Strong Head’s Recommendation Results Across King Edward VI Preparatory Schools
King Edward VI Senior School is pleased to announce that 74% of Year 6 pupils from its two preparatory schools, KES Prep and Prince’s Mead, were awarded Head’s Recommendations for entry into Year 7 this coming September.
This year is particularly significant as it marks the first cohort to include pupils from Prince’s Mead, which officially joined our community in September 2025. Alongside pupils from KES Prep, Prince’s Mead families have now experienced the Head’s Recommendation pathway for the first time.
Now in its fourth year, the Head’s Recommendation has become an established and trusted route into King Edward VI Senior School. The process recognises sustained academic progress, personal development and readiness for senior school, offering a holistic alternative to reliance on a single examination sitting.
Parents at Prince’s Mead have spoken positively about their first experience of the process, highlighting the reassurance it brought at a key transition point. Many described the route as significantly reducing anxiety, particularly in comparison with more traditional entrance exam pathways. The opportunity for children to be assessed over time, in a familiar and supportive environment, was seen as a major benefit.
One parent reflected that the process was “considerably less stressful, knowing that they had secured a place” and “a hugely positive experience”. While those parents who had experienced older children taking entrance examinations in previous years, said that it had ‘helped [their child] relax in a familiar environment and give their best performance on the day’ and that their child was ‘appropriately nervous because they wanted to do well but far less nervous than they might otherwise have been.’
By easing the pressure associated with one‑off exam results, the Head’s Recommendation also allows pupils to make the most of their final year at Prep School. Prince’s Mead parents commented on how this enabled their children to ‘enjoy all the extracurricular activities without the guilt’, being ‘free to concentrate on learning rather than simply passing an exam’, and ‘enjoy their last Prep School Christmas, with all the magic that entails at this age.’
Head Neal Parker commented:
“We are delighted with the success of the Head’s Recommendation, particularly as we welcome our first group of pupils from Prince’s Mead this September, following the merger in September 2025, and we continue to build on the route’s success at KES Prep. The process reflects our shared educational values across both preparatory schools, recognising not only academic ability but also character, curiosity and readiness to thrive at senior school. The positive feedback from families new to the pathway has been extremely encouraging.”
The success of the Head’s Recommendation route reflects the close partnership between King Edward VI Senior School and its preparatory schools, and a shared commitment to supporting pupils through a smooth, confident transition to the next stage of their education. Parents of Year 5 pupils at KES Prep and Prince’s Mead, will be finding out the outcome of their Head’s Recommendation in just a few weeks’ time.
You can find out more about our preparatory schools on their respective websites:
