Entrance Assessments

The School is split into the Junior School, Pringle, for boys aged 8-12 years and the Senior School for 13-18 year olds. Boys are admitted on either: day boarder, flexible boarder or full boarder basis. About 70% of students are boarders and 30% day pupils. About 16% of our pupils come from overseas.

The principal points of entry to the school are at 8 to 14, and 16 years of age. However, pupils may be admitted at other ages if places are available. The majority of applicants join the school at the start of the academic year in September, but it is possible for pupils to start at other times of the year: again if places permit.

A number of year groups (and day places in general) can become oversubscribed. Once entry to a year group is closed, places may be offered on a waiting list.

Merchiston Juniors (ages 8 – 12+ for entry to J4, J5, First, Second and Third Forms)

Entrance assessments are normally held on the third weekend in January. Written papers in Mathematics and English, a Screening or Non-Verbal Reasoning test and an informal interview. We also require a satisfactory report from a boy’s current school, which must be made available at the time of assessment.

Junior Entrance day for entry in 2008-2009 – Saturday 19 January 2008

Merchiston Middle School (13+ and 14+ for entry to Fourth and Shell forms)

Entrance assessments are normally held in the last week of January. Written papers in Mathematics and English, a Screening or Non-Verbal Reasoning test, and an interview. We also require a satisfactory report from a boy’s current school, which must be made available at the time of assessment.

Middle School Entrance day for entry in 2008-2009 – Friday 25 January 2008

Sixth Form (16+)

Entrance assessments can be held at any time of the year. Entrants taking GCSEs or Standard Grades (or equivalents) can be considered for entry on the basis of their results in those examinations and an interview with the Headmaster. We also require a satisfactory report from a boy’s current school, which must be made available at the time of assessment.

Thereafter we can continue to offer assessments to boys seeking entry to all these year groups, provided places are available.

International Admissions

Assessments (and entry requirements) may be a little different forInternational Students.Click here for further details about International Student entry.

Offers and Acceptance of places

Formal offers of places are made as soon as possible after entry assessments have been completed. In the case of most year groups this may be within seven days. (Offers of places for entry to our Third Form are made in late February in accordance with an agreement between Edinburgh schools.)

When must I accept the offer?

We will normally ask you to accept a place within three weeks of the offer being made. With your letter of offer, we will send the appropriate Acceptance Form, together with our Terms & Conditions of Entry, and a copy of our School Policies Booklet.

Waiting Lists

If applications to the school are oversubscribed, then a waiting list may be operated. Parents who wish their son’s name to be placed on the waiting list should complete a Registration Form and pay the Registration Fee, after which their son may sit entrance assessments. If places become available before the start of an academic year, then these will be offered on the basis of academic ability. Since the school is primarily a boarding school, priority will also be given to boarding applicants.

Entry on behalf of younger brothers

The school will do all it can to ensure that places are available for younger brothers of current pupils. However, parents are advised to make early reservations of places to assist the school, and to ensure that a place can be made available, subject to entrance assessments and satisfactory school report.

Deferred entry

In some cases, pupils may be assessed for entry and a deferred place offered. Deferment may be for a period of 1 year without further assessment. Thereafter, re-assessment is recommended to ensure correct placing in class sets.