Admissions Policy

2. Key principles and values
Imperial Maths School's admission policy will be:
• clear, fair, and transparent;
• designed to identify students based on both their current attainment and their potential to develop into successful mathematicians;
• based on valid and reliable assessment taking into consideration the individual needs of applicants; and
• designed to remove barriers and so maximise equality for all applicants irrespective of their background.

Imperial Maths School will provide information which enables students, parents, and carers make an informed decision about the suitability of Imperial Maths School to a student’s individual needs. This information will also include the planned admission numbers, the minimum academic requirements for entry, and how places will be allocated if the school is oversubscribed. It will also include details of how the school will operate its waiting list.

3. Planned admissions number and capacity
In August 2026, up to 70 students will be admitted to Year 12. In August/September 2026 no students will be admitted into Year 13.

In future years, the number of students admitted into Year 12 will increase once the permanent buildings are completed. Except in exceptional circumstances, it is not expected that Imperial Maths School will admit pupils into Year 13 even once the permanent buildings are complete.

Applicants will normally be in Year 11 and have their sixteenth birthday during the academic year in which they apply. Interested applicants who fall outside this criterion should contact the school using the school's online admissions query form or by contacting admissions@imperialmathsschool.ac.uk

4. Minimum study programme
All students will enrol on a programme of study comprising a minimum of 580 planning hours per year. All students will study Mathematics and Further Mathematics A Level, at least one of Chemistry or Physics A Level, and a bespoke programme of super-curricular, extra-curricular and tutorial and pastoral teaching.

5. Minimum entry requirements
Imperial Maths School offers a challenging, academically rigorous curriculum. The entry requirements reflect the minimum required for students to effectively engage with both the A level content, the mathematical stretch programme, and the additional super-curriculum which is compulsory for all students.

It is important to note that prospective students will be offered places on a conditional basis until they receive their GCSE results. Conditional offers may be set at a higher level than the standards listed below.

For conditional offers to be confirmed once GCSE results are known, students will be expected to have achieved each of the following four criteria in their examinations*:

Criteria	Requirement
Criterion 1	Grade 8 or 9 in GCSE Mathematics
Criterion 2a (for students applying for Physics A Level)	Grade 7 or above in GCSE Physics or grade 7 7 or above in GCSE Combined Science
Criterion 2b (for students applying for Chemistry A Level)	Grade 7 or above in GCSE Chemistry or grade 7 7 or above in GCSE Combined Science
Criterion 3	Grade 5 or above in GCSE English Language or Literature **
Criterion 4a (for students applying to study three A Levels)	An average of grade 7 or greater, calculated for the best six GCSEs (which may include those listed above)***
Criterion 4b (for students applying to study four A Levels)	An average GCSE grade of 7.5 or greater, calculated from the best eight GCSEs, including English and Maths. If applying for a fourth A Level at Woodhouse College (neither Physics nor Chemistry), applicants must also achieve the minimum criteria for the chosen course as outlined in the Woodhouse admissions criteria, which can be found here: Year 12 Entry Criteria.

* In highly rare and exceptional circumstances, Imperial Maths School retains the discretion to take into account exceptional circumstances that materially affect an individual’s results. Applicants who believe that such circumstances may apply to them must apply for special consideration to the relevant examination board for their GCSE examinations, and also inform Imperial Maths School of the details of these circumstances in writing by emailing admissions@imperialmathsschool.ac.uk by no later than the end of June 2025.

** In highly rare and exceptional circumstances, Imperial Maths School retains the discretion to amend this if appropriate to the home language and personal circumstances of the individual, but Imperial Maths School will not have the ability to provide any tuition or support for English language capability.

*** Please note that International GCSEs are accepted, but the Level 2 Certificate in Further Mathematics and the FMSQ in Additional Mathematics are not accepted.

Interested applicants who are offering alternative qualifications should contact the school directly before applying for further information. Applicants who have already achieved qualifications which are compulsory at Imperial Maths School will be assessed on an individual basis in the light of their potential to benefit from a specialist school with a prescribed curriculum.

6.1. Stage 1: Submit an Application Form

6.1.1. The application form will require details of any particular arrangements which will need to be accommodated during the application process, including any access arrangements.

6.1.2. The application form will require details of a teacher at the applicant’s current school who can provide a reference about the applicant’s suitability for the Imperial Maths School curriculum, their predicted grades, their record of punctuality and attendance, and can verify information provided by the applicant in the application form. Home-educated applicants should choose as their referee a tutor or other individual who can confirm the applicant’s academic suitability.
6.1.3. Any applicants whose application indicates they do not meet the criteria for admissions will not be progressed further.

