Radley College is an independent boarding school for boys aged between 13 and 18. It was founded in 1847 and is located on a 800-acre estate in Oxfordshire. Radley has around 680 current students who live in one of the 11 different Socials (boarding houses). Radley accepts 145 pupils into Year 9 (13+) each year, as well as providing limited places for students to join at Year 12 (16+).

Visit Radley:

Parents and guardians of all potential candidates, registered or not, are invited to visit Radley on any of the general visiting days. Radley advise parents to visit before February of Year 6. There are also several specific visiting days for potential music and sports scholars, as well as a specific event for those considering joining the Sixth Form (year 12).

Admissions:

Year 9 (13+) Open Entry:

Most applicants will use the ‘Open Entry’ process. To do this, parents must fill out the entry form from the website and submit it any time between June of Year 5 (aged 10) and October of year 6 (aged 11).

Candidates will then sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test and must have done so by November of Year 6 (aged 11). They will use this mark, along with a Head’s report from the boy’s current school to shortlist candidates. These candidates will then be invited to Radley by the end of May of Year 6 for an interview and assessment day.

By the end of May of Year 6 Radley will disclose the results of the Open Entry. Boys will either be placed on the A List and receive an unconditional offer or the B list where Radley do not offer them a firm place at present. Radley does expect to offer a place to a good number of boys on the B List eventually. An unconditional offer means that the results of the common entrance exams in Year 8 will not impact a candidate’s place, although Radley does reserve the right in exceptional cases to withdraw their offer.

After the results of Open Entry, boys from the A list will then be invited to look around two socials and state their preference. Radley makes every effort to put boys in their preferred Social.

January to March of Year 8 (aged 12) Open Entry boys are given the chance to apply for scholarships. The expectation is that many will.

Year 9 (13+) Radley List:

In some cases, parents register their sons for Radley at a very young age (prior to them turning 3 years old). In this circumstance, boys will be placed on the Radley list which has a slightly different, albeit similar application process.

In Mid-May of Year 5 (aged 10) candidates will receive a conditional offer which will include a link to complete an online Radley list form, a step-by-step guide to the entry process, and information about Socials and instructions to choose three Socials to visit.

The End of June of Year 5 is Radley List visiting day. This is a chance to hear a talk from the Warden, tour the school, and visit a social.

Between September and January Assessment Days will take place and candidates will be interviewed and given the opportunity to visit two further socials.

Boys are then expected to sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test which must be sat before November of Year 6. Results of this test follow in April of that year. Similarly, to Open Entry, those who are on the A List will receive an unconditional offer. To receive an unconditional offer, boys on the Radley List must pass at the equivalent of 60% and impress at interview. However, boys on the B list will not receive offers and are unlikely to do so. They may still join the waiting list.

Year 12 (16+) Entry:

Contact the admissions office to register interest for entry at Sixth Form. Sixth Form applicants are given the opportunity to visit Radley in September the year before entry on the Sixth Form Open Day.

By early November in the year before entry, the application form must be complete and returned to the admissions office. At this stage, Radley requests an up-to-date Head’s report. The Warden will then consider all applicants and draw a shortlist of those invited to assessment.

Assessment day is usually held in mid-November at Radley and consists of two 90-minute academic tests in subjects the candidate wishes to study for A-Level. Sixth-Form Exams are aimed at GCSE/IGCSE level but are generic in order not to disadvantage candidates who have not studied this syllabus. Each candidate will then be interviewed by a Senior Master for 30 minutes. Questions are designed to provoke stimulating discussion and candidates must demonstrate a curiosity for learning as well as ability to recall specialist knowledge where appropriate. Musicians and artists should send copies or videos of their work to be considered. Overseas candidates who are unable to sit the exam at Radley can do so at their current school and will be interviewed over zoom.

There is further admissions information and advice available on the Radley website:

https://www.radley.org.uk/admissions