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Some parents want to enrol their daughters in a particular school because it is their alma mater. Other choose their children's schools because it is prestigious for one reason or the other. Maybe parents want the most diverse learning environment they can find, like at the City of London School for Girls, Or perhaps they're looking for a school that educated the most famous alumni. And then, there are those who want exactly what James Allen's Girls' School has to offer:
- a long history of excellence in education
- a relaxed atmosphere where even registration stress is minimised
- a relatively large, diverse student body
- a focus on community and outreach
Some parents worry less about their daughters' academic achievements than their ability to adjust and function in society. Others take the opposite tack. They believe that academic success paves the way for community and charity. At James Allen's Girls' School, they don't have to settle for one or the other philosophy; they get both. Wouldn't you like your daughter to be a part of all that? Read on to learn about Superprof’s top tips for how to get into James Allen's Girls' School.
About James Allen's Girls' School
James Allen's Girls' School is an Independent day school for girls, ages 4 - 18. Founded in 1741, JAGS, as it is affectionately known, is the oldest independent girls’ school in London (the second-oldest after Godolphin School). However, far from outdated, JAGS has used its 275 years of educational experience astutely. They've developed a modern Eco program, a Bursary Scheme, and a Performing Arts school, among dozens of other community commitments.
As “Good Neighbours,” JAGS aims “to encourage all pupils to develop to their full potential by stimulating their intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm and imagination.” The school comes by that ethos honestly. They started out as a charitable coeducational facility called the College of God's Gift. Master James Allen founded The Reading School, as it was called back then, for poor students, boys and girls.
Roughly 100 years after Master James Allen founded his school, the venture split. It had already been renamed the Dulwich Free School; it wasn't very hard to change its name to Dulwich Girls' School. The boys were transferred to another school so the Dulwich Girls' staff could focus on improving girls' educational opportunities. Finally, in 1878, the school was given the name it bears today. It's a rather remarkable history that, in many ways, parallels Haberdashers' School for Girls' evolution.
How to Know if James Allen's Girls' School is Right for your Daughter
JAGS routinely hosts Open Morning events for each school level. The events for both Pre-Prep and Prep girls (ages 4 - 11) generally begin at 10.00 a.m. and run until 12.00 noon. Similarly, the event for Senior School girls (ages 11 - 18) usually begins at 10.00 a.m. and runs until 1.00 p.m. You are not required to book in advance to attend any of these events. However, if you have any questions or would like to book an alternate visit, you should contact the school registrar's office.
James Allen's Admissions Policy
Girls wishing to enter at 7+ and 11+ must fill out and return the JAGS Registration Form, along with the associated registration fee. Ideally, this should happen one year ahead of their scheduled entry, preferably before the end of October. Upon registration, 7+ girls will be sent an entry form that must be returned that same month. The completion of these forms will allow your daughter to sit her entrance exam the following January. If she does well on her test, she will be invited to interview a member of staff.
For girls entering at 11+, invitations to sit the JAGS entrance exam are conditional upon their pre-selection assessment results. These assessments should take place during the Autumn term. Note that your daughter should bring a reference from their current school. Given positive results, your daughter will sit her entrance exam the following January.
Admissions for girls entering Sixth Form are usually offered upon positive entrance examination and GCSE results, as well as a solid interview and reference from their current school. Applications should be submitted by the end of October one year ahead of their entry date. That way, your daughter may write her entrance examination in November.
Although the majority of girls enter at either 7+ or 11+, there are chance vacancies available each year at 12+, 13+, and 14+ as well. Girls applying for these places must submit their applications by the end of October one year ahead of their desired entry date. That way, they have plenty of time to sit their entrance exam and attend their subsequent interviews. Those will likely take place the following January.
Preparing for James Allen's Girls' School Interviews and Examinations
Girls entering at 7+ will sit three exams, one each in Maths, English, and reasoning. The Maths assessment will focus on arithmetic, time, and problem-solving. The English assessment is broken into two parts: reading comprehension and a creative writing section. Lastly, the reasoning paper is a standardized assessment of your daughter’s academic potential. The way James Allen's interviews are set up mirrors those done at Guildford High School.
Girls entering at 11+ will complete a pre-selection assessment before sitting their entrance examination. The assessment involves teamwork puzzles with other candidates. Your daughter will further sit through a mock lesson and take an online standardized test in verbal, non-verbal and numerical reasoning. The entrance exam includes a 45-minute Maths assessment and a one-hour English assessment. Both of these are designed for students who excelled in at least Level 5 of the National Curriculum.
Girls applying for a chance vacancy at 12+, 13+ and 14+ will also sit assessments. Like other prospective students, they will be tested in Maths, English (comprehension and writing), and reasoning (verbal, non-verbal, and numerical). If your daughter is entering at 13+ or 14+ and speaks an additional language, she will also write a 30-minute Modern Foreign Language paper. Girls who do well on their assessments will interview over the following few weeks.
Lastly, girls entering Sixth Form are expected to have earned at least 5 GCSE grades at A* - A. Furthermore, they should have earned at least a B in English Language and Mathematics. Their entrance examination will consist of papers in the four subjects that they would like to study at A Level. That ordeal will be followed up with an interview with a senior member of JAGS staff.
To do well at any of these levels' assessments, it is important to know exactly what JAGS is asking of you. You can do so by getting familiar with the school's sample papers and curriculum outlines. For older students, there is a Sixth Form Prospectus. You can also turn to the abundance of resource centres online to bulk up your revision and reasoning skills. Best of luck!
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