The South Hampstead 4+ assessment update (2026 entry)

The 90 minute ‘play date’ assessment is now over for our students.

The first round that is.

Our girls did so well. I know that they did.

All of our girls have worked very hard in preparation for the 4+ assessment at South Hampstead and they were all more than prepared to go in and truly shine.

Everything that I’ve heard from my clients has been very positive and we are all so proud of our girls.

Now, we wait. We wait to find out which of our girls are through to the second round. I believe that they will all be invited to the second round.

It’s very important for prospective new parents thinking of applying to this school for 2027 and beyond to truly understand that this is a very tough assessment.

They like to sugar coat it and make it sound delightfully pleasant but it really is a tough assessment in so many ways. Yes, the teachers are all lovely. Yes, they are experts at dealing with 3/4 year olds. Yes, the teachers present try their best to make it a pleasant experience but please don’t expect your daughter to go in and have a ‘play date’. It’s as far from a play date as you can get.

First of all, a play date does not involved being tested in the early years curriculum. Second of all a play date doesn’t generally happen with a group of children that your daughter does not know. And finally, a play date generally doesn’t happen in a school environment which is completely unknown to your daughter.

It is not a play date.

Stop calling me and telling me it is. I will not listen to you.

It is not.

Half of the girls who attended the first round will be invited to attend the second round and this will be even tougher. Basically, your daughter will have a 1:2 chance of being called back to the second round.

I do not write this to scare you. I write this to mentally prepare you. I write this so that you actually take the time, effort and energy to work with your daughter for the next 8-10 weeks that we have remaining until the second round (if your daughter is successful of course). And if you are 2027 entry, that you get started from now so that you have a full 12 months of 4+ assessment preparation. It really doesn’t bother me how you go about it - but please just start.

I have just launched my brand new South Hampstead Round 2 Success programme which will be a game changer to your round 2 assessment preparation. There are only 3 places available. If you know your daughter will pass, join now! If you want to wait and see, check in and see if I still have places remaining!