Welcome to the Year 7 September 2025 admissions page
Our goal is to create a truly inclusive admissions process that welcomes everyone. To help families prepare, we’ve put together all of the important information about what to expect throughout the admissions process here at Claremont.
We look forward to meeting everyone and making this an enjoyable experience.
We encourage you to check back regularly for the latest updates, especially on the day of the exam in case of any emergency notices.
Last updated: 4 November 2024
Interviews
The interviews will be a 1:1 discussion with Mr Brierly or a member of our senior team. The school aims to keep the interview as relaxed and friendly as possible – students are encouraged to come with any questions they may like to ask the interviewer.
Please arrive shortly before the interview time via Claremont Drive (KT10 9LY for Google maps or Sat nav.)
The approach to the school will take you through a residential estate and golf course, leading to the school gates. On arrival at the school, you will find visitor parking immediately to the left of the mansion building.
Please do come in via the main entrance to Claremont mansion, where you will be met by a member of the admissions team. There is no need to bring anything with you.
The admission interviews should last approximately 15 minutes. Parents are welcome to stay and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee whilst they wait.
What to expect on assessment day
ASSESSMENT DAY
We are really looking forward to welcoming you to our academic assessment on Saturday 30 November. We understand this can be an overwhelming and nerve-wracking day for many children, but please rest assured that we work hard to put them at ease during the day.
ASSESSMENT DAY DETAILS
We will email parents on 15 November with confirmation of the full arrival details for the academic assessment, including:
- Date of assessment
- Time of assessment
- How to find us
- Where to park
Please do check your spam folders on your email if you don’t believe you have received this.
Candidates are being invited to specific, timed, sessions on the day so please do check your assessment timing carefully as not all students are arriving at the same time.
WHAT TO BRING
Please bring:
- A warm coat
- A named water bottle
- A pencil, eraser, ruler (optional as cannot be used for maths) and black pen (of any type). No calculators are permitted.
- Any medication (epipen, inhaler etc)
Please do ensure that all clothing and other items are named, so that we can help to reunite any items that may go astray.
WHAT TO WEAR
We want students to feel comfortable with us during the day. Please wear home clothes, no school uniform is required. Please do bring a warm coat as well.
SNACKS
You do not need to send snacks in with your child as we will provide a substantial snack for them during the break. If you have any concerns, particularly in relation to allergies, do get in contact with us to discuss and we will be very happy to talk through the options with you. However, should you wish to send your child in with a snack, please note that we are a nut free school and therefore no snacks containing any nuts may be brought onto site in any circumstances.
MEDICAL/SICKNESS
If your child has a medical condition that we need to be aware of, that hasn’t been advised within the application, please contact the admissions department to ensure that we have all relevant information. Likewise, if you have already made us aware of a medical condition but have any concerns regarding the assessment day, please do get in contact.
We have notified our invigilators and catering team of all allergies and medical conditions advised to us. If your child uses an EPI pen or inhaler please ensure that your child brings it with them, and that it is clearly labelled with their name. They will be permitted to keep these with them during the exam.
If on the day your child is unwell and unable to attend on the day, please email admissions@claremont.surrey.sch.uk to advise or call on 07538 234460 to leave a message for the admissions team.
The assessment papers
THE ASSESSMENTS
Children will be guided to their assessment room by our staff. The desks will be arranged in alphabetical order and the children will be encouraged and helped to find their seat. Once comfortably seated in the room, the assessment schedule will run as follows:-
- English (30 minutes)
- English descriptive writing (30 minutes)
- Break (25 minutes)
- Maths test (35 minutes)
- Non-verbal reasoning (30 minutes)
All tests are paper-based, except where specific access arrangements have been agreed and notified in advance (please see ‘access arrangements’ section.)
The non-verbal reasoning paper is entirely multiple choice and consists of two shorter sections, the English and maths have some multiple choice elements to them.
Please do remind the children to read the back page of each test booklet. Invigilators do remind students at the start of the session, but each year we do find some students do not turn over to the end!
Access arrangements
ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS
For those students who are eligible for access arrangements for the assessments, we will contact you separately by email to confirm the arrangements being put in place.
The times listed above are for the standard time assessments. For those students we have contacted to confirm additional time is being provided, a further 25% additional time will be added to all tests except the non-verbal reasoning.
For those students who are using a laptop for their creative writing assessment, the school will provide this during the assessment.
Those students who have been confirmed as using a reading pen for the assessments are required to bring the pen with them, fully charged and with headphones as appropriate, on the day.
Exam day arrival & Collection
ARRIVAL
Directions for arrival will be sent out in your invitation email – please make a careful note of the time your child has been invited to attend. Do not arrive prior to your allocated timeslot, as the timings are carefully considered to ensure smooth running of our sessions across the day.
Claremont Fan Court School, junior school playground drop-off area, please use postcode KT10 9LY for Google maps or Sat nav.
Please note that arrival and collection will be strictly via the Claremont Drive entrance only, please do not enter via the Portsmouth Road.
The approach to the school will take you through a residential estate and golf course, leading to the school gates. On arrival you will be guided to a drop-off zone and there will be staff on hand to assist your child to exit the car. Due to the volume of cars anticipated, please ensure that your child is ready to exit. Parents are requested to remain in their cars and parking is not permitted.
Here is a map of the location you will be dropping off/collecting from*:
*For those children with pre-arranged access arrangements, please see the guidance below
The children will be greeted by senior members of the school and directed to our Stable Court hall for registration, before being guided to our sports hall to get ready for their assessments. We will be providing children with a fun activity booklet they can take into the sports hall with them. Please do not worry, the activity booklet does not form part of the assessment, they are to keep the children relaxed and help them to not worry about the tests!
COLLECTION
At the end of the assessment session, collect the children via the same route from: Claremont Fan Court School, junior school playground area, Please use postcode KT10 9LY for Google maps or Sat nav.
To ensure a quick and safe collection, please display an A4 piece of paper in your windscreen with your child’s name clearly visible on it.
For the children’s safety at collection, they will be kept in their groups by the side of the playground collection area. Please do stay in your car and your child will come to you. Children will only be guided to their parents’ car once all traffic is stationary within the drop off zone.
Scholarship assessments
Scholarship assessments will also take place during the week commencing 6 January 2025 – further details will be sent out to those coming for scholarship assessment separately in December.
Next steps
Letters from Mr Brierly with offers of places and scholarship outcomes will be both emailed and posted to families by the close of business on Friday 17 January 2025. The acceptance deadline is Wednesday 5 March 2025.