Joining Us in Year 7
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Woodhouse Grove is a very special community where every child is valued as an individual, and this individuality is carefully nurtured throughout their education. Our admissions process aims to reflect this ethos, as choosing a school and becoming part of its community is a very different process for every family. This page outlines the process for joining Year 7 at The Grove. This is…
Selecting a secondary school can seem like a daunting task. To make things easier, we offer new familities multiple options to discover what Woodhouse Grove is all about. You are invited to sign up for any combination of the following events using the form at the bottom of the page.
Our showcase open event will take place on Saturday 19th September. Prospective families are invited to take a tour of our facilities, meet staff and current pupils, and hear the headmaster talk about life at our school.
On Thursday 15th October, we are opening our doors on a normal school day, enabling families to see our school at its best. You will be able to observe lessons, experience the atmosphere of The Grove and get a real feel for life here. You will also have the opportunity to chat with our Senior Leadership Team and ask any questions that you may have.
If you would rather arrange a bespoke visit to meet the Admissions Team and tour the school with one of our current pupils, this is also an option.
Once you decide you would like to apply for a place at Woodhouse Grove, and have filled in the form below, your child will be invited to the following:
This will take place in the week commencing 11th January 2027. All prospective pupils will join us for a morning at Woodhouse Grove, where they will meet current pupils and find out more about what life is like as a Grovian. They will take part in our entrance assessments, and have a short interview with a member of the Senior Leadership Team – but this will be a small part of an exciting and welcoming morning at the school. We will end with a typically delicious Grovian lunch!
Taking place in the week commencing 8th February, our Taster Day enables prospective Year 7s to experience a day in the life of a Grovian. They will step into real lessons, experience our fantastic facilities, and meet current Year 7 pupils and our Head of Year 7. Taster Day provides the perfect opportunity to get to know the other children who may be joining in September and to decide if Woodhouse Grove is the school for you.
Are you consistently top of your class academically?
Do you regularly receive Players’ Player or Coaches’ Player at your club?
Are you involved in productions at your local theatre or performing arts group?
Are you a Grade 3 or above in your favourite instrument?
Have you been selected for a representative or development pathway?
At Woodhouse Grove, we have always been proud to recognise talent and maximise potential. We are now strengthening this commitment by giving Year 7 applicants the opportunity to tell us, from the very beginning of the Admissions Process, what makes them shine.
A range of awards, offering both prestige and financial support, will be offered to applicants who meet our criteria and demonstrate talent and achievement in our three focus categories:
We will not be holding any formal assessment days or interviews for our scholarships. Instead, we will be going out into the community, visiting candidates in their own environments where they feel most at ease, to watch them perform, compete and showcase their talents.
This initiative places pupil voice and individual talent at the heart of our admissions process, celebrating potential from the outset.
Applicants who wish to be considered for an award should demonstrate excellence within their year group, club, performance space, or musical discipline. Applicants will be notified if they have met our criteria and are in consideration for an award in their category.
For detailed criteria for each Award category, please see below:
Academic
Applicants will have the opportunity on the application form to select whether they wish to be considered for an Academic Award. If selected, they will be invited to outline their key academic strengths, achievements, and any additional areas of extension or enrichment.
For Academic Awards, assessment will be based on a combination of evidence sources to ensure a fair and consistent view of each applicant’s ability. This will include:
• A stretch academic assessment completed during our Candidate Day, designed to identify pupils working well above age-related expectations.
• Review of current school reports, with a focus on academic attainment, effort, and consistency.
• Consideration of any standardised test data provided by the applicant’s current school (where available).
Applicants should demonstrate one or more of the following:
• Consistently high academic attainment across core subjects within their current school setting.
• Evidence of working above age-related expectations in one or more subject areas.
• Strong reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills demonstrated through assessment outcomes.
• A clear enthusiasm for learning, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to apply knowledge in unfamiliar or challenging contexts.
