Registration for St James Senior Girls' School 11+ closes in 39 days, on 13 November 2026. A free consultation now leaves time to plan the preparation before the assessment.
Book a free consultationKey Facts
| School type | Independent day school, girls, 11 to 18 (proposed transition to co-education from Year 7 and Year 12, subject to Department for Education approval) |
|---|---|
| Location | West Kensington, London (Hammersmith and Fulham) |
| Entry points | 11+ (Year 7) and 16+ (Sixth Form), with occasional places in other year groups |
| Assessment | Quest online assessment in English, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, an individual interview for every candidate, and a confidential reference from the current school |
| Test provider | Quest Assessments |
| Day fees (2026/2027) | £10,550 per term (including VAT) |
| Registration deadline | Friday 13 November 2026 for Year 7 entry; scholarship and bursary applications follow a separate closing date published on the school's admissions pages |
| Assessment date | Tuesday 24 November 2026 (exam day); interview days Saturday 21 November 2026 or Saturday 16 January 2027 |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into St James Senior Girls' School at 11+ means registering for a Year 7 place, sitting the school's online Quest assessment in English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, attending an individual interview and providing a reference from your daughter's current school. The school gives equal weight to all three elements, exam, interview and reference, when assessing applicants; test scores alone do not determine the outcome.
Around half of each Year 7 intake moves up from the school's own Preparatory School, leaving roughly 25 to 30 places for external candidates in a year group that averages 48 pupils. Registration opens well before the exam date, with the school publishing exact deadlines for registration, the exam, interviews, offers and acceptance on its admissions pages each year.
How entry works at St James Senior Girls' School
Girls join mainly at 11+ into Year 7, with a further entry point at 16+ into the Sixth Form and occasional places in other year groups when they arise. Around half of each Year 7 cohort comes from the school's own Preparatory School, and the school admits a further 25 to 30 external pupils into Year 7, producing an average year group size of 48.
- 11+ (Year 7): main entry point, roughly 25 to 30 places for external candidates
- 16+ (Sixth Form): a separate application and assessment process
- Occasional in-year places in other year groups
How the 11+ assessment works
The Year 7 entrance assessment is set by Quest Assessments and taken online, covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Every applicant is also interviewed individually; the school states that this allows it to learn about the whole person alongside the written assessment.
A confidential report is requested from the child's most recent school as the third element of the process. The school treats the assessment, interview and school reference as equally weighted, so a strong performance in one area does not by itself secure a place.
- Online Quest assessment: English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning
- Individual interview for every candidate, held on one of two available dates
- Confidential reference requested directly from the child's current school
Registration and the admissions process, step by step
Families are encouraged to attend an Open Event or book an individual tour before applying. Registration is then completed online ahead of the published deadline, with a non-refundable registration fee paid per child alongside a passport copy, a recent school report and a photograph.
After registration, candidates sit the Quest exam and attend an interview on one of the published interview days. Offers follow some weeks later, and families accepting a place pay a deposit to secure it; the school publishes the exact dates for each stage on its admissions pages ahead of every entry round.
- Attend an Open Event or individual tour
- Complete online registration and pay the registration fee
- Sit the Quest exam
- Attend an interview
- Receive the offer decision
- Accept the place and pay the deposit
Scholarships at St James Senior Girls' School
Academic, art, drama, music and sports scholarships are open to Year 7 applicants, both external candidates and those moving up from the Preparatory School, awarded to pupils who show strong potential in their chosen area. A candidate may apply for only one scholarship and must show a strong interest in and enthusiasm for that subject.
Only one scholarship is awarded to a successful candidate, typically worth up to 25% of fees. Scholarship applicants sit a separate scholarship assessment day, held after the main entrance exam and interview process.
- Academic, art, drama, music and sports scholarships at Year 7
- One scholarship per candidate, up to 25% of fees
- Separate scholarship assessment day
Bursaries and financial support
Means-tested bursaries are available to eligible families and existing parents whose circumstances change, and can cover up to 100% of fees depending on need. Families apply by completing the standard school registration form and paying the registration fee, after which the school's bursary department sends a separate bursary application for assessment by an independent company.
Fees at St James Senior Girls' School
Day fees for the current academic year are set per term and include VAT; the school updates fees annually and publishes the current figures on its fees and bursaries page. A non-refundable registration fee is charged per child at the point of registration, and families accepting a place pay an acceptance deposit, refunded when the pupil leaves the school.
Lunches are provided free within the basic fee. St James Senior Girls' is a day school only and does not offer boarding.
How to prepare for the Quest assessment
Quest Assessments releases only a short familiarisation or taster test, not full past papers. Preparation therefore works best when it builds confidence in the four tested areas, English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, without a focus on finding exact past questions. Working through the official taster materials helps a child understand the screen-based, timed format before exam day.
Since the interview and school reference carry equal weight alongside the written test, preparation should also cover talking naturally about interests and schoolwork, so a child arrives at the interview able to discuss their thinking calmly and without rehearsed fixed answers.
Related guides
Preparing for the St James Senior Girls' School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the St James Senior Girls' School 11+ tends to go best when it starts early and stays steady, and most families who work with us begin between twelve and eighteen months out. Our tutors, who have prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, plan the work backwards from the school's own assessment format and registration deadline.
The tutors we match to 11+ preparation 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. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.
Families work with us online from anywhere in the UK or abroad, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, with no registration fee and a free initial consultation to talk through your child's current level and the timeline to the 11+. Families receive progress reports after sessions and have a dedicated point of contact, and we reply to enquiries within one working day with tutor recommendations.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the St James Senior Girls' 11+ exam involve?
- Applicants sit an online Quest assessment covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Every candidate is also interviewed individually and the school requests a confidential reference from the child's current school, with all three elements considered together when deciding the outcome.
- How many places are available at Year 7?
- The school admits a further 25 to 30 pupils into Year 7 alongside girls transferring from its own Preparatory School, giving an average year group size of 48. Around half the year group typically comes from the Prep School, so external candidates compete for the remaining places.
- Does St James Senior Girls' offer scholarships?
- Yes. Academic, art, drama, music and sports scholarships are open to external and Preparatory School Year 7 applicants who show strong potential in their chosen area. A candidate may apply for only one scholarship, and any award is typically worth up to 25% of fees.
- Are bursaries available and how much do they cover?
- Means-tested bursaries are available to eligible families and can cover up to 100% of fees depending on need. Families apply by completing the school's registration form and paying the registration fee, after which the bursary department sends a separate application.
- Is there a catchment area for St James Senior Girls'?
- No catchment area applies, since St James Senior Girls' is an independent school and admission depends on the assessment, interview and reference and not on where a family lives.
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