Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, co-educational, 4 to 18 (Stanfield Prep, Senior School and Sixth Form) |
|---|---|
| Location | Crosby, Liverpool (Sefton), Merseyside |
| Entry points | 7+, 11+, 16+ |
| Assessment | Computer-based Cognitive Abilities Test from GL Assessment in early November: verbal, non-verbal and quantitative reasoning, about 40 minutes per section |
| Test provider | GL Assessment (computer-based Cognitive Abilities Test) |
| Registration deadline | 28 October for Year 7 scholarship and bursary applications (September 2027 entry); the assessment event page gives no separate registration deadline |
| Assessment date | Friday 6 November 2026 (Year 7 Entrance Assessment) |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Academic, art, drama, music and sport scholarships at Year 7; means-tested bursaries up to 100% of tuition |
| A level average point score per entry (DfE, 2024/25) | 37.95 (average grade B-) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
You get into Merchant Taylors' Schools, Crosby by completing the online Admissions Enquiry Form and then following the route for your child's year group, which for the main Year 7 (11+) entry means registering for a computer-based Cognitive Abilities Test from GL Assessment, sat in early November. Younger children join Stanfield Prep through a visit, a school report and a familiarisation or assessment day, and Sixth Form applicants attend an interview in a chosen A Level subject.
The Year 7 test covers verbal, non-verbal and quantitative reasoning, with about 40 minutes per section, and every candidate is considered for an academic scholarship. The sections below set out each entry point, the sequence of steps, the scholarship and bursary routes and the published fee structure.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7+ | Year 3 to Year 6 (Prep) | One or two full days at the school, including a Cognitive Abilities Test in verbal, non-verbal and quantitative reasoning and time in the classroom | No interview stated; a reference from the current school is requested | Not published |
| 11+ | Year 7 | Computer-based Cognitive Abilities Test from GL Assessment in early November: verbal, non-verbal and quantitative reasoning, about 40 minutes per section | None for the test itself; the top 25% of candidates are invited to an Academic Scholarship Day with English and Maths assessments and an interview | Not published |
| 16+ | Year 12 (Sixth Form) | Application and interview in one chosen A Level subject; offers are based on predicted or mock GCSE grades and confirmed after GCSE results | Interview with a senior member of staff in one chosen A Level subject | Not published |
Entry points and places
The school admits children at Reception, in Years 3 to 6 and at Year 7, with mid-year entry for Years 7 to 10 and Sixth Form entry at Year 12. The admissions pages describe a co-educational school for ages 4 to 18, made up of Stanfield Prep, the Senior School and the Sixth Form, and the pages read do not publish a number of places for any year group.
Reception to Year 2 entry involves a family tour, a report from the current nursery or school and a Familiarisation Session in a relaxed setting. Years 3 to 6 involve one or two full days at the school, and Year 7 is the main senior entry point. Families who want a different year or a mid-year place discuss it with the Admissions Team.
- Reception to Year 2: tour, report, Familiarisation Session
- Years 3 to 6: one or two days with a Cognitive Abilities Test and classroom time
- Year 7: computer-based Cognitive Abilities Test in early November
- Years 7 to 10 mid-year: Taster and Assessment Day with interview
- Year 12: interview and offers based on GCSE grades
How the Year 7 assessment works
The Year 7 Entrance Assessment is a computer-based Cognitive Abilities Test taken at the Senior School in early November, and the school links to GL Assessment's support pages for it. It has three sections, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning, each lasting about 40 minutes, which gives roughly two hours of testing.
The school describes the test as a way of seeing each child's natural reasoning and problem-solving skills, and it sets no written English or Maths papers at this first stage. Every candidate is considered for an academic scholarship on the strength of the result. Timings and practical details are confirmed by the Admissions Team closer to the date.
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Enquire about this tutorRegistration and the admissions sequence
Admissions begin with the online Admissions Enquiry Form, which asks for the child's name, date of birth, proposed year group, proposed year of entry, current school and parent details. The Admissions Team then contacts the family about the entry point or a mid-year place.
For Year 7, families register for the assessment through the Entrance Assessment event page on the school website, using a form that also asks for the child's current school and address. The published steps run in the order below, and the pages read do not give a date for offers.
- Complete the Admissions Enquiry Form
- Register for the Year 7 Entrance Assessment through the event page
- Sit the computer-based test at the Senior School
- Top 25% of candidates attend the Academic Scholarship Day the following Saturday
- Receive the school's decision and accept the place; the acceptance deposit is credited against fees in the final term, provided fees are cleared and school property is returned
Interviews and references
There is no interview for the Year 7 test itself, and interviews appear at three other stages. Candidates in the top 25% of the Year 7 results are invited to an Academic Scholarship Day, which includes English and Maths assessments and an interview with a member of the Senior Academic Team.
Mid-year entry for Years 7 to 10 includes an interview with senior staff within a Taster and Assessment Day, and a reference from the current school is required. Years 3 to 6 candidates also provide a reference, and Reception to Year 2 applicants provide a report from their nursery or school. Sixth Form applicants are interviewed by a senior member of staff in one chosen A Level subject.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships at Year 7 are offered in academic study, Art, Drama, Music and Sport, and means-tested bursaries cover up to 100% of tuition fees at Year 7 and Sixth Form. Up to four academic scholarships are awarded each year, worth up to 10% of tuition, after the Entrance Assessment and the Scholarship Day. Art, Drama, Music and Sport scholarships have separate applications and an audition or assessment for shortlisted candidates.
Bursary applicants need strong academic ability or potential, shown by the Year 7 assessment and interview or by GCSE grades and interview for Sixth Form, and must meet the school's household income criteria. The process runs through a confidential Bursary Application Form, an independent financial review and a sub-committee decision. Awards are reviewed annually, and the school sets the length of each award. Sixth Form scholarships are awarded by subject area.
Fees and what they include
Tuition is charged per term at separate rates for Infants (Reception to Year 2), Juniors (Years 3 to 6) and Seniors, and Sixth Form pays the same rate as Seniors. The exact figures are in the fees field of this guide and on the school's fees page. Tuition includes VAT and excludes school buses, lunches, trips and other extras, and exam fees are not included.
Families can pay by Direct Debit in three termly payments or twelve monthly payments, and termly bills combine tuition with extras. A sibling discount on tuition applies at 10% for the second and third child and 20% for the fourth and subsequent children, though it does not apply to pupils receiving other financial assistance apart from Harrison Scholarships.
Where pupils join from
Most younger entrants join Stanfield Prep, the school's co-educational prep school for ages 4 to 11, and its pupils progress to the Senior School without further entrance assessments. The Prep page describes this progression as continuous.
Children from other schools sit the Year 7 assessment alongside Prep pupils who are applying for scholarships, bursaries or a place elsewhere. The pages read name no other feeder or partner schools. Sixth Form places are open to pupils continuing at the school and to those joining from other schools.
Sixth Form entry requirements
Sixth Form entry is by application and an interview with a senior member of staff in one chosen A Level subject, and offers are based on predicted or mock GCSE grades. Final places are confirmed after GCSE results are published in August.
An Open Evening is held each autumn, where visitors tour the Sixth Form Centre and meet teachers. The school offers a broad range of A Levels and the Extended Project Qualification. Means-tested bursaries and subject scholarships are available at Year 12, and the pages read do not publish specific GCSE grade thresholds, so the Admissions Team is the source for those.
How to prepare for the Year 7 test
The school states that no preparation is required for the Year 7 test, and sample questions are available online with sample papers sold by GL Assessment. Because the test is computer-based and made up of three reasoning sections of about 40 minutes each, practical preparation usually means becoming comfortable answering on screen and sustaining concentration for that length of time.
Children who may reach the Academic Scholarship Day can also look at the English and Maths assessments and the interview that follow, where talking confidently about their reading and favourite subjects tends to help. Keeping the weeks before the test calm, with good sleep and ordinary routines, usually matters more than additional papers.
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The Merchant Taylors' Schools, Crosby 11+ rewards steady preparation over a year or so, with the last term given to timed practice and interview confidence. Having prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools, with placements including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, our tutors match the programme to the school's assessment format and to where the child is starting from.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the Merchant Taylors' Crosby entrance exam?
- The Year 7 Entrance Assessment is a computer-based Cognitive Abilities Test sat at the Senior School in early November. It has verbal, non-verbal and quantitative reasoning sections of about 40 minutes each. The school links to GL Assessment's support pages and states that no preparation is required.
- How much are the fees at Merchant Taylors' Crosby?
- Tuition is charged per term, with separate rates for Infants, Juniors, and Seniors and Sixth Form, and lunch is charged separately. Tuition includes VAT but excludes buses, trips and exam fees. The current figures are on the school's fees page.
- Does Merchant Taylors' Crosby offer scholarships and bursaries?
- Yes. Year 7 scholarships are offered in academic study, Art, Drama, Music and Sport, with up to four academic scholarships each year. Means-tested bursaries at Year 7 and Sixth Form can cover up to 100% of tuition, subject to the school's income criteria and a financial review.
- How can families register for Merchant Taylors' Crosby?
- Start with the online Admissions Enquiry Form, then register for the Year 7 Entrance Assessment through the event page on the school website. Scholarship and bursary applications have their own closing date in late October. The Admissions Team can be reached on 0151 949 9366.
- What do you need to join the Sixth Form at Merchant Taylors' Crosby?
- Applicants complete an application and an interview with a senior member of staff in one chosen A Level subject. Offers are based on predicted or mock GCSE grades and final places are confirmed after GCSE results. The pages read do not publish specific grade thresholds.
- Do Stanfield Prep pupils have to sit the Year 7 test?
- No. The school states that children progress from Stanfield Prep to the Senior School without the need for further entrance assessments. Prep pupils who want a scholarship or bursary follow the separate scholarship and bursary routes.
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