Entry points decide what is open to you
UK boarding schools admit at fixed points: 11+, 13+ and 16+. Each has its own assessment, its own registration deadline, and its own competition. Registration for 13+ entry often closes two years before the child would start, and the most selective schools close earlier still.
A family that begins looking in the same year they hope to start will find the strongest options already closed.
- Registration runs years ahead. For 13+ entry, many schools want registration by Year 6 or Year 7. Missing that window removes the school from the list regardless of the child's ability.
- Assessment differs by entry point. 11+ and 13+ involve school-set tests and interviews; 16+ turns on predicted GCSE grades and a subject interview. What you prepare depends on which door you are going through.
- The right school is not the highest-ranked one. A child who needs structure and a child who needs room to breathe do not belong in the same school, whatever the league table says.
- Guardianship is a requirement, not an afterthought. Schools expect a UK-based guardian arrangement in place before enrolment, and it affects which schools will consider an overseas family.
Who I work with
Families considering UK boarding for a child aged roughly 10 to 16, funded by the family. Parents usually lead the conversation; the child joins where it helps.
- Which entry point fits the child's age and current stage
- School selection based on the child, not a ranking
- Registration timing and what has to happen in which year
- Assessment preparation and what each school actually tests
- Guardianship, settling in, and the practical side of a child living away
- Where the school leads next: sixth form, and university after that
Request a consultation
For families considering UK boarding and wanting to plan it properly. I read every enquiry myself and will reply with the appropriate next step.
Registration closes long before the term you are planning for. For 13+ entry, many schools want the child registered by Year 6 or Year 7, and the most selective close earlier still.
Which entry point fits, which schools suit the child, and what each one assesses are decisions that shape what remains open two years later.
Tell me where your child is now, what kind of environment suits them, and what you are uncertain about.
Advisory support is provided on a paid basis. Details of the support and fees are shared before any work begins.