school hours, we have limited capacity available to welcome guests and we can only withdraw a small number of pupils from their lessons to give guided tours. The capacity at these events in the Autumn and Spring terms is 180 visitors, and approximately 60 in the Summer term (due to GCSE and A level examinations taking place). Booking for these events opens approximately one month before the event, and due to the limited capacity, tickets are booked extremely quickly.

We therefore encourage prospective families to visit us at one of our two flagship annual open events; these take place of an afternoon/evening in late April, and a Saturday morning in September. As these events are held outside of school hours, we have far more capacity available than the additional Wednesday morning events. There are multiple talks from the headmaster, many more pupils available to give guided tours, and academic staff are present to discuss their subjects and answer questions (an opportunity not available to prospective families at the Wednesday morning tours).

All of our open events can be booked through this page.

When can I register my child for a place?

You can register between approximately one and two years before the September of your desired entry year. Please see the relevant entry point page for specific dates:

What is the selection process to enter Emanuel?

Candidates will be required to submit their last full year school report. We will also request a reference from their current headteacher (or equivalent). Candidates will sit an entrance exam and an interview with a member of staff. Please refer to the relevant entry point for more information:

Do you interview the candidates?

During the 10+ and 11+ process, all candidates have a 20 minute interview on a date before the entrance exam.

At 13+, successful exam candidates are shortlisted for interview.

All sixth form candidates are interviewed on the assessment morning.

Do you have a sibling policy?

Yes: please see our sibling policy for more information.

Is Emanuel very over-subscribed?

We are lucky enough to have more applicants than places, but please don’t let this put you off registering your child. We work very hard to find pupils who are a great fit for Emanuel. Every candidate has a personal interview and completes the exam, and we read every report and reference in great detail.

Does a child need to be top of their primary or prep school to get in?

No; our pupils are bright and every candidate has a fair chance to shine. We take into account interviews, headteacher’s references and school reports – not just exam results.

Is lunch included in the fees?

Yes – all compulsory items are fully inclusive in our school fees, excluding school uniform (which is available to purchase from School Blazer) and exam fees. If additional charges are required, e.g. for rowing in Year 10 and above, then the activity will be optional.

Do you give fee assistance (bursaries)?

Yes: we are committed to widening access to our school and welcoming pupils from all backgrounds. Please click here for more information.

What scholarships do you offer?

We offer academic scholarships (which are awarded based on performance in the entrance examinations), art, drama, music and sport scholarships. Please click here for more information.

Can you hold more than one scholarship?

Yes: it is possible (but exceptional) for a pupil to hold more than one scholarship and to receive a larger fee remission as a consequence.

What value are the scholarships?

The fee remission for co-curricular scholarships is usually 10% but in exceptional circumstances can be 25%. Scholarships are not means-tested.

Can you top up a scholarship with a further fee assistance?

Yes: scholarships can be topped up to 100% fee remission depending on financial need (plus travel grants and uniform allowance).

What percentage of Year 11 pupils stay on for the Sixth Form?

About 90% of our students stay on for Sixth Form at Emanuel, which is why we take in relatively few students from other schools at this level.

What languages do pupils study?

Pupils in Year 6 have taster lessons in French, Spanish, German and Latin.

Pupils at Emanuel in Year 7 study two languages – Spanish or French, and Latin or German. They study their two chosen languages until the end of Year 8. In Year 9, there is the opportunity for talented linguists to substitute one of their languages for a new one and take this on an accelerated course through Year 9, and then onto GCSE if they wish. For example, a pupil taking French and Latin could drop one of these languages and take German or Spanish in Year 9.

New pupils in Year 9 are expected to continue with the foreign languages they have been studying in their previous school, and which they sat in the entrance exam, as there is no provision for your son or daughter to start a language from scratch. If your son or daughter has only been studying one of the languages we offer at Emanuel, then they will be able to take Classical Civilisation instead. This is a non-linguistic, stand-alone course studying cultural and literary aspects of the Greek and Roman worlds.

All pupils must study at least one language at GCSE.

If my child is registered for 10+ should I register for 11+ entry as well?

No. If your child is not successful in gaining a place at Year 6, we will then offer you the chance to register for 11+ when we post the decision about 10+ entry in March. Please note that if a pupil is offered a place at 10+ and rejects the place, they cannot be re-registered for 11+ entry.

Do you have provisions for girls' football?

Football was introduced to boys in Years 6 to 9 in Spring 2020 as a ‘core sport’, with teams participating in training and fixtures against local schools.

Girls do not currently have the option of football as a core sport at Emanuel; the core sports for girls are netball, hockey, cricket and rowing. However, a girls’ football club (and a girls’ rugby club) runs as a co-curricular offering in the Summer term.

Can my child join the school midway through the year?

No; we only accept entry in September, consistent with the start of each academic year. This is to ensure the new pupil settles in with other pupils in the year and starts their subjects at the same time as everybody else.

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