Entrance Assessments

All students wishing to enter Bedford Modern School must sit our entrance assessments.

Assessment Dates

Note: Ages and Year Groups given are those which your child will enter in September 2024, not those in which your child is presently. All dates are subject to change.

Ages 7 to 10 for Junior School Entry into Years 3, 4 and 5. Whilst we currently have no space for Year 6, 2024 entry we will assess those interested onto a waiting list. Please do note there is a very limited number of spaces available for Year 4 entry.

Ages 11 to 13 for Senior School Entry into Years 7, 8 and 9 (please do note there is a very limited number of spaces available for Year 8 entry).

Age 16 for Sixth Form Entry into Year 12

Admissions Procedure

For all age groups the Registration Form should be completed online, this includes uploading a copy of the candidate’s full birth certificate and paying the registration fee. We will then request a reference from the candidate’s previous school asking for general details on the student’s career there. Parents should always notify the previous school of their intentions to move their child. Candidates requiring access arrangements, such as extra time or a laptop, in the entrance assessments must provide a report from a Specialist Teacher, Educational Psychologist or Consultant along with their registration form for this to be considered.

Our/Your Decision (Results)

Results will be sent on 14 February 2024. We are unable to give results before this date. If an offer of a place is made it is accompanied by various forms. Completion and signature of the Acceptance Form indicates that you wish to accept the place offered and that you understand the Terms and Conditions of Acceptance. If the School is able to offer a bursary award, the financial assistance details will be included with the offer letter.

The deadline for acceptance is 06 March 2024. Any places not accepted by this date may then be made available to late entry candidates.

Events after Enrolment

We hold Junior, Senior and Sixth Form New Parent and Student Information Evenings during the Summer Term prior to entry in the September. Information on uniform, term dates, tutor groups and so on, is provided and it is an opportunity to discuss any last-minute queries that you may have. Students will also meet their form tutors or Head of Year at these events. Students will then attend a Move Up Day in late June/early July.  Year 7, Year 8, Year 9 and Sixth Form students also have an induction day just before school resumes in September.

Entrance Assessments

Ages for entry are taken as of 31 August, eg candidates for Year 3 entry must be SEVEN but not EIGHT by 31 August of the year of entry into the School. The days of the assessments are deliberately kept as informal as possible by the School. We realise that it can be a very unnerving experience for candidates and so we do our best to put them at ease throughout the day. Bedford Modern School allocates children into different Year Groups using the following terminology:

Junior School

Senior School

Entrance Assessments into the Junior School (Years 3, 4 and 5)

The Junior School Assessment will include:

A series of computerised assessments, interspersed with breaks and refreshments. The computerised assessments are designed to test:

• Reading ability
• Abilities in general mathematics and mental arithmetic
• Spelling

And:

• Reading – a typed passage will be provided by the school for the children to read. Questions will be asked to demonstrate understanding.
• Creative Writing – a stimulus will be discussed and explored by candidates who will then be given approximately 5 minutes to plan their work and approximately half an hour to produce.

Entrance Assessments into the Senior School (Years 7, 8 and 9)

Year 7 and Year 8 candidates will complete the following elements as part of the assessment:

1. English creative writing – Candidates are asked to produce a piece of creative writing based on a piece of stimulus material provided
2. A series of computerised tests – We will be using standardised tests designed to measure academic potential and attainment focusing on verbal, non-verbal and mathematical skills
3. Interview – Candidates will have a short interview with a senior member of staff which focuses on their academic and co-curricular strengths and interests, which will also include an assessment of their reading ability. In addition candidates will be asked to bring in an object they would be happy to discuss during the interview.

Year 9 candidates will complete five elements as part of the assessment:

1. English creative writing – Candidates are asked to produce a piece of creative writing based on a piece of stimulus material provided
2. A series of computerised tests – We will be using standardised tests designed to measure academic potential and attainment focusing on verbal, non-verbal and mathematical skills.
3. Interview – Candidates will have a short interview with a senior member of staff which focuses on their academic and co-curricular strengths and interests. In addition candidates will be asked to bring in an object they would be happy to discuss during the interview

Entrance Assessments into the Sixth Form (Year 12)

Once a student is registered, they will be invited for an interview in January of the year of entry. They will have an interview with two members of Sixth Form staff as well as having the opportunity to meet current Sixth Form students who will talk to them about their experiences of the School. Whilst these interviews are informal, students may be assessed on their knowledge of their chosen subjects. Candidates will also be required to produce a piece of written work, which they must submit prior to interview and are expected to gain a minimum of Grade 6 at GCSE in the subjects they wish to study at A Level (please do note that some subjects may require at least a grade 7). Their ALIS* score must also be 6.0 or higher and they require a minimum of Grade 5 in both Maths and English.

Please note that Year 12 students applying for an academic bursary will also need to sit computerised assessments in addition to their interview in January.

*The ALIS score is a total of the GCSE grades divided by the number of subjects taken.