Ibstock Place School
Admissions Guide
How to get into Ibstock Place School (IPS)
Are you looking into Ibstock Place Senior School for the next step in your child’s education? Find out everything you need to know about the 11 plus admissions process and how to help your child succeed.
Skip to:
Introduction to Ibstock Place
Tracing its roots back to 1894, when it was founded as the first Froebel Demonstration School, Ibstock Place is an independent day school for boys and girls aged 4-18. At the time of the school’s establishment, Friedrich Froebel’s principals of education were quite radical. He placed an emphasis on the learning experiences of young children, which he saw as the key to social progress and the health of society.
Following a move to Hertfordshire during the Second World War, the school again relocated to Roehampton, south-west London in 1922 where it gained its current name. Now educating just under 1,000 pupils, split evenly between boys and girls, IPS has a reputation for ever-improving academic achievement.
Popular with parents, newly appointed Head Christopher J Wosley has been at IPS since 2007 when he joined as Head of Humanities. Stepping into Anna Sylvester-Johnson’s role at the beginning of this year, he is continuing her legacy of stellar results and impressive co-curricular activities for children of all interests.
GCSE and A level results
With their reputation for academic excellence, much attention is paid to the results that Ibstock place students achieve. In 2022, 89% of grades are awarded at A*-A or 7-9 at GCSE, with 12 pupils achieving all 9s. In the same year, 90% of A levels were achieved at grade A*, A or B and 42% of students achieved an average of three As or above.
The school’s A level students go on to study at Russel Group (and sometimes Ivy League) universities, with usually at least two or three a year achieving an Oxbridge place.
Ibstock Place fees
For the Senior School, termly fees are £7,245. There are a limited number of bursaries available, and applications for these need to be completed by December in the year before entry.
It is worth noting that Ibstock Place do not offer any scholarships at 11+. If your child is musically gifted, however, you can apply for the Richard Hastie-Smith Music Award. This entitles recipients to individual tuition on their nominated instrument. They are they encouraged to apply for a Music scholarship at 13+ (although there is no guarantee this will be granted).
Ibstock Place 11 plus open days
Ibstock Place host a number of open days from May to the Autumn term of your child’s Year 6. For 2024 applicants, there is an Open House on the 16th of September and an Open Morning on the 11th of October. These are a great opportunity for your child to familiarise themselves with the campus, meeting teachers and current students. We find that children who attend an Open Day are more at ease when returning to the school for an exam or interview, undoubtedly having a positive impact on their performance on assessment day.
There are also a range of virtual open events that you can explore on the Ibstock Place website all year round.
The 11 Plus admissions process at Ibstock Place School
Registration to the Senior School closes in the November before the year of entry. The deadline to apply for 2024 entry is October 31st 2023. Upon completing your application form, a fee of £150 is due. Applicants then have to take an online pre-test, attend a workshop, and then, if successful, sit the entrance exam.
Results are posted in mid February and the acceptance deadline is early March. Upon acceptance, you need to pay a deposit of £1,750. If your child isn’t immediately offered a place, they may be placed on the waiting list. They remain on this until September of year of entry.
Each year there are around 100 places available in Year 7. Class sizes range from 14-24 meaning individual attention can be given to children where necessary, but they will still benefit from learning with an array of other children.
There is no sibling policy at IPS.
Pre-testing at Ibstock Place
For 11 plus entry to IPS, children have to attend an interview and sit a computer based CAT test on one day, before returning to the school a couple of weeks later to sit a written entrance exam. This digital test is a format that our tutors are familiar with – when other private schools set the ISEB Pre Test in a last-minute format change during the pandemic, we were on hand to help our families navigate this type of assessment. The test is scheduled for the 25th of November for applicants hoping to enter Year 7 in 2024.
The IPS Pre Test assesses:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-verbal Reasoning
- Numerical Reasoning.
For this kind of assessment, children should be prepared for the different types of questions that will arise. Ibstock Place may insist that a pre test evaluates innate ability, however it is imperative to familiarise your child with the format. They may never have sat a test on a computer and may not understand how to quickly navigate a multiple choice test by making educated guesses on questions they’re not sure of. There is also a lot to be said for having experience at least some of the unusual question formats of a pre test – easing test day nerves and helping your child move through the test more quickly.
Speed is crucial. Your child should be working through the test at a pace which is consistent with picking up a mark a minute. This is particularly important if your child is a scholarship contender. It’s no good being a genius if you can’t get through enough of the questions to be able to demonstrate this. At Ibstock Place, this initial assessment is particularly important. The pre test and the interview help them select the initial pool of potential scholars. Miss out at this stage and you won’t be considered.
