Year 7

All you need to do is register your son to sit the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) which you can do via this website. The online registration form will be open from 1 May 2023 to 4 August 2023. Your son will then be invited to sit the SET on Tuesday 12 September 2023.

In the week following the SET test, you will receive an outcome email. If your son passes the SET for Wilson’s School the outcome email will contain instructions on how to register your son to participate in the Music and/or Sport Aptitude test.

All those that register their son for an aptitude test will receive further information by email about date, arrival time and the arrangements for the session. Arrangements can be put in place if your son wishes to participate in both the Music and Sport Aptitude tests.

The date of the Music and Sport Aptitude Tests for September 2024 entry is Saturday, 7 October 2023.

The aptitude tests will take place on Saturday, 7 October 2022. Arrangements can be put in place if your son wishes to participate in both tests.

Aptitude tests assess the potential of the participant to develop ability in the relevant skill: music (any instrument or voice) or sport (specifically football). It is not a test of ability and a participant does not have to have reached any particular level or grade or have any particular past experience in order to succeed.

For the Music Aptitude Test participants will be given various tasks to complete. Participants are not required to have received formal music training or have accomplished a certain grade level. No part of the Music Aptitude Test requires any familiarity with music theory or other previous musical knowledge.

The Sport Aptitude Test is designed to test for sporting aptitude with a particular focus on the sport of football in order to identify students with particular promise in football. The content of the test does not assume any particular existing proficiency and scores are awarded for demonstration of attributes that indicate a candidate may have what it takes to become a first rate footballer.

There is more information about each of the areas of aptitude under the Football Programme and the Music Programme headings on this website. As these are tests of aptitude, not ability, no particular or specific preparation is required.

When all participants have completed the tests their scores will be processed in order to produce a rank order of applicants for the Music Aptitude places and for the Sport Aptitude places. In each case a benchmark threshold will be applied. All those participants whose score is above the respective benchmark threshold will have passed the relevant aptitude test.

You will be sent an outcome email following the aptitude test. If your son has passed an aptitude test it means that he is eligible to be considered for one of the 9 Music / 9 Sport aptitude priority places, provided that your son also passes the second stage entrance exam for Wilson’s School. If your son passes an aptitude test and the second stage entrance exam it does not mean that he is guaranteed a place at Wilson’s School because more children will have passed the tests than the number of available places. If he is not offered a place on national offer day his name will be held on the waiting list for each category of place he is eligible for.

If your son has not passed the aptitude test that he participated in he may still be eligible to be considered for a place at Wilson’s School if he passes the second stage entrance exam for Wilson’s School.

We will not provide any further information about your son’s performance in the aptitude tests.

We are not able to give the details of individuals’ performance on the day. The scores are recorded for the purpose of administering the aptitude tests only. You will be told whether (or not) your son has met the required threshold to be eligible to be considered for one of the aptitude places in Sport or Music as the case may be.

No. As with the entrance examination we do not believe that it is helpful for the wellbeing of the pupils that may be joining us in September to be given this information. We want all those that start with us in Year 7 to be on an even footing without feeling over or under confident in their starting in relation to their peers.

Yes, in order to gain one of our aptitude places at Wilson’s School a candidate will need to have passed the Selective Eligibility Test and the second stage entrance examination as well as the relevant aptitude test. If your son passes an aptitude test and the second stage entrance exam it does not mean that he is guaranteed a place at Wilson’s School because more children will have passed the tests than the number of available places. If he is not offered a place on national offer day his name will be held on the waiting list for each category of place he is eligible for.

To be considered for an aptitude place, candidates must have achieved at least the pass mark in the academic tests as well as the pass mark for the aptitude place.

When places to be offered for Wilson’s School are being sorted ready for national offer day the aptitude places are allocated before the places based on performance in the entrance examinations. The aptitude places at Wilson’s School are allocated by reference to the rank order of performance in the aptitude test, rather than the rank order performance of the candidates in the academic tests. This means that your son can gain a place by doing well in the aptitude test even though they may not be one of the higher performing candidates in the academic tests.

The remainder of the places at Wilson’ School are allocated to candidates by reference to the rank order of performance in the academic test.

There is one aptitude test opportunity for the sports (football) places and one for the music aptitude places. The tests will be held in the autumn term, although each may be organised across a number of sessions depending on the numbers.

If your son gains a place in Year 7 at Wilson’s School but not as a Music Scholar or Football Scholar he will still be given an enormous range of opportunities to play and enjoy football and music during his school career.

Unfortunately we are not able to offer an alternative day for either the Sport or the Music aptitude tests under any circumstances. This means that if your child is not well enough to participate on the test day then he will not be able to be considered for an aptitude place. Please remember that there are only a very limited number of aptitude places and that if your son has passed the entrance examinations then he will of course be considered for a place under the admission criterion based on rank order performance in the entrance tests.

For the Sport Aptitude Test
Please make sure that your son wears the following in order to take part in the Aptitude Test safely:

• Sports/football top
• Football shorts
• Football socks
• Trainers

If the weather is cold or wet then your son may wear a sports tracksuit top or rain jacket as appropriate.
 
Please make sure that your son brings the following in order to take part in the Aptitude Test safely:

• Slip in shin pads
• Trainers suitable for indoor use
• Moulded/metal stud football boots or astro turf trainers for outdoor use

 
Since the aptitude day is in October we would expect the ground to be soft and so the appropriate footwear should be worn. He will also need to bring with him a snack and a bottle of water.  Long hair must be tied back.  If necessary, please make sure that he brings with him any medication he might require.  This must be clearly labelled with his name.  He must not bring any other valuables with him.

For the Music Aptitude Test

• For the Aural Perception Test your child will need to bring a pencil and a rubber with him.
• For the Musical Communication section of the tests a five minute slot is provided in order that things don’t feel rushed, but your child’s performance time should be around two minutes. He will be able to warm up a little in the room first. Your child may only play one piece. You cannot bring your own accompanist. The assessor will be able to accompany your child if he brings the accompaniment. A piano will be available and an acoustic and an electronic drum kit will be set up but other than that candidates are expected to provide their own instrument from home including if your child is to play the electric keyboard. Please ensure that your stringed instrument is tuned prior to your test appointment and check that all strings are present. It will not be possible to provide strings or reeds if these are broken. Amps and music stands will be provided. Backing tracks can be brought in on CD, MP3, USB and mobile phones. Please ensure that the track required is clearly specified and if possible when using a CD, is the only track on the CD to avoid confusion.
• If necessary please make sure your son brings any medication he might require with him. He may also bring a bottle of water.