Journey to starting school

Children can begin their education with us from age 2 in 
our Flying Start Nursery and continue through to Year 6 before moving on to senior school. Whilst the most common entry points are Nursery, Reception and Year 3, we welcome applications into any year group subject to places being available.

If you are considering joining the school further up the school, you can apply for 8+, 9+ 10+ entry with a through school offer to Caterham School for Year 7.

Whilst we are part of the Caterham School Family, we prepare pupils for admissions and scholarships for a range of senior schools.

Join at one or more of our visitor events, whether it is a Saturday themed family visitor morning, a working visitor morning or a virtual visitor evening . You can also book a private tour with the Headmaster.

Visiting us more than once really helps to get a wider insight into everything we do to make your child’s time at school a happy and transformative one.

Visitor events

Once you have visited and would like to move forward with us, register for a place by completing the application form. The application and payment will be acknowledged to you via email and our Admissions Registrar will be in touch to make arrangements for a taster session.

Make an application

Nursery

All children applying to join Nursery are encouraged to join our Little Caterpillars Toddler Group for at least one session. This group is a great opportunity to meet our staff and other families looking to join the Nursery. You will be invited to book in an initial settling in session with your child. This involves time with one of our Nursery Practitioners to learn more about your child to help them settle swiftly and happily into nursery life. At this session, you will have the opportunity to fully explore the nursery with your child and book a further settling in session for you to drop and leave your child for a morning of activity with the other nursery children including lunch.

Reception

Your child will be invited to attend a morning taster session with our Pre-school class where they will join their peers to take part in play based activities which could include music, PE, swimming or languages. Your child can be collected after a well earned lunch with their new friends. At this stage we would seek an informal reference from their current nursery setting (if applicable).

Years 1 to 3

Children applying for places higher up the school will be invited to attend a morning taster session with their peers in a classroom setting. As well as fun practical sessions, they will take literacy and numeracy assessments. At this stage we would also seek a reference from your child’s current setting.

Years 4 to 6

If you are applying for 8+, 9+ or 10+ entry for your child with a through offer to Caterham School, they will be invited to attend a morning taster session with their peers in a classroom setting. As well as fun practical sessions, they will take literacy and numeracy assessments and may also take verbal and non verbal reasoning tests. At this stage we would also seek a reference from your child’s current setting.

As soon as possible following a successful taster session, a formal offer will be made. Letters are emailed directly to parents.

Acceptance of an offered place is made by completing our Acceptance Form via our admissions portal together with submitting the Acceptance deposit. Following receipt of the deposit and completed form, the place is confirmed to you by email.

Once a place has been accepted, you will be invited to a number of welcome events where you will be able to find out more about starting school along with meeting other new and existing Copthorne families. Joining forms and all information relating to starting school in September is sent at the start of the Summer Term.

If you are joining the Nursery, you will be contacted to arrange a start date as soon as possible for your chosen days.

Children starting School in September will be invited to visit the School in the Summer Term, prior to joining.  They will have the opportunity to see their new classroom, meet their class teacher and get to know their peers.