Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, girls, 4 to 18 (GDST) |
|---|---|
| Location | Sydenham, London (Lewisham) |
| Entry points | 7+, 11+, 16+ |
| Assessment | Standardised tests of verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative reasoning, a creative writing task and an observational extension activity |
| Test provider | The school's own assessments; no external test provider is named on its admissions pages |
| Day fees (2026/27) | £8,611 per term (Senior and Sixth Form); £6,831 per term (Junior School Years 1 to 6); £6,699 per term (Reception); inc. VAT |
| Assessment date | 11+ assessment day Wednesday 6 January 2027, interviews Saturday 9 January 2027; 7+ assessments between Thursday 7 and Tuesday 12 January 2027; Year 12 scholarship exam Monday 9 November 2026 |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Academic, art, drama, music and sport awards at Year 7 and Year 12 (plus rowing); means-tested bursaries at both |
| A level average point score per entry (DfE, 2024/25) | 43.55 (average grade B+) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly. Compare fees at other independent schools.
Sydenham & Dulwich Girls admissions run through an online application on the school's Applicaa portal, followed by an assessment at 7+ into Year 3, 11+ into Year 7 or 16+ into Year 12. The 11+ is the main entry point, and it combines standardised tests of verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative reasoning with a creative writing task, an observational extension activity, an interview of about 15 minutes and a reference from the current school.
The assessments are the school's own, and its pages name no external test provider. Registration closes in the autumn before entry, offers follow once every assessment has been completed, and a place is accepted through Applicaa with a deposit. Scholarships and bursaries are offered at Year 7 and Year 12 only.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7+ | Year 3 | Three 40-minute papers covering maths and reading and writing, then a team-building and collaboration exercise; no verbal or non-verbal reasoning | No separate interview is described for 7+ | Not published |
| 11+ | Year 7 | Standardised tests of verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative reasoning, a creative writing task and an observational extension activity | Individual interview of about 15 minutes with a member of teaching staff, plus a reference from the current school | Not published |
| 16+ | Year 12 | Interview with the Head or Head of Sixth Form, a reference with predicted GCSE grades, a non-subject-specific scholarship exam for external candidates, and occasionally a short subject test | Interview with the Head or the Head of Sixth Form | Not published |
Entry points and places
The school admits girls at 4+ into Reception, 7+ into Year 3, 11+ into Year 7 and 16+ into Year 12, and its senior admissions page names 11+ as the main entry point. Sydenham & Dulwich Girls is part of the Girls' Day School Trust, and the pages read give no figure for places or forms of entry at any stage.
Interim places in other year groups occasionally arise. For those, families email the admissions office and are told when to apply if a place exists. Applicants to Years 7 to 9 sit online assessments in maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning plus a creative writing task, and Year 10 applicants sit the same four subjects with creative writing, alongside recent school reports and consideration of GCSE subject options. All interim applicants are interviewed by a senior member of teaching staff.
The school has its own Junior School, but the pages read do not describe how Junior pupils move up, and no feeder or partner schools are named. Sixth form places are open to girls from the school's own Year 11 and from other senior schools.
How the 11+ assessment works
The 11+ assessment for Year 7 entry is a standardised test of academic potential and reasoning covering verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative reasoning, taken on a single assessment day. The school's pages name no test provider, so the papers are best treated as the school's own.
Two further components sit alongside the reasoning tests: a creative writing task and an observational extension activity. Neither is described in more detail on the pages read, so families have no published word limit, timing or question style to work from for those parts.
Interviews take place on a separate day from the assessment day. Offers are sent only after all assessments are complete, and bursary outcomes are shared at the same time as offers.
11+ tutors
Hannah
Master TutorI am a UK-qualified teacher with 15+ years across private and state schools in the UK and abroad, and hold a BSc from LSE and a PGCE with QTS. I teach English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, 11+ and Common Entrance preparation. My approach is personalised, confidence-building and rigorous.
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Sochima
Master TutorI'm a qualified teacher in a London classroom every day, with a BSc in Computer Science from Brunel and a PGCE with QTS. I teach Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science to A-Level, plus 11+ preparation, through project-based work that suits SEND learners well.
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Robert
Master TutorI am a qualified teacher with over twenty years' experience in the UK, Gulf and New Zealand, holding an MA in History and PGCE. I teach English, History, Geography and French from KS2 to A-Level and IB, preparing 11+/13+ candidates. My approach is student-led, focused and diagnostic.
Enquire about this tutorHow the 7+ assessment works
The 7+ assessment for Year 3 entry consists of three 40-minute papers covering maths and reading and writing, followed by a team-building and collaboration exercise. Verbal and non-verbal reasoning are not assessed at this stage.
Invitations are issued for one of several assessment days in January. The school says offers depend on whether a girl can cope with the level, challenge and pace of the Junior School curriculum. No separate interview is described for 7+.
The 7+ sits within the Junior School process, which also covers 4+ entry through a one-hour playgroup session with class teachers, a nursery report and a meeting with parents. The Junior application deadline falls in the autumn term and is later than the Year 7 deadline.
Registration and the admissions timeline
Registration starts with an enquiry on Applicaa, and the same form is later used to apply. The steps for Year 7 entry run in the order below, with the Junior School and sixth form following the same pattern on different dates.
An application fee is payable unless the family receives Universal Credit, and the fee amount is not stated on the pages read. Overseas applicants are told to give detailed records of past courses and exams, and those needing a study visa should say so when applying.
