JAGS 4 Plus Preparation
The JAGS 4 Plus assessment is a key entry stage for the school. They typically take 36 girls in a two form entry. The assessments are rigorous and highly competitive. The girls, except for exceptional cases, will all progress through to the senior school at the end of Year 6. As such, this is an excellent way to avoid the pressure of the 7+ or the 11+. The 11+ exam will still be taken by the girls but it is then a scholarship exam.
The pre-prep itself has its own building away from the main school. There is a new leadership structure of the Pre-prep this year but we expect very much a continuation of the previous ethos. The two reception teachers are very experienced and create a caring, nurturing environment. There is a charming garden and playground at the back which makes the school feel like a sanctuary. Parents should be aware though that there are advanced plans to move the pre-prep site to a purpose built building adjacent to the main school.
Our JAGS Expertise
Our experienced tutors include Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 teachers and former teachers from the JAGS pre-prep, Finton House, DUCKS and Alleyn’s Junior School. We are well versed in the application process for the JAGS 4 Plus and the other Dulwich Foundation Schools. Some of our tutors were previously staff members at JAGS. Several team members at Hermes also have children at JAGS using the approaches we teach.
Our success rate in the JAGS 4 plus
The JAGS 4 Plus success rates of our 4 Plus programme have soared in recent years with around 13-15 offers per year. Last year in 2024 we had a spectacular result with 13 offers for JAGS – fully one third of all the offers that JAGS made went to our pupils. Typically, the acceptance rate for JAGS is around 18%. Our rate is around 80%.
We have a rule that we only help a maximum of fifteen girls each year for the JAGS 4 Plus assessment. If we helped everyone, we would be helping no one.
What's on the JAGS 4 Plus?
Firstly, all 4+ assessments are not the same. For example, the JAGS 4 Plus has important differences to the Alleyn’s assessments. JAGS has more emphasis on working effectively in a classroom setting than in the Alleyn’s assessment. Alleyn’s, by contrast has historically had gross motor skill test which are not a feature of the JAGS test and a much stronger involvement on 1-2-1 academic type testing. We can help prepare your child for both if you book here.
Our JAGS 4 Plus Preparation
We start with an assessment of where your child is, based on our knowledge of what the JAGS 4 Plus are looking for in successful applicants. We do this through a review of the nursery report; academic tests conducted in conjunction with Cambridge and Oxford Universities by our teachers; and full mock assessment with a 4+ specialist teacher which replicates the Highgate approach.
We will then give you detailed feedback on your child’s performance. We tell you what exercises you should expect and what they are looking for with each exercise. In short, we will give you the inside track on the day. We tell you how your child did and give you some exercises you can do with each exercise to assist her to give of her best on the day. We will be open and honest with you and tell you if we believe your child is on track for a positive assessment.
We then work with you over five different sessions to help prepare your child. Some of these sessions are with just the child and some with the parents in the room. We see ourselves as helping coach and support parents to help their child pass the 4+. We use a range of experts for this, including teachers, teaching assistants, registrars and play specialists – all the people involved in the assessment.
As the programme progresses we do further mock assessment. This can be either an individual assessment or a group based assessment as appropriate. We generally have to do more group activities with children for JAGS than with other schools.
Programme Pricing and Booking
Our core Preparation and Assessment Programme is £2,000. This includes an initial behavioural assessment, two academic assessment sessions, five coaching sessions, and parental coaching webinars.
Being realistic, a competitive JAGS 4 Plus application is challenging and most parents spend around £3,000 – £4,000 with us to be confident that their child is in a good place for success. This would include behavioural sessions, some phonics and numeracy classes, group activities and mock assessments. However, each child is different and has their own journey.
If you are unsure but want to reserve a slot with us, you can register for £100 and we will make sure you are in our cohort. After you have booked, our course manager will be in touch to book you in for your first assessment dates.