Academic Awards will be determined through this structured assessment and evidence-based review process, ensuring a fair and consistent benchmark for all applicants.
This Award is intended for pupils who clearly excel academically and who demonstrate the potential to thrive in a highly challenging and ambitious academic environment.
Performing Arts and Music
Applicants will have the opportunity on the application form to select whether they wish to be considered for a Performing Arts & Music Award. If selected, they will then be invited to outline their key achievements, performances, qualifications and experiences.
Applicants should meet one or more of the following criteria:
• Be a leading performer within their school productions, ensembles, or performance groups, demonstrating confidence, skill, and impact.
• Be actively involved in external performing arts organisations (e.g. theatre groups, dance schools, choirs, orchestras, or bands) and recognised as a key contributor within these settings.
• Have achieved measurable musical or performance milestones, such as graded music examinations (typically Grade 3 or above, or equivalent), significant performance roles, or solo performance experience.
• Demonstrate outstanding achievement in performance-based competitions, shows, festivals, or showcases, with evidence of recognition, awards or selection.
Where applicants are identified as meeting our criteria, the Grove Performing Arts team will take a proactive, outward-facing approach - engaging directly within the community in true Grove style. This allows us to experience young performers in environments where they are most confident and naturally expressive, whether on stage or in rehearsal. We firmly believe that the most authentic insight into talent comes from observing it in the settings where it is genuinely lived and performed.
Externally measured achievements, such as graded music examinations or equivalent qualifications, will be used as clear evidence of ability. In addition, where pupils take part in live performances including shows, productions, or showcases, our team will aim to attend and experience their performance first-hand wherever possible.
Applicants will also be invited to submit a 1-minute showreel (where applicable to their talent), providing an additional opportunity to share their abilities directly with us. We recognise that, due to scheduling and access, it will not always be possible to attend every performance.
This Award is intended for pupils who clearly excel above their peers in Performing Arts & Music and who show the potential to make a vibrant and lasting contribution to the creative life of the school.
Sport
Applicants will have the opportunity on our application form to select whether they wish to be considered for a Sports Award. If selected, they will then be invited to list their actual key sporting achievements, experiences and representative honours.
Applicants should meet one or more of the following criteria:
• Be a key player within their school team, consistently performing at a high level and contributing significantly to team success.
• Regularly play at ‘A team’ level (or above) for their club within their age group, and be recognised as one of the leading players in the team.
• Demonstrate exceptional individual performance through measurable achievement, such as breaking records, achieving standout times, or ranking at the top of their age category in their sport.
• Have been selected for representative level sport (e.g. district, county, regional, or equivalent pathway teams) through competitive trials or selection processes.
For applicants who are felt to meet our criteria, our Grove Games team will be actively out in the community - this is very much the Grove style - seeing people where they perform at their best. We will observe candidates in real competitive environments to help inform the awarding process, ensuring we see talent in action where it is most naturally expressed.
This Award is intended for pupils who clearly excel above their peers in sport and who demonstrate the potential to make a significant contribution to the sporting life of the school.
Headmaster's Awards
These are awarded as a discount on the full boarding or day fees. These awards can also be supplemented by a means tested bursary should the financial circumstances of the family necessitate it.
These cannot be applied for and are awarded to exceptional candidates who excel throughout the admissions process. Late applicants are unlikely to be considered for scholarships due to fund allocation.
Applicants to Year 7 are automatically assessed for Headmaster's Awards, with recipients informed of their award in their offer letter.
In addition to the honour of an award it will also have a monetary value per annum which will be deducted from the school fees.
The Grove, Your Way
The Grove, Your Way
To apply for a place in Year 7 2027, please complete our application form below.
There is a non-refundable Application Fee of £90 (including VAT) to be made on completion of the application form. Upon submission of your application, you will be directed to a link on our Flywire portal where online payment can be made. Your application will be processed once payment has been received.