6.1.4. Remaining applicants will be assessed, scored, and progressed to Stage 2 of the process.

6.2. Stage 2: The Imperial Maths School Admissions Test
Applicants that submit successful applications will be invited to sit the Imperial Maths School Admissions Test. 

6.2.1. The Imperial Maths School Admissions Test is designed to test students’ algebraic fluency, mathematical problem-solving skills and potential for abstract mathematical thinking.
6.2.2. The admissions test will not require knowledge of material beyond that taught for GCSE mathematics.
6.2.3. Specimen questions similar to those in the Admissions Test are available on the school's website.
6.2.4. The Admissions Test score will be combined with the assessment of the application to create a ‘pre-interview’ score for each candidate.
6.2.5. All candidates whose ‘pre-interview’ score is above a given threshold for this particular admissions cycle will be invited to interview.
6.2.6. Students will not normally be informed of their test score but may request their mark as part of the admission process feedback. Applicants who believe there has been an error in the marking of the Admissions Test may request a mark review, in which case the application of the mark scheme will be reviewed. If appropriate, the candidate’s ‘pre-interview’ score (see 5.2.4) will be updated and the application decision reviewed.

6.2.7. Students who believe that exceptional circumstances may affect their performance in the admissions test must inform Imperial Maths School of these circumstances in writing by emailing admissions@imperialmathsschool.ac.uk in advance of the sitting of the admissions test.

6.3. Stage 3: The interview
Those applicants that meet the threshold will be invited to an interview. The interview will consist of two parts: a mathematics interview, and a personal interview.

6.3.1. The mathematics interview will be used to assess further the applicant’s mathematical skill and understanding, and to determine how well the applicant can learn and apply a mathematical technique when guided by an Imperial Maths School teacher.
6.3.2. The personal interview will explore the applicant’s aspirations concerning their career and future applications of their mathematical knowledge; their suitability for the school; their likelihood of benefitting from small, specialist educational provision; aspects of their biography; and will support the assessment of how much value the school may add to the applicant in terms of having an impact on their attainment and progress.
6.3.3. Applicants will be assigned two scores at interview.

6.3.3.1. A score based on the further assessment of mathematical skill and understanding and how well they learnt a mathematical technique when guided by an Imperial Maths School teacher;

6.3.3.2. A score representing their fit with the school's vision and values and how they will benefit from the school's learning and teaching environment.

The two interview scores are combined with the assessment of the application to create an “interview score”. The pre-interview score and the interview score are combined to form an overall Total Score.

6.4. Stage 4: Admissions Panel Decision

6.4.1. The Admissions Panel is responsible for determining which candidates receive offers, which are declined, and which are placed on the waiting list.
6.4.2. Applicants are ranked by the Total Score.
6.4.3. Two thresholds are identified based on the number of places available: an automatic offer score and a lowest offer score.
6.4.4. Those applicants scoring the automatic offer score or above are allocated to group A. Those scoring below the automatic offer score but also scoring the lowest offer score or above are allocated to group B. Those below the lowest offer score are allocated to group C.
6.4.5. Applicants in group A are made a conditional offer, subject to receipt of a satisfactory school reference and confirmation from the SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator) that any adjustment required by an applicant with an identified special educational need or disability is reasonable and compatible with the efficient resources and/or efficient education of others, in line with the SEND Code of Practice 2015.
6.4.6. Applicants in group C are not progressed.
6.4.7. All applicants in group B with an EHCP or LAC status are made a conditional offer, subject to receipt of a satisfactory school reference and confirmation from the SENDCo that any adjustment required by an applicant with an identified special educational need or disability is reasonable and compatible with the efficient resources and/or efficient education of others, in line with the SEN Code of Practice 2015.
6.4.8. All other applicants in group B are considered individually by the Admissions Panel. The panel will review the information contained in the application, personal statement and the teacher reference of the remaining applicants to assess the suitability of the applicant based on contextual information, and will award a reference score, taking an integer value from 0 to 10. This will then be reviewed by a further member of the panel not involved in stage 1, 2 and 3. Remaining applicants will be ranked by this score.
6.4.9. Two further thresholds are identified based on the number of places available. Applicants whose reference score is above the upper threshold will be made a conditional offer (subject to the same two conditions listed above), and those below the lower threshold hold are not progressed, and remaining applicants are placed on the waiting list.6.4.10. The conditional offer will take one of the following possible forms
6.4.10. Conditional offers must be accepted with 10 working days of receipt. If an offer is not accepted within this timeframe, then the offer will be withdrawn.

6.4.10.1. Applicants who have applied to study three A levels at Imperial Maths School will receive a conditional offer to study three A levels at Imperial Maths School. The condition of the offer will normally be meeting the entry requirements outlined in section 5.

6.4.10.2 Applicants who have applied to study four A levels at Imperial Maths School will receive a conditional offer to study either three or four A levels at Imperial Maths School. If an applicant has applied to study four A levels but the information in the application indicates that the applicant is unlikely to meet the minimum entry requirements for four A levels, they may be made a conditional offer to study three A levels only.

6.4.10.3 Applicants who have applied to study three A levels at Imperial Maths School and an additional A level at Woodhouse College are also expected to meet the attainment profile of Woodhouse College applicants for their chosen Woodhouse College subject. Applicants who have applied for a fourth A level at Woodhouse College will either receive:

6.4.10.3.1. A conditional offer to study all four A levels.

6.4.10.3.2. A conditional offer to study three A levels at Imperial Maths School and placed on the waiting list for their Woodhouse College A level subject.

6.4.11. Offers may be withdrawn by the school if it becomes apparent that an applicant, prior to enrolling at Imperial Maths School, submitted an application that was not factually correct, or if the applicant is not eligible for a place for some other reason.
6.4.12. When applicants are ranked, any applicants with an identical score will be ranked first by their pupil premium status, with those eligible for pupil premium funding ranking higher, and then according to the straight-line distance of their home postcode from the school, with the nearest ranking higher. In the event there is still a tie, the ranking will be determined by random allocation.

7. Waiting list
7.1. The Total Score is used to order candidates on the waiting list.
7.2. Late applicants may be added to the waiting list if they meet the entrance criteria for that year’s recruitment round (see 10).
7.3. Conditional offers may be made to those who are on the waiting list in the following instances:

7.3.1. following the offer acceptance deadline (and the deadline for any places subsequently conditionally offered) and until GCSE results publication, any places that have not been accepted may be offered to the next student on the waiting list;
7.3.2. should a current offer holder withdraw, or be withdrawn for any reason;
7.3.3. in the week following GCSE results publication, should places at the school become available (for example because current offer holders do not meet the terms of their conditional offers);
7.3.4. at any point up to 1 October 2026, should additional places at the school become available for any reason.

7.4 In the event conditional offers are made to applicants on the waiting list, offers will be made in order of their reference score (see 6.4.8).
7.5 In the event that the reference score is equal, applicants will be ranked according to their total score, and subsequently by the criteria outlined in 6.4.12.
8. Enrolment
8.1. Offer holders that meet their conditional offer are expected to enrol at Imperial Maths School on GCSE results day. Specific details of the enrolment process will be communicated with offer holders in advance of receiving their GCSE results.
8.2. On enrolling at Imperial Maths School, offer-holders will be advised on their curriculum options. All students are enrolled to study Mathematics and Further Mathematics A Levels, and all students will study at least one of Physics and Chemistry A Levels. Co-ordinated timetabling and the proximity of Imperial Maths School to Woodhouse College will allow students to choose a fourth A level subject from the broader Woodhouse curriculum, which should be chosen at the time of application. The availability of other A level subjects at Woodhouse College will be subject to timetabling and capacity constraints. Applicants who have conditional offers to study four A levels, but do not meet the conditions of their offer, may be provided with an adjusted offer to study three A levels.

9. Additional admissions cycles
In any year where there is more than one admissions cycle prior to GCSE results day, the same processes will be applied, and the same scoring systems will be used to rank candidates.

10. Late applications
10.1 Applicants who miss the application window(s) prior to GCSE results day may submit a late application. They should express an interest in making a late application via email which should be submitted via email to admissions@imperialmathsschool.ac.uk between 9am on GCSE results day and 11am on the day following GCSE results day, and should include evidence of GCSE results and a contact telephone number.
10.2 This expression of interest is open to those who did not submit an application in the initial cycle(s), or applicants whose application was declined in a previous admissions cycle.
10.3 Late applications will only be considered if additional places are available and once all students on the waiting list have been made offers.
10.4 In the event that late applications are considered, the applications of any late applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements will be declined.
10.5 If a late applicant has previously sat the admissions test, and their score was lower than the lowest score of a candidate who was made a conditional offer or placed on the waiting list in a previous admissions cycle, then their application will be declined.
10.6 All other late applicants will be ranked by their average GCSE grade from their best six subjects.
10.7 A number N of applications to be considered will be determined based on the number of spaces at the school available, and the top N ranked late applicants will be invited to a Late Applicant Day which will take place during the week following GCSE results day.
10.8 Applicants invited to the Late Applicant Day will be required to either: (a) conduct an interview if they have previously sat the admissions test; or (b) sit an admissions test and conduct an interview if they have not previously sat the admissions test.
10.9 The same scoring system described in section 6 will be used to rank candidates who attend the Late Applicant Day to give each late applicant a Late Applicant Rank.
10.10 Two thresholds are determined and late applicants above the greater threshold are made an offer. The applications of those below the lower threshold are declined. Remaining late applicants are placed on the Late Applicant Waiting List.
10.11 The offer will take one of the following forms:

10.11.1 Late applicants who have applied to study three A levels at Imperial Maths School will be offered a place to study three A levels.
10.11.2 Late applicants who have applied to study four A levels at Imperial Maths School will be offered a place to study four A levels provided that they meet the minimum entry requirements. If they do not meet the minimum entry requirements for studying four A levels then they may be made an offer to study three A levels.
10.11.3 Late applicants who have applied to study a fourth A level at Woodhouse College will be offered a place to study three A levels at Imperial Maths School, and placed on the waiting list for their Woodhouse College A level subject.

10.12 If further places at the school become available, applicants on the Late Applicant Waiting List will be made offers according to their Late Applicant Rank.
10.13.1 In the event that spaces at the school remain after this process, the same process will be repeated. The window of application for this will be advertised on the Imperial Maths School website.
10.13.2 Candidates who have previously made a late application are not able to make a second late application.
10.14 Sanctuary applications may be considered after the closing date, such as for persons displaced by war. These applications will be considered separately from the process outlined in 10.1 to 10.13. If places are granted after this extraordinary process, they will be additional to the published admissions number.

11. Appeals
Applicants who are not offered a place through this process have a right to appeal against the decision. Details of the admissions appeal procedure, including grounds on which appeals may be lodged, are detailed in the Imperial Maths School Admissions Appeals Policy (appendix A), available on the school website. Admissions Appeals Policy
12. Equality and diversity
12.1. Imperial Maths School will, in operating its admission arrangements, do everything it reasonably can to remove barriers to equality of opportunity and enable every student to perform to the best of their ability. In making admissions decisions, Imperial Maths School will implement a process which is fair and free from discrimination.
12.2. Imperial Maths School is keen to encourage applications from all students who feel that the educational provision Imperial Maths School offers is suitable for them. If an applicant has a disability or an Education, Health, and Care Plan, they are encouraged to make an application if they meet the admissions criteria. Imperial Maths School will make all reasonable adjustments needed to avoid substantial disadvantage to any applicant during all stages of the admissions process.

13. Application timetable
Specific dates will be published each year on the school website. The table below shows the outline timeline for any admissions cycle.

Timeline	Activity or Action
September 2025	Admission arrangements published. Application form opens for entry on the school website.
September-November 2025	Open Evenings and Taster Days for prospective applicants and their parents/carers to find out more about the school. Details are available on the Imperial Maths School website in the application section. Attendance at Open Evenings and Taster Days is not required for applicants; nor does it confer any advantage to applicants in the offer decision process. Spaces on Open Evenings and Taster Days may have limited capacity.
Early January 2026	Application deadline for main admission cycle.
Mid-January 2026	Imperial Maths School Admissions Test.
February 2026	Interviews.
March-April 2026	Conditional offers made.
August 2026 (GCSE results day)	Offers are confirmed and students are enrolled. If places are available, the late application window opens.

14. Policy use
Please ensure you are using the latest version of this policy, which is available on the Imperial Maths School website. This version relates to the 2026 admissions cycle (students starting study at Imperial Maths School in August 2026). This policy will be reviewed annually and an amended policy for the following September will be published on the Imperial Maths School website before the end of the preceding September (ie. The policy for the 2027 admissions cycle will be published in or before the end of September 2026). The policy will remain on the Imperial Maths School website through the year.

Action	Individual/Group	Date
Created	Imperial Maths School Admissions and curriculum Group	August 2021
Ratified	Imperial Maths School Steering Group	August 2022
Approved (2023 cycle)	Imperial Maths School LGB	September 2022
Reviewed and approved for 2024 cycle	Imperial Maths School LGB	April 2023
Reviewed and approved for 2025 cycle	Imperial Maths School LGB	June 2024
Reviewed and approved for 2026 cycle	Imperial Maths School LGB	May 2025