St Paul's School
11+ Admissions Guide 2026
How to get into St Paul's School
Gender
Founded
1509
Day Fees (per year) Fees were correct at the time of recording. Please check the school's website for the latest information.
£28,653
Admissions
Selective
About St Paul's School
Founded in 1509 by John Colet, St Paul's School has been educating boys for over five centuries. Set on 45 acres beside the River Thames in Barnes, it offers places to boys aged 7 to 18 across its Prep and senior schools, with entry points at 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+. Admission is selective, based on examination and interview, but the school is committed to access – means-tested bursary support is available for any boy who earns a place on academic merit and meets the financial criteria.
The school seeks highly able, curious and committed boys, and the education is shaped around their particular needs. Academic rigour is central to life at St Paul's, but the philosophy is that examination success, for genuinely gifted pupils, tends to follow from broader intellectual development rather than precede it. Boys are encouraged to pursue their own interests, develop a habit of independent study and find their own reasons to engage with ideas – guided by tutors who help them balance academic and co-curricular commitments.
The campus itself is unusual for a London day school. Facilities span a boat club, theatre, art gallery, cricket pitch, concert hall and engineering workshop, all on a single site. In recent years the school has undergone substantial redevelopment: the senior school was completed in 2020, with two general teaching buildings centred on an open atrium, a library and contemporary dining overlooking the Thames. The Prep School redevelopment, completed in January 2026, draws on the geometry of historic amphitheatres – both buildings are designed around central exhibition spaces rather than conventional corridors. Other recent additions include an astro-turf pitch, the Dorfman Theatre drama centre and an RIBA award-winning science building.
Co-curricular life is extensive. A 100-minute lunch break and comprehensive on-site facilities mean boys can pursue activities – sporting, artistic, practical – within a normal school day. The co-curricular programme was recognised as a significant strength in the school's most recent ISI inspection, published in January 2025.
Frequently asked questions about St Paul's School
How do I apply to St Paul's School?
Registration opens on 20 April 2026 and closes on 16 October 2026. The application deadline is 2 March 2027. Full admissions details are available on the official St Paul's School admissions page.
When is the St Paul's School 11+ exam?
The St Paul's School 11+ exam takes place on 14 November 2026, 9 December 2026. Results are released on 12 February 2027.
How much are the fees at St Paul's School?
Day fees at St Paul's School are £28,653 per year.
Where is St Paul's School located?
St Paul's School is located in London, Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom.
Fees Fees were correct at the time of recording. Please check the school's website for the latest information.
Day Fees (per year)
£28,653
Leadership
Head
Sally-Anne Huang
Ages & Pupils
506
Total pupils
Admissions
Main Entry Points
Open Days
October
Scholarships & Bursaries
Bursary Support
Generous means tested bursary awards at every entry point but most commonly awarded at 11+
Mobile Phone Policy
IPads, smart watches, e-readers and mobile phones are the only electronic devices allowed in school. Mobile phones must remain switched off and stored in lockers. A pupil can use their phone to make a call or send a text when granted permission by a member of staff. Mobile phone use without permission will be dealt with by the head of year. Mobile phones are allowed on school trips but will be collected by staff before bed so there is no access to them overnight. Parents are encouraged to ensure the content of any electronic device brought to school is age appropriate.
Linked Schools
ISI Inspection
School Profile
Admissions
Founded over 500 years ago, St Paul's is one of England's most academically distinguished independent schools, set on 45 acres beside the River Thames in Barnes. The school is selective on ability, not background – bursary support is available for talented boys whose families could not otherwise meet the fees.
St Paul's seeks boys with strong all-round intellectual ability, a genuine enthusiasm for academic study and a willingness to commit to life beyond the classroom. Around 36 boys are admitted at 11+, joining St Paul's Prep School for two years before transferring to the senior school in Year 9. Boys from both state primaries and independent schools finishing at the end of Year 6 are welcome to apply.
Entry at 11+ involves two written stages followed by an in-person interview, with the process running across the autumn and winter of Year 6.
Applications for 2027 entry (boys born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016) open in April. There is no registration fee at this stage.
All candidates must sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test, which can be taken at St Paul's or at a registered invigilation centre. ISEB registration opens from June onwards – the school recommends signing up to the ISEB mailing list to receive timely updates. There is no charge to register with ISEB.
Boys who progress from the pre-test are invited to sit written examinations in English and Mathematics at St Paul's in December. Bursary applications also open at this stage, for families whose sons are invited to the written exams.
Candidates who perform well in the written exams are called back for an in-person interview shortly afterwards. Boys meet senior staff and the Head; parents also have the opportunity to meet the Head at the same time.
St Paul's publishes a syllabus for the 11+ written examinations in English and Mathematics – it is worth downloading this early and using it to focus preparation. The school does not release past papers. Given the level of competition, boys should be confident across the full curriculum, with particular depth in reasoning and problem-solving rather than rote recall.
The school offers means-tested bursary support (Founders' Awards) for boys who demonstrate the academic ability to thrive at St Paul's but whose families could not otherwise afford the fees. Bursary applications begin at the written examination stage – families should indicate their interest when their son is invited back in December.
Overseas candidates are required to attend the written examinations in person and may need to return to the UK if called for interview. The 11+ and 13+ processes are entirely separate – boys may not sit both, and any offer made is specific to the entry point assessed.