How to prepare for the 11 plus interview
Ibstock invite every child who applies at 11 plus for an interview. This is a chance for your child to show the school what they can do beyond the academic. Teachers look for confident, well-rounded children who can engage in conversation and demonstrate what they will contribute to the school. Some reasoning practise ahead of the interview may also be necessary as children can be asked to approach a problem or do some mental maths.
Approaching the Ibstock Place 11 plus interview should be done with caution. Your child will need to give developed answers to any questions, but they shouldn’t appear rehearsed or over-prepared. This is a difficult line to tread when questions could be anything, like:
- What is time?
- If you could be anyone for 24 hours, who would you be and why?
- What is the best invention or discovery ever made?
Hence why Mentor runs individual and group sessions every year on interview practice. Sessions cover how to tackle nerves, develop answers and present your best self, as well as presenting an opportunity for your child to practise in an interview-style setting. Get in touch with us to find out more.
The 11 plus exam at Ibstock Place
Based on the Assessment Day results, shortlisted candidates will be invited back for the entrance exam. This will take place on the 14th and 15th of December 2023. IPS sets its own written exam for 11+ entry. This assesses:
- English
- Maths
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-verbal Reasoning.
The papers will track the National Curriculum to the end of Year 6 – so your child will need to be learning ahead of what they will be taught in school. Our tutors can help here. We can assess your child’s strengths and provide insight to where they might have knowledge gaps. From there, we work with you to create a plan to ensure your child has all the tools they need to shine on assessment day.
Whether your child attends a prep school or a state primary, tuition is still invaluable for 11 plus prep. The one-to-one attention of a school entrance expert means your child has someone with them at every step of the way.
Find a tutor
Getting into a competitive school like Ibstock Place requires a year-long preparation campaign. Most children on this journey receive tuition.
Our 11 plus entrance specialists have proven results at the top London schools. Masters at developing exam technique, their expertise will prove imperative to 11+ success. Our 40 years of experience means you’re in safe hands.
Over 80% of our tutors are qualified teachers and many are also examiners or heads of department. All tutors have an up-to-date DBS certificate and are fully reference-checked. Wherever possible, we will match you with a tutor who has taught at Ibstock Place themselves.
For more information on our tutors’ unique approach to preparing children for the 11 plus, contact our team.
More information about Ibstock Place
Beyond the academic rigours of day-to-day life at IPS, pupils are encouraged to get involved in a host of extra and co-curricular activities. 55% of pupils at the school learn an instrument – perhaps unsurprising when you consider the importance placed upon music scholarships and awards. The after school clubs cover everything from Raspberry Pi and Robotics to Creative Writing and Italian! With this impressive offering in the Senior School, there is sure to be something your child can get involved in alongside their school studies.
Sport is another key aspect of life at Ibstock Place. Both boys and girls play cricket, athletics and tennis. Main boys’ sports include football and rugby with girls playing netball and hockey. Sports clubs include badminton, basketball, cross-country, golf, swimming, and water polo.
Address: Ibstock Place School, Clarence Lane, Roehampton, London, SW15 5PY
Telephone: 020 8392 5803
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ibstockplaceschool.co.uk
Local Authority: Wandsworth
School’s Unique Reference Number (URN): 101064
Gender: Co-educational
Age Range: 4-18
Get in touch
We have many tutors with expertise in 11 plus entrance to Ibstock Place here at Mentor. Ready to guide you through the process, we can also help you navigate the new entrance format during Covid-19 measures. Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help your child to gain admission at 11+, or for more information on getting into top London schools.
Other Independent Schools:
If you’re considering Ibstock Place, you might also find information on other Independent Schools interesting, find a list of other schools below:
- Alleyn’s
- Channing
- City of London (Boys)
- City of London (Girls)
- Dulwich College
- Emanuel
- Highgate
- Ibstock Place
- JAGS
- KCS Wimbledon
- Latymer Upper
- Merchant Taylors’
- North London Collegiate School
- Putney High
- Royal Russell
- St Dunstan’s
- St Paul’s (Boys)
- St Paul’s (Girls)
- Streatham & Clapham High
- Sydenham High
- Trinity
- Westminster Upper
- Whitgift
- Wimbledon High
-
Give us a call
020 8883 2519 -
Email us
hello@mentoreducation.co.uk -
Our social media
