A list of our 13+ future schools is available at https://www.newcollegeschool.org/destination-schools

There are many ways in which New College School boys are prepared for their short-term and long-term futures. We passionately believe that at thirteen all pupils should be placed in senior schools that will suit their personalities and at which they will flourish. To this end, we keep open a healthy dialogue between parents, senior schools and ourselves, about which schools will best suit which pupils. In the longer-term, we aim to equip our boys with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive at secondary school, university and beyond, balancing their academic progress with their wellbeing and engagement in a number of non-academic activities. 

Some senior schools require prospective pupils to sit a pre-test, usually in Years 6 or 7, either as part of a full prospective cohort on a set day each year, or on an individual ad hoc basis. These pre-tests are designed to assess the suitability of each candidate for the kind of education offered in each senior school. Senior schools are quite clear that it is considered detrimental if candidates are over-tutored for these tests because it could lead to a pupil entering a school at which they later find it difficult to cope. This could have a fundamental effect upon boys' progress and wellbeing in their teenage years.

Thus, preparing pupils for these tests is a careful professional balance. At NCS we believe in making sure our boys are familiar and comfortable with the kinds of assessment present in pre-tests. We ensure that the boys are prepared first and foremost in the sense that they are familiar with the kinds of challenges they will face. As they progress through the School, the boys practise verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests as well specific past papers as part of their normal English and Mathematics curriculum. As pre-tests approach, preps become focused more immediately on their demands. Pupils will also have opportunities for practice interviews with senior members of staff.

To see in more detail how we prepare our pupils for pre-tests please go to:

 https://www.newcollegeschool.org/page/?title=Future+Schools&pid=104

In Years 7 and 8, NCS boys work towards the Pre-Senior Baccalaureate (PSB). The PSB has academic rigour at its core, with final Year 8 exams (in English, Maths, Science, French, History, Geography, RSP, Latin, Coding and optional Greek) set and marked in-house, with standards moderated where necessary by our senior schools and annual meetings with other PSB schools. In Music, Art and DT, the boys' work is assessed, where appropriate, through classwork, coursework or portfolio. The curriculum content embraces the fundamental elements of the National Curriculum and the best parts of alternative curricula like Common Entrance, while providing NCS teachers and pupils with the flexibility to innovate and develop creative, engaging and forward-looking curriculum content. 

The PSB is centred on a skills grid, which encourages NCS boys to think about their personal development in a number of different areas, both inside and outside the classroom. It promotes vital skills in independent learning, the appropriate use of ICT, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and leadership. The PSB centres on a Record of Achievement (RoA) that is updated throughout Years 7 and 8, on which all areas of school life are represented. This RoA enables pupils’ grades and achievements, across the whole curriculum, to be kept on file, and shared at any time with their future schools. The RoA also tracks standardised scores, additional achievements, and pupils’ developments in a variety of different skills that are frequently monitored by the boys themselves and their form tutors. Boys in the Year 8 scholarship form (8S) also complete the PSB, with their scholarship exam grades contributing to the final grades on their RoA, alongside summer assessments in subjects not taken in the scholarship exams.

The senior schools to which NCS sends pupils are very enthusiastic about NCS boys completing the PSB, as we provide them with pupils who have experienced a rigorous, adventurous and creative curriculum. Through the RoA, they also receive a comprehensive and rounded picture of their future pupils. A small number of senior schools, while recognising the value of the PSB, for parity with other prep schools wish to maintain their own Year 8 assessment in core subjects such as English and Maths. Under the PSB the main subjects still follow the core subject content assessed in these separate papers. NCS boys are fully prepared on a case-by-case basis for any assessment that may come up.

In Year 8, if boys show especially good academic achievement, they are encouraged to sit academic scholarships to senior schools and there is a scholarship class designed to facilitate the individual teaching needed. In addition, boys may sit Art, Music, Drama, Sport or All-Rounder Scholarships if appropriate and our teachers ensure that boys receive extra support and time to build up portfolios and notebooks or receive additional coaching and tuition. Each senior school has slightly different scholarship procedures, but all are designed to test a high level of skill and knowledge, creativity of thought and genuine intellectual curiosity or outstanding achievement in a chosen discipline.

Communication, teamwork and resilience are key skills that will help pupils flourish in later life and in whichever career path they choose. These skills are actively nurtured in all year groups at NCS, in day to day interactions and through our carefully structured rewards system. As pupils enter Year 7 & 8 we take a more formal look at the many pathways open to them after secondary school. We want them to understand the range of opportunities available and to consider areas of possible interest. To support this we arrange regular career talks where pupils hear from individuals across a range of professions and vocations, and where pupils can ask questions in a relaxed environment. As part of our Wellbeing curriculum, pupils complete self-assessment tools to analyse their current skillset and consider those they may like to develop. Additionally, pupils are taught about “soft skills” and transferrable skills and their importance both in their personal life and their later professional life. These lessons are designed to encourage the boys to reflect on concepts such as purpose and fulfilment in conjunction with financial sustainability. At NCS we aim to inspire our pupils to think about their futures, whilst equipping them with an understanding of the varied and rapidly evolving world of work.