KINGSWOOD PREP SCHOOL & KINGSWOOD SENIOR SCHOOL
WELCOME TO KINGSWOOD SCHOOL
We are pleased to confirm that with effect from September 2026, Kingswood Senior School and Kingswood Prep School, currently together in the Kingswood Foundation will formally become an “all-through school”, providing an exceptional education for pupils from 3 years to 18 years old.
All pupils at Kingswood Prep School, including those joining in September 2026 will automatically progress to Kingswood Senior School at the end of Year 6.
Kingswood Senior School and Kingswood Prep School, as part of the same Foundation, already share the same ethos, and focus on the importance of excellent academic provision, underpinned by kindness, care and the belief in doing all the good we can for our pupils and for the community.
This change reflects what we have seen in practice over a number of years; that the vast majority of Year 6 pupils move from Kingswood Prep School to Kingswood Senior School, going on to secure great success in external examinations and in sport, music, art, design, drama and beyond. Often they move to the Senior School as Scholarship and Special Talent Award holders too. Knowing each child at the Prep School deeply is a central part of our provision, and together with Senior School staff, using this understanding as well as detailed data from across a child’s education, we are well placed to move ahead with confidence.
We will continue to manage entrance assessments to Kingswood Prep School as we do today, with classroom based activities for those looking to join Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 and assessments in Maths and English for those looking to join Year 3 and above.
Our commitment to academic excellence across the Foundation remains unwavering. This change creates the space to redouble this commitment, through the introduction of the Kingswood Prep School Diploma, a carefully designed, forward-thinking programme that ensures our pupils are fully prepared for the transition to Senior School.
Kingswood Prep School pupils will be supported to make the most of the opportunity to apply for Academic Scholarships and Special Talent Awards in Art, Drama, Design Technology and Engineering, Music and Sport, through specific Experience & Enrichment Programmes and Heads of Department activities.
We are pleased to be making these changes to continue to build on our excellent education that ignites the potential of every child.
Mr Andrew Gordon-Brown
Headmaster & Principal of The
Kingswood Foundation
Mr Mark Brearey
Headmaster
of Kingswood Prep School
Mr Gordon-Brown
Mr Brearey
WHY IS KINGSWOOD BECOMING AN ALL THROUGH SCHOOL?
Over recent years the vast majority of Year 6 pupils have been offered and accepted places at Kingswood Senior School. An automatic progression will provide a clearer and smoother transition for pupils already in the Kingswood Foundation.
What will this mean for pupils?
Children from Kingswood Prep School will progress directly to Kingswood Senior School without having to complete entrance examinations. The change will deliver:
▶ One Foundation Education: an all-through education of balance and breadth, that ignites the potential of every child.
▶ Seamless transition to Senior School life: building on our existing programme of transition, further opportunities to prepare pupils for the next stage of their education.
▶ Scholarship and Special Talent Support: continued preparation for assessments in Academic, Art, Drama, Design Technology, Music and Sport awards.
▶ Curriculum Enhancement: further expanding the strong academic foundation provided by Kingswood Prep School through additional opportunities for collaboration in teaching across the years.
▶ A new Kingswood Prep School Diploma: to help develop strong learning habits, positive character traits and confident communication. The programme, running across the school year and woven into daily life will culminate in a showcase presentation of their Diploma journey. Pupils will move to Year 7 ready to thrive in Senior School life.
Additional Information
Please review the Frequently Asked Questions on the following pages. Mr Brearey and Mr Gordon-Brown are available in case of specific questions. The Admissions department can also be contacted on: admissions@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
How will you maintain high academic standards at Kingswood Prep School and at Kingswood Senior School?
The Kingswood Foundation is, and will remain, a broad but academically selective school. We assess prospective pupils for entry to Kingswood Prep School to ensure that at the point of entry a child is equipped for a full, academically enriching experience through the Kingswood Foundation. Colleagues from across the Foundation then work together to support, assess and carefully track each child’s academic development. Every child who joins Kingswood Senior School from our Prep School, will have been prepared to thrive in Westwood and beyond. By making this change, we will focus on deepening the rigorous academic experience that develops in our pupils the skills, knowledge and attributes that will help them to succeed. We are therefore confident that this step supports the maintenance of the highest possible academic standards at both Kingswood Prep School and Kingswood Senior School.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why are you making this change?
The vast majority of Kingswood Prep School pupils progress to Kingswood Senior School. Those pupils who do not progress have chosen a different setting for a variety of reasons, but this happens in consultation and collaboration with senior staff at the Prep School, not due to the results of entrance exams. Therefore, by making this progression automatic, we simply formalise what happens in practice. Furthermore, by removing these January exams we are liberating the Year 5 and Year 6 curriculum to be refashioned to focus entirely on the best possible teaching and learning, rather than any requirement to tailor delivery to meet the demands of an assessment. It will also alleviate pressure and anxiety for those children and families who might otherwise have experienced that as part of the entrance assessment process.
We can also use some of the time we get back to build in more opportunities to get to know the Senior School, with taster days and transition events. Therefore, by removing this requirement, we give our pupils more room to focus on learning and personal growth, making for children who are better prepared for Senior School.
If pupils are not studying for an exam, how will you make sure they are ready for the Senior School?
The most effective way for us to judge one of our own student’s readiness for secondary school is not by a single, standalone assessment, but by considering everything we know about that child over the years that we have worked with them.
By removing the requirement to prepare a child for entrance, we are able to focus on the more relevant and fulfilling task of preparing them for secondary school itself.
This will be achieved through the Kingswood Prep School Diploma, our “Ready for Westwood” award. The programme, running across Year 6 and woven into daily life, will culminate in the preparation of a Portfolio of Evidence and a final presentation, while also having demonstrated the kindness at the heart of the Prep School experience.
The Diploma will include six strands, designed to help develop qualities that pupils will need to thrive academically and socially in Senior School life and beyond.
Throughout the year, pupils are explicitly taught how to self-assess effectively. They learn to recognise their strengths, identify areas for growth and reflect thoughtfully on their development within each strand. This structured self-awareness strengthens academic performance, as pupils become increasingly responsible, organised and motivated learners.
By the end of Year 6, pupils move to the Senior School as confident, reflective and communityminded young people; well organised, academically secure, self-aware and genuinely excited for the opportunities that Senior School will bring.
How will you place pupils in the right class or sets if you don’t have entrance papers to review?
Kingswood Senior School has a broad and balanced curriculum in Year 7 and 8, and the only subject in which we set is Maths. Kingswood Prep pupils will complete end of year assessments in the Summer of Year 6 and this, combined with what we know about the children already, will help to inform setting decisions in Year 7. Senior School Maths sets are kept under review and can change throughout the course of Year 7 if required. Additionally, all pupils complete baseline testing when they join Year 7, and all pupils are screened by our Learning Support department so that we have a full picture of learner profiles as they join.
The remaining teaching takes place in either groups or option blocks for Modern Foreign Languages. Teaching groups are designed with the intention of ensuring all groups contain a mix of academic, creative, sporting abilities and a range of characters.
Are there any circumstances under which my child won’t be able to progress to the Senior School?
Our primary responsibility is to ensure that all Kingswood Prep School pupils transition to a secondary school environment in which they can thrive. As there are now, there may be rare cases where the Senior School would not be the right pathway for a pupil. In such circumstances, consideration of this, and support in discussing alternative options that might better suit that individual child, will begin as early as possible. This will involve parents liaising with staff from Kingswood Prep School and Kingswood Senior School. It is expected that these conversations will have started before the end of Year 5.
Where a pupil is offered a place to join Kingswood Prep School into Year 6, it is expected that they will progress into the Senior School with their cohort. However, the School reserves the right to advise parents that such a progression will not be possible across Year 6.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
Can a child at Kingswood Prep School still apply for an Academic Scholarship for the Senior School and how will you support them in this?
Any pupil at Kingswood Prep School is welcome to apply for an Academic Scholarship. A child who wishes to do so will sit assessment papers in English, Maths, and Non-Verbal Reasoning in January of Year 6, in the same way as external applicants. While this will have no bearing on entry itself, it will allow Kingswood Senior School to make a fair comparison with external applicants regarding academic scholarships.
While the core Kingswood Prep School academic curriculum is sufficiently rigorous to equip a child to excel at these assessments, there will be an additional Enrichment & Experience Programme activity in the Autumn term of Year 6 available to those who wish to prepare specifically for these assessments. This will be open to any pupil who is interested in pursuing an academic scholarship and will provide children with specific preparation for formal assessments in English, Maths and Non Verbal Reasoning, through exam skills and practice papers.
We encourage parents to discuss their aspirations for academic awards with their class teacher or Kingswood Prep School Senior Management Team as their child joins Year 5. They will be able to offer guidance on whether an application is suitable. Staff will be available to discuss these options in the summer term for those joining the Senior School in September 2027.
Decisions on academic awards are made by Mr Gordon-Brown, based on the results of assessment papers, interview and references provided by Kingswood Prep School Staff.
Can my child still apply for a Special Talent Award in Art, Drama, Design Technology, Music or Sport and how will they be supported in this?
Yes, any pupil in Year 6 at Kingswood Prep School is welcome to apply for our Special Talent Awards. This process is unchanged, with pupils able to attend our assessment days in November of Year 6, alongside applicants from other schools.
As with the current process, parents are invited to discuss their application with the relevant Head of Department at Kingswood Prep School in the Summer term of Year 5. Heads of Department will continue to offer support to pupils in the Autumn term, with preparation of portfolios and performances as required.
Decisions on Special Talent Awards are made by the Principal of the Foundation, Mr Gordon-Brown, based on the results of assessment days, recommendations by Senior School Heads of Department and references where relevant.
Kingswood Senior School Lansdown Road • Bath • BA1 5RG • UK
Admissions
T: 01225 734210 • E: admissions@kingswood.bath.sch.uk www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk