After Hale Prep

The school assumes pupils will remain at the school until Year 6. The curriculum of the school is based on this assumption. Several parents might plan for their child to enter the junior departments of one of the independent grammar schools. In such cases, perhaps Hale Prep is not the best school choice. To give a specific example, pupils wishing to seek entry into Manchester Grammar School's junior department must take an examination.

Hale Prep does not specifically work to that examination, whilst emphasis is placed on the essentials of language and maths; these subjects are taught in conjunction with two weekly lessons in music and drama, specialist science, art, IT, a foreign language, dance and games. In brief, the school provides young children with a broad curriculum with high standards in maths and English but does not specifically prepare young children for examinations at such an early age or before year 6.

At the end of Year 6, there are three options available.

1. Entry into the local high schools, for example, Wellington High School North Cestrian. There is no examination for such schools. The offer of a place is largely determined by postcode.

2. a) The local foundation schools:

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Sale Grammar School, Urmston Grammar School, and Stretford Grammar Schools.

Two examinations set by GL assessment determine entry into these schools. Each paper includes maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Pupils in Year 5, in preparation for these exams, have specialist lessons in all three elements. Whilst the lessons familiarise the children with types of questions, advise on techniques, and give practice against "the clock", a decisive factor will be the innate ability of the children. Whilst the school maximises ability, given the non-selective nature of the school, the percentage pass rate will vary from year to year.

2. b) St Ambrose and Loreto Catholic Grammar Schools:

The examinations of these schools can vary but invariably include a verbal reasoning paper, a maths paper and an English paper. All are covered in the school timetable. Additionally, practising examinations against the clock is part of the school's preparation.

3. Independent Grammar Schools:

All include maths and English examination papers. The content of the papers is adequately covered in Hale Prep's school curriculum. Increasingly, there is a reliance on IQ testing, including non-verbal elements. The precise formats of the exams vary from year to year.

A major difference between the local foundation grammar schools and the independent grammar schools is that the independent grammar schools interview pupils. This underlines the advantage of Hale Prep's curriculum, not simply the confidence that seven years of drama gives but the range of topics the children have experienced.

A number of the independent grammar schools' examinations are now taken on computers. Given the children at the school have been having IT lessons since Year 1, plus the examination practice the pupils are given includes examinations on the computer, this does not present any particular problem.

After Hale Prep - Destinations Since 2015:

Pupils are frequently offered places at more than one school. Below is a list of the final choices since 2015. There are, on occasion, an unequal number of boys and girls.