Key Facts
| Latymer Prep School 7+ papers | English Comprehension 45 minutes, Creative Writing 35 minutes, Maths 40 minutes; interview for selected children the week after (Source: https://www.latymerprep.org/admissions/preparing-for-assessment) |
|---|---|
| St Paul's Prep School 7+ group assessment | Half-day, groups of approximately ten: Maths lesson, English lesson, group problem-solving (Source: https://www.stpaulsschool.org.uk/admissions/entry-to-st-pauls-7-8/selection-procedure/) |
| Westminster Under School 7+ second round | About 120 children are invited back for classroom activities and an interview (Source: https://www.westminster.org.uk/admissions/7-entry-westminster-under-school/) |
| UCS Junior Branch 7+ | Main entry point; about 60 boys join three classes, roughly half from the Pre-Prep; January assessment lasts about three hours (Source: https://www.ucs.org.uk/admissions/admissions-process/year-3/) |
| Highgate Junior School 7+ tests | Written tests in English and Mathematics of 50 minutes each (Source: https://www.highgateschool.org.uk/junior-school/admissions-7/) |
| Alleyn's Junior School and Alleyn's Oakfield | 4+: about 36 children join two Reception classes; 7+: about 8 to 10 new places; applications in the autumn before entry, assessments in January (Source: https://www.alleyns.org.uk/admissions/admissions-to-our-junior-schools) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
The 7+ process differs between London day schools mainly in how many stages a child sits and what each stage contains, although most follow the same order: registration, a first assessment, a second stage for some children, and offers. Entry at 7+ is into Year 3, and the schools covered here are Latymer Prep School, St Paul's Prep School, Westminster Under School, University College School Junior Branch, Highgate Junior School and Alleyn's Junior School with Alleyn's Oakfield.
A single written morning, a written paper followed by a half-day group assessment, an autumn visit followed by a January test, and a second-stage interview all appear among those pages. Each school's own admissions page is the authority on its format, and differences in references, first-choice conditions and the timing of second stages affect how many schools one family can manage.
What are the usual stages of a 7+ process?
The usual 7+ process has four stages: registration, a first assessment, a second stage for the children a school wishes to see again, and offers. Registration is online at Westminster, which also offers an optional small-group tour, and through an online portal at UCS. Alleyn's runs one registration for both of its junior schools, with places allocated by school preference, so a candidate wanting both sits the assessment at one location.
St Paul's Prep asks that both parents agree to the application, except in the case of sole custody, and an electronic copy of the boy's passport is uploaded at registration. At the far end of the process, Highgate follows an offer with an invitation to a tour and questions, and new pupils attend an induction afternoon in June.
How do first assessments differ between schools?
First assessments differ in subjects, setting and the number of visits, and Highgate's is a single morning at the school with written English and Mathematics tests devised and marked by its own teachers. Latymer Prep sets three formal papers on assessment day, English Comprehension, Creative Writing and Maths, with short breaks between the parts and a snack provided. St Paul's Prep sets tests in English, Mathematics and Reasoning, where the English task is a dictation exercise.
Westminster sets written papers in the autumn covering English, Mathematics and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, taken in small classroom groups with at least two staff present. Alleyn's assesses 7+ candidates in English (comprehension and creative writing), mathematics and reasoning. UCS splits the first stage in two: an autumn visit in small groups, where boys complete listening and discussion exercises and a reading assessment while parents meet the Headmaster, and a January test in English and Maths. Performance at the autumn visit counts toward the decision.
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Enquire about this tutorWhich schools have a second stage, and what does it involve?
St Paul's Prep, Highgate, Westminster, Latymer Prep and Alleyn's each describe a second stage for some children, and its content differs at every one. At St Paul's Prep, boys who perform well are invited to a half-day group assessment with a Maths lesson, an English lesson and a group problem-solving task in groups of approximately ten, while parents can meet the Head of the Prep School. At Highgate, some children are invited back for a taster lesson and a group interview.
Westminster invites a smaller group back about a month later for classroom activities and an interview with the Master and a senior team member, who ask candidates to talk about their own interests and enthusiasms; quieter children are assessed on the same basis. Latymer Prep invites children who perform particularly well back for an interview the week after assessment day, and all candidates are told by email whether they are invited.
Alleyn's invites candidates who show the necessary academic potential to a second assessment in January with a non-verbal reasoning test, a reading test, small group activities and an individual interview. The UCS page does not mention a formal interview or a reasoning paper. Latymer Prep says it is interested in social maturity and attitude to learning and talks with each child about interests and aspirations, so conversation about favourite activities at home suits an interview stage.
Which London schools ask for a reference from the current school?
St Paul's Prep, Highgate, UCS and Alleyn's each seek something from the child's current school. St Paul's Prep seeks a reference from the head of the boy's current school, and by applying parents consent to that school being contacted. Highgate asks the current headteacher for a confidential reference after the application. UCS requests a confidential report from the current school, which it says plays an important part in the selection procedure. Alleyn's writes to the current headteacher, or a nursery, for a report.
The process descriptions for Latymer Prep and Westminster do not list a reference as a step, so confirm on each page whether one is sought. Telling your child's headteacher early which schools you have applied to avoids surprise when requests arrive, and the table described below shows which schools those are.
What is the first-choice condition at St Paul's Prep?
St Paul's Prep accepts boys on the understanding that St Paul's will be their first choice of senior school. Boys who stay for the full duration of their studies at the Prep School are automatically registered for transfer to St Paul's School at 13+.
Read that condition before registering, since it attaches to the acceptance and affects what you plan for senior school. If you wish to keep other options open for 13+, ask the school how the understanding applies. Alleyn's describes a different arrangement: pupils from either junior school have automatic entry to the Senior School, as its page puts it, yet still sit the scholarship or entrance exam and are interviewed.
Why build a table from each school's own admissions page?
A table built from each school's own admissions page records the differences that a general overview cannot, because the schools differ on stages, subjects, references and conditions. Give each school a row and use columns for the registration route, the first assessment and its subjects, whether a second stage exists and what it contains, whether a reference is requested, any first-choice or consent condition, and what the school says about preparation.
Add columns for the points parents tend to overlook: whether the school gives feedback on performance, how access arrangements are notified, what happens if no place is offered, and whether there is a right of appeal. Where a page does not mention something, write 'not mentioned' in the cell and ask the school directly. Dates and deadlines belong in the table too, copied from each page.
How can you avoid clashes and plan a shortlist?
Plan the shortlist by placing each school's stages on one calendar, because the stages differ in number and spacing. Westminster's second stage comes about a month after its written papers, Latymer Prep's interview comes the week after assessment day, and UCS and Alleyn's both hold January assessments, so those two need their dates checked against each other first.
Count the days each school may ask for, allowing for a second stage wherever a school describes one, and mark which stages fall in the autumn term and which in January. Where two stages share a week, email the schools and ask what they advise. Place the first-choice condition at St Paul's Prep where it fits your plan for senior school, since it affects which other schools belong beside it.
What do the schools say about preparation?
Latymer Prep says children at 7+ would be working in line with expectations at the top of KS1 for Maths and English, and it sends exemplar Maths and English papers after registration. St Paul's Prep says its English paper incorporates the Year 2 National Curriculum programme of study, hopes applicants are working at a Greater Depth standard within Year 2, and may include word reading and comprehension from the Year 3 programme. Its Maths paper covers the Year 2 programme, including recall of the 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables.
Highgate sends published sample English and Maths questions and an explanatory video to watch with your child. St Paul's Prep publishes no past papers, though it links a suggested reading list and 7+ guidance. Westminster says no preparation is needed for the reasoning papers, that excessive practice is not recommended, and that parents are advised to avoid outside tuition, which it feels can dull freshness and eagerness to learn. Latymer Prep advises low-key preparation with the child's routine as normal as possible, gives no advice on tutoring, and UCS gives no specific preparation guidance.
Alleyn's expects 7+ candidates to have followed the National Curriculum syllabus for English and mathematics, which gives a parent a fixed reference point for home practice. One-to-one help is one option some families use alongside school and home practice, and where a school states a view on outside tuition, as Westminster does, it is worth reading before deciding.
For one-to-one preparation alongside whichever stages your shortlisted schools use, read about our 7+ tutors for English, maths and reasoning, or tell us about your child and the schools on your list and we will reply with tutor recommendations.
Related guides
- 7+ tutors for English, maths and reasoning
- 7+ exam: format, schools and preparation
- The 7+ interview
- What is assessed at 7+
- The 7+ assessment day: what to expect
- Choosing between prep schools in London
- Independent schools in the UK: a guide for parents
7+ study tutoring with Taylor Tuition
Families who come to us for 7+ study usually want a tutor who can diagnose where the marks are being lost and then build a steady routine around it, and that is how our programmes are set up. Our tutors are drawn from a pool in which more than half hold Qualified Teacher Status, around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and which includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools.
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Frequently asked questions
- Do London day schools give feedback on 7+ results?
- Latymer Prep School says it gives no written or verbal feedback on a child's performance or ranking on any paper. Check each other school's page for a feedback policy before assuming one exists, and ask the admissions team directly if the page is silent. Knowing this in advance lets you explain to your child that the outcome will arrive as a decision on the place.
- What if my child has a learning difference or special educational need?
- Latymer Prep gives access arrangements to children with diagnosed special educational needs, which parents must notify during registration. Alleyn's asks parents who know or suspect a disability, language or learning difference to notify the school in writing at registration so that access arrangements can be made. Raise it at registration with every school on your list, since that is the point both pages name.
- What happens if my child is not offered a place at Alleyn's?
- Some candidates who are not offered a place may be placed on a waiting list and reconsidered on their assessment results if a vacancy arises. The list stays active until the September after the assessments, when remaining candidates can join the occasional vacancy list. Alleyn's says decisions on places are final, with no right of appeal. Latymer Prep says it does not generally hold formal occasional place assessment days.
- Do siblings get priority at 7+?
- Alleyn's does not offer automatic places to siblings; where candidates have achieved a similar level of performance, priority where possible goes to the sibling of a current pupil. It says it looks for candidates who will respond to the school's care, opportunities and values and contribute their talents and enthusiasm. Add a sibling policy column to your table and check each school's own page.
- Is it necessary to apply for a place at birth?
- UCS says it is not necessary to apply for a son at birth, because the main point of entry to its Junior Branch is at 7+, into Year 3, and applications are made through its online portal. Alleyn's junior schools welcome applicants at 4+, 7+ and 9+, so 7+ is one of three entry points there. Latymer Prep takes girls and boys from 7 to 11.
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