St Paul's Juniors 11+ Admissions: Assessment, Registration and Fees

Getting into St Paul's Juniors at 11+ means clearing three stages in order: an online ISEB pre-test, written papers in English and Maths, and an interview, with around 36 places offered for the year group. The school, long known as St Paul's Juniors, now operates under the name St Paul's Prep School as the preparatory department of St Paul's School in Barnes; boys admitted at 11+ join Year 7 and normally spend two years there before transferring to the senior school in Year 9.

Boys cannot sit both the 11+ and 13+ processes: an offer applies only to the entry point assessed. The pages below cover how the assessment is structured, how registration and results work, what financial help is available, and how to prepare calmly for a format built around an unseen pre-test and school-set papers, with no published past questions to work from.

How 11+ entry works

Around 36 boys are admitted at 11+ into Year 7, drawn from state and independent primary schools finishing Year 6. The school looks for strong all-round intellectual ability, interest in academic study and involvement in activities beyond the classroom. Boys join what is now called St Paul's Prep School and normally spend two years there before moving into St Paul's School itself in Year 9.

A boy can apply for 11+ or for 13+ entry to the senior school, but not both in the same cycle; an offer is tied to the entry point he is assessed for, so families need to decide which route fits their child's primary school timetable before registering.

What the 11+ assessment involves

All 11+ candidates first sit the ISEB online pre-test, either at St Paul's or at their own primary school if it is a registered ISEB invigilation centre; there is no extra charge for registering with ISEB itself. Candidates who do well enough are then invited back to sit written examinations in English and Maths at St Paul's.

Boys who perform well in the written papers are invited to an in-person interview, meeting senior members of staff and the Head. Overseas candidates are required to attend the written examinations in person, with no option to sit them remotely. The school does not release past papers for the written stage, but provides a syllabus so families know the scope of what is tested.

How registration and assessment are structured, step by step

The process runs in a fixed sequence, each stage acting as a filter for the next.

• Register online before the published closing date
• Sit the ISEB online pre-test
• If shortlisted, sit written papers in English and Maths at the school
• If shortlisted again, attend an in-person interview with senior staff and the Head
• Receive the outcome and, if offered a place, pay the acceptance deposit to confirm

Scholarships and bursaries at 11+

No academic or art scholarships are offered at 11+; those are reserved for entry to the senior school at 13+ and above. Music scholarships and exhibitions are available at 11+, awarded by audition: two contrasting pieces on the principal study instrument plus one piece on a second instrument, aural tests, sight-reading and a panel interview, with candidates typically working above Grade 5 on their first study (Grade 6 or higher for piano). Awards include free tuition on one or two instruments.

Means-tested bursaries, called Founder's Awards, are open to 11+ families with gross household income up to a published ceiling and net assets below a published threshold; those on lower incomes can qualify for a large proportion of fees to be met. Bursary interest is registered separately at application and assessed only after a boy is shortlisted for interview following the written examinations, and the school states this financial assessment does not influence the academic outcome.

How to prepare for the assessment

Because the school does not publish past papers, preparation centres on familiarity with the format instead of memorised questions. The ISEB pre-test covers verbal, non-verbal, mathematical and spatial reasoning under timed, adaptive online conditions, so practice with that test type in general is more useful than guessing school-specific content.

For the written stage, steady work on English comprehension, creative and structured writing, and Maths problem-solving to the standard set out in the school's own syllabus document is the most direct preparation. Ahead of interview, boys benefit from talking through their interests, reading and extracurricular commitments in plain, unrehearsed language, since the interview is designed to let staff see how a boy thinks and engages, not to test rehearsed answers.

Visiting and open days

Open days include a talk from the High Master and the Head of Prep School followed by a pupil-led tour, and are described by the school as designed with children in mind, with interactive elements alongside the formal talks. Term-time morning visits are also offered as a smaller-scale alternative for families who want to see the school in session.

Admissions staff attend these events and are available to talk through timelines and what the exam and interview stages involve, useful for parents still deciding between the 11+ and 13+ routes.

Related guides

• Tutors for families in London
• Independent school fees compared

Preparing for the St Paul's Juniors 11+ with Taylor Tuition

The St Paul's Juniors 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.

Because the pool includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools, and more than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status, families get a tutor who understands what the assessors are looking for. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.

Families in London and further afield work with us online, 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.