Application Information

Please refer to our comprehensive FAQs before contacting the school with any queries. This will enable our Admissions Office to deal with priority calls – thank you.

For a list of relevant dates, including the next opportunity to visit the school  please visit our  Key Dates page.

Dame Alice Owen’s School is a secondary day school for boys and girls aged 11-18. Originally founded in 1613, we are Voluntary Aided in status and admit children across the ability range. 65 children per year out of the available 200 places, however, are selected according to aptitude and ability as determined by the Governors’ Entrance Examination and an additional 10 places are selected by Music Aptitude tests.

Applications are welcome from parents whose children are likely to make a full and committed contribution to the extra-curricular life of the school, and to benefit from the extensive additional facilities and opportunities provided by the Dame Alice Owen Foundation. Our Governors are legally responsible for admissions to the school, and offers of places are approved by our Governors’ Admissions Committee. Governors are fully committed to maintaining our family focus with the sibling criterion, whilst retaining partial selection and musical aptitude.

Please refer to our  Key Dates for a list of all relevant dates

Applying for a School Place

If you would like to apply for a place at Dame Alice Owen’s School for secondary transfer 2026 (this includes applications under  Children Looked After, Locality, Sibling, Music, Exam, or Staff), please follow the steps below:

1. Read our Admissions Arrangements for Secondary Transfer 2026
   This will help you understand our admissions criteria and rules.

2. Submit your application via your home Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF)
   between 1st September and 31st October 2025.  You must list Dame Alice Owen’s School as one of your preferences on the CAF  in order to be considered for a place.

   Important: The CAF is the only form you need to complete in order to apply. The School does not require any supplementary form.

Academic and Music Test Information

Our Test Registration for entry in 2026 closed on 12th June 2025.  We are therefore unable to accept any further  Test Registration requests.

Test Registration for entry in 2027 will open in May 2026. Exact date to be advised.                                                                          

Further Information

• Our Verbal Reasoning paper is produced by GL Assessment
• Our English and Maths tests are set in-house by our school.
• Familiarisation papers to help your child prepare for our tests are available here

Please note: We are not part of the South West Herts Consortium, our tests are unique to our school.

SECONDARY TRANSFER APPLICATION INFORMATION

The information below provides further information about the School and the Admissions process.

Further CI places will be allocated as and when vacancies occur from 6 May onwards.

• If you wish your child  to continue to be considered for a place, you must confirm your interest by completing an In-Year application for Year 7 through Hertfordshire County Council. Details can also be found here.