The John Lyon School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

About The John Lyon School

The John Lyon School is an independent day school on two sites in Harrow-on-the-Hill: a Prep site on Hindes Road and the Senior School on Middle Road.

The school markets itself as co-educational from age 2 to 18, though its own Senior School admissions paperwork is worth reading carefully if you’re applying for a daughter, which we cover below.

Key information for 2027 entry to The John Lyon School at 11 Plus (11+)

• School type: independent day school; the school describes itself as co-educational ‘from 2-18’
• Entrance exam: an English exam (comprehension and creative writing) and a Mathematics exam (KS2 curriculum, no calculator), sat on two separate days
• Plus a Group Activity/Discussion (not a formal interview) and a confidential reference from your child’s current school
• Registration deadline: 31 October, 4pm. Fee £180
• Entrance exam dates: Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November 2026
• Offer date: communicated ‘the Friday before February half-term’
• Confirmation of Acceptance Fee: £1,200 (UK resident) or £3,600 (overseas), refunded when the pupil leaves
• Scholarships in Academic, Music, Drama, Sport, STEAM and Art; means-tested bursaries; both share the 31 October, 4pm deadline
• Contact details: [email protected], 020 8515 9400

Admissions information for 2027 entry to The John Lyon School at 11 Plus (11+)

One fact worth stating plainly before anything else: John Lyon’s own published materials aren’t entirely consistent about who can join the Senior School at 11+. The school’s general marketing describes itself as ‘proudly co-ed from 2-18’, but its own Senior School Admissions Policy document is written throughout in male pronouns for 11+ and 13+ entrants. We can’t resolve that contradiction from the school’s own paperwork, so if you’re applying for a daughter, ring the admissions office and ask directly before you register, rather than assume either version is definitive.

On the assessment itself, John Lyon is unusual in this guide for spreading 11+ entry across two separate exam days a week apart, English on 18 November and Maths on 19 November 2026, rather than the single assessment day most schools here run. There’s also no formal interview: the school describes the Group Activity/Discussion as something that ‘should be an enjoyable experience’, with no explicit preparation required, a reassuring line if your child finds one-to-one interviews stressful.

How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exams at The John Lyon School?

1. Register by 4pm on 31 October. The fee is £180, and bursary applications share the same deadline.
2. Your child sits the English exam on Wednesday 18 November 2026 and the Mathematics exam on Thursday 19 November 2026.
3. They also take part in a Group Activity/Discussion: a small-group conversation about an academic or current-affairs topic, rather than a one-to-one interview.
4. The school requests a confidential reference from your child’s current school.
5. Offers are communicated ‘the Friday before February half-term’. The Confirmation of Acceptance Fee is £1,200 (UK) or £3,600 (overseas), refunded when your child eventually leaves the school.

What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for The John Lyon School?

The 11+ entrance process has three parts:

• An English exam, covering comprehension and creative writing.
• A Mathematics exam, based on the KS2 curriculum, without a calculator.
• A Group Activity/Discussion, a small-group conversation rather than a formal interview.

What John Lyon doesn’t state anywhere in the materials we checked is whether the English and Maths exams are answered on paper or on screen. Given the school sets its own papers rather than buying in an external online provider, a written, pen-and-paper style looks the more likely format, but treat that as our best reading rather than a confirmed fact, and prepare your child for both if you want to be certain.

The John Lyon School 11 Plus (11+) top tips for your child

• Practise comprehension and creative writing together for English, and KS2-level, no-calculator arithmetic and problem-solving for Maths.
• Cover both written and on-screen practice styles, since the school doesn’t state which format the exams use.
• Don’t over-rehearse the Group Activity/Discussion. The school itself says no explicit preparation is required, and a natural, willing conversationalist will do better than a coached one.
• Two exam days a week apart means pacing matters. Plan for your child to be fresh on both 18 and 19 November, not just the first.
• If you’re applying for a daughter to the Senior School, confirm gender admission directly with John Lyon before registering; the school’s own materials aren’t consistent on this point.

How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) The John Lyon School exam

Preparation for John Lyon means comprehension, creative writing and KS2 maths worked to time, in both written and on-screen styles since the school doesn’t say which the exam uses. With two separate exam days in mid-November, the autumn term of Year 6 is the working window.

For The John Lyon School 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs: