It is wise to apply for admission into Form 1 as early as possible but no later than age 9.  Sometimes, however, single places become available at quite a late stage due to parents moving away or changing business.  If you are a late applicant, keep in touch with the Secretary right up to the August preceding entry in case of a late vacancy.

When you apply you will receive a letter informing you either that you have a guaranteed (reserved) place or that your name has been placed on a waiting list. Approximately eighteen months in advance of entry you will be asked to confirm your interest in a place. If you are offered a firm place you will then be asked to pay a substantial deposit which is refunded after completion of education at the school. The deposit is not refundable for any reason, including if you change your mind about attending the school.  You will receive up to date information and forms about grants, scholarships and music scholarships during the Spring preceding entry.

To make your initial application, please contact the Secretary for a prospectus and application form or explore the website and use the application form available here.  Contact information is on the Contact page.  Our full ethos and admissions policies are further down this page.

If you are applying from outside Ireland, please print the application form, complete it and post it to the school.  Please note that the whole form must be sent.  Excerpts are not accepted.   A signed, faxed copy will be accepted provisionally, with the original sent later by post.  E-mail applications can only be accepted if the signed and completed form has been scanned and attached (as a jpeg or pdf) with the original to follow by post. Enquiries by e-mail are also welcome.  Click here for address and contact details.

Approximate guide to the appropriate year group for the applicant -     Junior Certificate years age 12/13 Form 1, age 13/14 Form 2, age 14/15 Form 3; Transition Year age 15/16 Form 4; Leaving Certificate years age 16/17 Form 5; age 17/18 Form 6.

Please note that we are not a boarding school, we do not accept guardianship for pupils and we do not arrange accommodation or guardianship.  It is necessary for a pupil from abroad to have an adult, English speaking guardian resident in Ireland (with whom the pupil will be living) and to have the appropriate arrangements in place with the Department of Justice for study in Ireland, if normally resident outside the European Union.

Up to six scholarships are usually awarded as follows:

• one scholarship granting free tuition - the Dr. Ralph W. Reynolds scholarship

• two scholarships valued at 50% of the tuition fees, payable by deduction from fees

• three scholarships valued at 33 1/3% of the tuition fees, payable by deduction from fees.

A separate diagnostic test is held during the Spring preceding entry for all pupils entering the school in Form 1.  The test assesses various categories of aptitude and ability, for example, language skills and comprehension. The results will also be used to plan any additional educational help which individual pupils may need and to ensure that our mixed ability classes are properly balanced. The tests are for internal purposes only and no results will be issued by the school. It is important to reassure your child that you can not pass, fail, do "well" or "badly" in these tests - the results are a reflection of your ongoing potential rather than the present state of your knowledge.. Entrance to the school is not affected by the tests. There is, therefore, no need to prepare a child for the tests and no advantage to be gained by so doing.

Music scholarships

The school operates a scheme to award, by competition, up to two music scholarships per year to pupils proficient in any orchestral string, wind or brass instrument up to at least Grade 3 standard of the Associated Boards or its equivalent. The value of these scholarships will be 50% of the annual school tuition fee, and the competition will involve a practical test and may involve an interview. These scholarships are open to all intending pupils who have completed full application procedures including age verification and payment of deposit.

Class size and grouping system

Pupils entering the school are placed in mixed ability classes for most subjects, with setting in Mathematics from Form 1, Irish from Form 2 and English from Form 3. Class sizes are considerably smaller than the national average due to the improved pupil-teacher ratio at The High School.

Ethos statement

The High School is a co-educational secondary school under the management of The Erasmus Smith Trust.  It provides education mainly for girls and boys from families of the Church of Ireland and other Protestant denominations, while also having places available for those of other Christian denominations and other faiths.  The school has had a long association with families of the Jewish faith.  The experience gained through the application of these policies and through respecting the needs of minority groups and individuals enriches the whole life of the school.  The school particularly welcomes pupils from primary schools which share the ethos stated above.