St. Anthony’s School for Boys achieves its best senior school results in living memory

St. Anthony’s Year 6 boys have just received a fantastic array of offers from some of the most competitive senior schools in the country. In fact the outcomes are best in living memory. The headline figures for offers are:

• Westminster - 6 (out of 7 applicants)
• St Paul’s - 5 (out of 7 applicants)
• City of London - 8 (including 1 academic scholarship)
• Habs - 5 (including 1 academic scholarship)
• MTS - 16 (including 1 academic scholarship)
• Highgate - 5
• UCS - 10

First and foremost this is down to the hard work and dedication of the boys supported by their excellent teachers. The school’s approach has been to start with clearly explaining the application process to boys and their families, which is initiated at the start of Year 5. Parents are advised to apply for about five or six schools ranging from the super-competitive to others which ensure there are options on the table once the results are published.

The school offers bespoke advice to each family encouraging applications to ambitious institutions whilst keeping an eye on the school that is best suited for each individual. Some boys will thrive in a demanding academic setting whereas others, who may need a little more time to grow, will respond better to a smaller, more nurturing environment.

Outcomes have been particularly impressive because of improvements to academic support and tracking. The new Faculty system, introduced in September 2021, has led to a review of the curriculum from Reception all the way through to Year 8. A number of highly effective teachers have joined St. Anthony’s over the last year or so bringing with them a wealth of classroom experience from leading prep and senior schools. The move to the Faculty system has led to deeper engagement with topics and the opportunity for cross-curricular links, for example between Languages and Humanities, or English and the Creative Arts.

A targeted and coherent approach to what the boys study and how they learn has been the single biggest game-changer. Expectations are high, and coupled with meticulous help in 11+ and 13+ entrance exams has seen a winning formula at the school. The academic curriculum at St. Anthony’s is first-and-foremost a love of learning centred on inquiry-based tasks - which in turn consolidates pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Once these basics are in place the boys are in a position to practise for their tests.

The recently enhanced co-curricular provision has seen a surge of interest in debating and critical thinking clubs, so much so that extra sessions have had to be timetabled to accommodate numbers. Being able to articulate arguments, see different points of view, and assess the credibility of ideas is intellectually satisfying and also excellent preparation for senior school interviews. St. Anthony’s are not flummoxed when presented with a tricky question because questioning (the ‘Socratic’ approach, if you like) frames the school’s teaching and learning ethos. Not being afraid to go wherever the argument leads and the testing of ideas cultivates a mindset that ensures boys are ready to stand on their own two feet and hold their own amongst the brightest and best.

For more information on the senior school results or to book a school tour please visit www.stanthonysprep.org.uk.