Each year we accept up to 40 8-year-olds (Shell). Places may sometimes be available further up the school. Entrance to the school is handled by the Registrar.

The procedure is as follows: boys may be registered for entry at any age; a non-refundable fee of £100 is payable for this.

Parents of all boys on the Registered List are kept informed of our twice yearly Open Days, and are asked to attend one or more of these. They are contacted 18 months or so before the boy is due to join Northcote Lodge and invited to come and have a chat with the Headmaster.

In the autumn term before the year of entry, parents are invited to bring their son to a testing morning which takes place on a Saturday early in November. During the testing morning boys are assessed in English, maths and verbal reasoning and have a short chat with the Headmaster. Places are offered soon thereafter, and must be accepted or declined by the end of November. The School requires a deposit on acceptance of a place.

Depending on the availability of places (which can be considerably affected by our sibling policy – see also Family), parents may be offered a waiting list place, which often leads to the offer of a place later on.