- Enquiry through Applicaa
- Visit: Whole School Saturday Open Morning, School in Action mornings, Discovery and Exploration Sessions or a personal tour
- Apply online by the autumn deadline, completing the form begun at enquiry
- Assessments and interview
- Offers, sent after all assessments are complete
- Acceptance through Applicaa, with the deposit
Interviews and references
Every 11+ candidate has an individual interview of about 15 minutes with a member of teaching staff, in which she talks about something she is proud of or enjoys. It is a conversation about her own interests and needs no subject knowledge.
A reference from the candidate's current school is required at 11+, and 16+ applicants need a reference that includes predicted GCSE grades. At 4+, the school asks for a nursery report and meets parents to learn about the girl and her interests.
Sixth form entry requirements
Entry to the sixth form requires at least eight GCSE passes, with a minimum of six at grades 9 to 6 in the summer before entry, and grade 6 is the minimum for any A Level subject. Equivalent international qualifications are considered.
Subject requirements are higher in some areas: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths need a grade 7 at GCSE, Further Maths needs a grade 8 in Maths, and Physics or Chemistry also need a grade 7 in Maths.
Admission rests on an interview with the Head or the Head of Sixth Form and a reference including predicted GCSE grades. Candidates are occasionally asked to sit a short test in one or more subjects. Registration closes in the autumn term, offers follow in early December, and a deposit confirms acceptance.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships are offered at Year 7 and Year 12 only. At Year 7 they cover academic, art, drama, music and sport, and applicants can apply for more than one by the application deadline; every Year 7 applicant is considered for the academic scholarship through her entrance examination performance, with no separate application. Successful candidates keep the award throughout their time at the school.
At Year 12 the scholarships are academic, art, drama, music, rowing and sport. External academic candidates sit a non-subject-specific scholarship exam that needs no special preparation. Art involves a portfolio review then interview, drama and music involve references, an audition and interview, rowing involves an interview with the Head of Rowing, and sport involves references, an assessment afternoon and interview.
Means-tested bursaries are available at Year 7 and Year 12 only, based on financial circumstances and performance in the entrance assessments. Families tick the bursary option on the application form and complete a separate online bursary application, with details emailed by the admissions team for Year 7. The maximum share of fees is not published.
Fees and what they include
Fees are set per term in three bands: Reception, Junior School Years 1 to 6, and Senior and Sixth Form. They include VAT and are paid to the GDST either termly in advance or by monthly direct debit. The current amounts are on the school's fees page.
Several items cost extra: school lunch, which is compulsory to Year 11, public exam fees billed on the summer term invoice, and a leased Chromebook for Year 7 pupils on a three-year scheme. Bursary recipients with an award of 50% or more pay no exam fees, and smaller awards receive a pro-rata reduction.
How to prepare
Preparation for 11+ is most useful when it matches the four reasoning areas the school names: verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative. Practising each in short, timed sessions, and writing a piece of creative prose by hand, covers the published assessment components.
For the interview, a girl can rehearse talking for a minute or two about something she is proud of or enjoys, since that is the prompt the school describes. For 7+, practising maths and reading and writing papers of 40 minutes, along with group tasks that involve sharing ideas, fits the format; reasoning practice is unnecessary there.
Sixth form candidates can focus on the subject grades required, the interview with the Head or Head of Sixth Form, and, for the scholarship exam, a general paper that the school says needs no special preparation.
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Preparing for the Sydenham & Dulwich Girls 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Sydenham & Dulwich Girls 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 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.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Sydenham & Dulwich Girls entrance exam?
- At 11+ it is a standardised assessment of verbal, non-verbal, spatial and quantitative reasoning, with a creative writing task and an observational extension activity. Candidates also have an interview of about 15 minutes. At 7+ it is three 40-minute papers covering maths and reading and writing, then a team-building exercise. No external test provider is named.
- How does a family register for Sydenham & Dulwich Girls?
- Start with an enquiry on the school's Applicaa portal, visit through an open morning or personal tour, then complete the online application begun at enquiry. An application fee applies unless the family receives Universal Credit. Offers follow the assessments, and acceptance is made through Applicaa with a deposit. Deadlines are published on the admissions pages.
- What are Sydenham & Dulwich Girls fees?
- Fees are published per term in three bands: Reception, Junior School Years 1 to 6, and Senior and Sixth Form, including VAT. School lunch, public exam fees and the Year 7 Chromebook lease are extra. The current amounts are on the school's fees, bursaries and scholarships page.
- Does Sydenham & Dulwich Girls offer scholarships and bursaries?
- Yes, at Year 7 and Year 12 only. Year 7 scholarships cover academic, art, drama, music and sport; Year 12 adds rowing. Bursaries are means-tested, based on financial circumstances and entrance assessment performance, and need a separate online application. The maximum share of fees is not published.
- What are the sixth form entry requirements?
- Applicants need at least eight GCSE passes, with six at grades 9 to 6, and grade 6 for any A Level subject. Sciences and Maths need a grade 7, and Further Maths a grade 8 in Maths. Admission is by interview with the Head or Head of Sixth Form, plus a reference with predicted grades.
- Is there a catchment area for Sydenham & Dulwich Girls?
- The admissions pages read state no catchment area. Places are offered on the basis of assessment, interview and reference, with offers made after all assessments are complete. Families with questions about location can contact the admissions office by email.
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