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Senior school preparation at Lockers Park

Choosing the right senior school is one of the most important decisions a family will make. For many parents, the process can feel daunting. School choices, application timings, visits and Common Entrance requirements may be unfamiliar, particularly when families are trying to judge where their son will be happiest and do his best.

 

At Lockers Park, senior school preparation is never about preparing boys for one destination. It is about helping each boy move on to the school where he will flourish.

 

From Year 5 onwards, our staff work closely with families to understand every boy’s strengths, interests and aspirations. Together, we shape a personalised pathway that supports academic progress while helping boys remain confident, happy and interested in the opportunities ahead.

 

As an independent boys’ prep school in Hertfordshire, close to Hemel Hempstead, we offer steady guidance throughout the senior school journey. Families are supported at each stage and are never left to work through the process alone.

Senior school outcomes at a glance

Strong results

131 A* and A grades in our most recent Year 8 cohort

Scholarship breadth

Awards in academic, sport, music, drama, art and all-rounder categories

Independent choice

Not a feeder to any one senior school

Where do Lockers Park boys go next?

Boys move on to a broad range of leading schools, with each family supported in finding the setting that best suits their son’s character, strengths and ambitions. The destination list reflects the breadth of routes available and our focus on individual fit. Families retain genuine choice, with attention kept firmly on the right next step for each boy.

Recent destinations include:

Rugby, Harrow, Winchester, Charterhouse, Marlborough, Radley, Oundle, Stowe, Uppingham, Berkhamsted, St Albans, The King’s School Canterbury, and many others.

 

A guided senior school journey from Year 5 onwards


By Year 5, many families are beginning to think seriously about what comes next. Some already have schools in mind, while others are still learning about the different options. Both starting points are entirely normal.Our role is to help families make informed and realistic choices, while keeping ambition for each boy in view. We consider his academic profile, interests, personality and longer-term aspirations. We then support families in identifying back-up, realistic and aspirational options, with advice shaped around the individual boy rather than a standard route. This guidance develops as we continue to see how each boy learns, contributes and grows.

Our Year 6 to 8 Senior School Preparation Programme brings this support together. Boys receive extensive exam and interview practice, tailored scholarship coaching and preparation for senior school entry tests where required. Visits to and from leading senior schools help families understand different settings, while our annual Senior Schools Presentation Evening gives parents the opportunity to meet a selection of schools.

Through Years 6 and 7, boys are supported with pre-tests and early tests. In Year 8, preparation focuses on Common Entrance or scholarship examinations. Guidance comes from our Headmaster, Director of Studies and senior staff, drawing on their knowledge of the senior school landscape and of each boy.

For more detail on timings, examinations and preparation, please visit our Preparing for Senior School page.Read more about preparing for senior school

A values-led partnership with Harrow School

Our partnership with Harrow School reflects a shared commitment to values-led education and a belief that boys flourish when academic ambition is matched by exceptional pastoral care and character development. The relationship provides opportunities for collaboration, shared expertise and enriching experiences that benefit our pupils. It also offers reassurance to families who value continuity, stability and a shared understanding of boys' education. Lockers Park remains proudly independent, with its own distinctive ethos, identity and approach to senior school guidance. The partnership strengthens what we can offer, but it does not define a single route or destination for our boys.

Learn More

Senior Schools Guide

Our Senior Schools Guide gives families a concise overview of the senior school journey, including key stages, preparation and the support boys receive at Lockers Park.

What our parents are saying

“The school brings out the best in each child, respecting their individuality. Children come first at Lockers Park."
Lockers Park parent

Why choose a prep school?

At Lockers Park, preparing boys for senior school is not simply one part of what we do. It is our specialism.

For some families, an all-through school may feel like the more straightforward choice. A prep school offers something different: time to understand how a boy is developing, specialist guidance and the freedom to consider a range of senior schools.

Boys do not all develop in the same way or at the same pace. Interests change, confidence grows and academic strengths become clearer. The prep years give families time to see that development before deciding on the setting that will suit their son best.

This individual knowledge informs the advice families receive. Boys are prepared for a range of destinations rather than directed towards one, with academic foundations, personal confidence and breadth of experience built steadily over time.

The senior school decision can then reflect the boy he has become, rather than a pathway chosen years before his strengths and interests were fully known.

See it for yourself

A visit gives families time to meet our staff, see the school in action and understand how we approach each boy’s senior school journey, without any pressure to decide.

Book a visit