Annual Open Afternoon

Thursday 16 July 2026, 2:00 – 4:45 pm
(Last tour commences at 4:45 pm)

• Prospective parents and children are welcome.

• Meet staff and students and explore the wide range of opportunities on offer.

• The Head will speak at several points during the afternoon.

School in Action Tours

Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 October 2026

• Prospective parents and children are welcome.

• Arrival: 9:00 am; tours depart 9:15–9:30 am, lasting approximately 45 minutes.

• No tours available after 9:30 am.

• Walk around the school during a normal school day.

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Visiting Guidelines (applies to both events)

• Booking is not required.

• Admission information will be available; past papers may be purchased.

• Parking: None on site. Please use public transport if possible. If driving, park considerately and do not block roads, pavements, or driveways.

• Individual visits cannot be arranged.

 

2 March 2026 – National Allocation Day.  Your home Local Authority will inform you of the school you have been allocated.

 

3 March 2026 – DAOS will send an email to all applicants who have been allocated a place at our school and also those applicants remaining on our Continuing Interest list (those with DAOS as a higher preference than the school they have been offered).

 

9 March 2026 – last day for parents to accept or decline their allocated school place.

 

26-27 March 2026 – First round of Continuing Interest. Further allocation emails sent from home Local Authorities to parents. 

 

30 April – 1 May – Second round of Continuing Interest. Further allocation emails sent from home Local Authorities to parents.

 

27 March 2026  (4 pm) – Deadline for submission of secondary transfer appeals

 

 

9 July 2026 – Herts secondary school transition day – our new Year 7s will visit for the day.

 

24 July 2026 – Parents/carers who wish to remain on the Continuing Interest list will need to confirm they are still interested in a place – more information can be found here

 

24-28 August 2026 – Optional  Summer transition sports camp (proposed date). Please note this activity is run by Team Infinity- an external company,  although there is some crossover with Dame Alice Owen’s School staff.

 

29 April 2026 – Test Registration Opens

• Registration opens for Secondary Transfer 2027.

• Only children living within a Local Priority Areas are eligible to sit our tests and be considered under Academic and Music Test criteria.

• Please check eligibility carefully before registering.

10 June 2026 – Test Registration Closes

• Late registrations are not accepted under any circumstances.

25 June 2026 – Test Information issued

• All applicants who completed on-time registration will receive their Academic/Music test details via email.

1 September 2026 – Entrance Exam Part I

• Verbal Reasoning and Round 1 Musical Aptitude Test.

• Applicants sitting both tests will sit the Verbal Reasoning test first, followed by the 20-minute Musical Aptitude test.

18 September 2026, 5pm – Round 1 Results

• Results of the Verbal Reasoning and Round 1 Musical Aptitude Tests emailed to applicants.

26 September 2026 – Entrance Exam Part II

• English and Maths tests.

28 September – 1 October 2026 – Round 2 Musical Aptitude Tests

13, 14, 15 October – School In Action Tours – 9 am – see above for more information

23 October 2026 – Round 2 Results

• Results of English, Maths, and Round 2 Musical Aptitude Tests emailed.

31 October 2026 – Common Application Form (CAF) deadline

• Year 6 parents must submit their CAF to their home Local Authority by this date.

1 March 2027 – National Allocation Day

• Your Local Authority will inform you of the school allocated to your child.

3 March 2027 – DAOS Allocation Notification

• DAOS will email:

  • Applicants who have been allocated a place, and

  • Applicants on the Continuing Interest list who listed DAOS higher on their CAF than the school offered by their Local Authority.