The post-11 school move is often considered the most common route into senior school – but the opportunity to join a school like Warwick does not end at Year 7. In fact, every year, a number of boys make the move to Warwick School in Year 9 – and with good reason.

Choosing a school for your son (or daughter) is one of the most important decisions you will make – and although fewer boys change schools at Year 9, there are still plenty of reasons that Year 9 could be the ideal time for your son to make the move to Warwick.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and for some pupils, joining us in Year 9 may be the right choice for them.

We routinely accept pupils from all year groups every year, and Year 9 could be the perfect time for your son to join Warwick School — here’s why…

1. A few extra years of development means that he could be better placed to take the entrance assessment

For some parents and their children, the perceived pressures of sitting the 11+ or entrance assessment for secondary school can cause feelings of unease and a sense of pressure that makes taking this exciting next step less enjoyable.

However, by joining us in Year 9, and by taking the entrance assessment in Year 8 rather than Year 6, boys will have a few more years of maturity, growing up, and academic development under their belt.

As a result, boys at this age be more confident in their ability, feel more emotionally equipped to deal with any perceived assessment pressure, and ultimately, be better placed to perform to the best of their ability.

Coupled with the fact that they will also have had a couple of years in a senior school environment and the increased responsibility, independence, and academic rigour which that environment provides, this entry point may in fact be beneficial for some of our families.

2. Your son can access specialist our specialist teaching and learning in time for their GCSE studies

With Excellence in Teaching and Learning as one of our strategic priorities, we firmly believe that our approach to academic provision is one that perfectly sets our boys up to reach their full potential.

Our specialist teaching staff, who have a proven track record of nurturing our pupils’ academic strengths, along with our first-class facilities and a culture of prosperity, achievement, and celebration that filters throughout all levels of the school, lead to consistently impressive academic results at both GCSE and A Level.

In 2025, for example, over half (54%) of GCSE results were awarded A*/9/8, and over three-quarters (75.6%) were awarded A/7-9 or better. These impressive results also included several boys attaining a ‘perfect’ set of GCSEs, and a further 17 received no grade below an 8.

At A-level, we celebrated our best results in a decade, with 53.7% of grades awarded at A or A* and 81.1% at A*-B. University destinations were equally impressive, with 85% of pupils securing places at Russell Group+ universities.

So, if you want your son to reach his full academic potential and set him up in the best possible way for life beyond school, then welcoming him in Year 9 — just in time for his GCSE studies — is something that we would love to do.

3. Exposing your son to a fresh environment can catalyse his development

We know that the decision parents make around which school to send their son to for Year 7 onwards is a vitally important decision, with several school visits, numerous conversations with Heads, and countless conversations around the dinner table all factoring into the final choice.

However, it isn’t unusual to realise after a couple of years that your son’s current school simply isn’t the right fit. Whether the academic environment doesn’t align with his way of learning, the co-curricular provision doesn’t stimulate his interests, or he simply doesn’t feel valued as an individual, sometimes, a fresh environment is just what he needs.

Numerous pupils make the transition from other schools to Warwick in Year 9, and with the help of our experienced staff and supportive environment, settle in seamlessly. Our approach to boys’ education, which is tailored to the way that they learn best, along with our strategic priority of Knowing the Individual and commitment to providing excellent pastoral care for each and every boy, means that your son will immediately feel part of our community. And, once boys become part of the Warwick School community, no matter when they join us, they are a Warwickian for life.

But it isn’t just the strong sense of pride within our community that empowers our pupils. Rather, it is everything that makes up The Warwick Way — our excellence in teaching and learning, first-class facilities, and numerous opportunities to broaden horizons both in and outside of the classroom.

For those pupils that make the transition to Warwick School, we find that they don’t just settle in, they thrive.

So, whether you want to enrol your son at Warwick School in Year 7, Year 9, or any other entry point, we firmly believe that we are the perfect place for your son to become the best that he can be.

If you are interested in becoming part of the Warwick School community, or have any further questions about making the transition, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly Admissions Team.