The next step

If you would like to apply for a place for your son or daughter in Nursery or Reception please complete the registration form and return it to the address at the bottom of the form with the £125 registration fee. Registration forms for Nursery must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to entry. Registration forms for Reception must be submitted by 28 August in the year prior to the year of entry.

Download a copy of the Pelican registration form

If you would like to know whether we currently have any spaces in Year 1 or Year 2, please contact Marianne Hipperson, the Head’s PA, on 01223 403940.

Assessment

We are very aware that some small children may be daunted when going into a new environment. We do all we can to ensure that they have had the opportunity to become familiar with the Pelican and staff, and feel comfortable in our friendly school, prior to the informal assessment session. Once you have registered for a place, your son or daughter will be invited with a parent or carer to attend a play session and coffee morning during the week before the assessment. This is not part of the assessment process, but it is recommended that all who can attend, do so.

The informal assessment takes the form of a playgroup. We are looking for children with a thirst for knowledge and a keenness to solve problems. We note whether or not they are curious, display attention skills, are persistent and show initiative. We look at the whole child, assessing a broad range of personal, physical, linguistic and mathematical skills appropriate to their level of development. We are interested in each child’s all-round development and learning characteristics.

Pupils with Special Educational Needs should discuss their application with us before the assessment dates.

Nursery

Prospective Nursery children of similar ages are assessed in very small groups. Experienced staff support the children as they play, reading stories, using the construction equipment and even holding tea parties!

Reception

Reception assessments are similar to those for Nursery, with some emergent literacy and numeracy tasks included in these activities.