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St Paul’s Girls’ School (SPGS) 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

Exam Information 5 min read
Table of contents
  1. About St Paul’s Girls’ School
  2. Key information for 2026/2027: St Paul’s Girls’ School at 11 Plus (11+)
  3. Admissions information for 2026/2027: St Paul’s Girls’ School at 11 Plus (11+)
  4. How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exam at St Paul’s Girls’ School?
  5. What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for St Paul’s Girls’ School?
  6. How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) St Paul’s Girls’ School exam

About St Paul’s Girls’ School

St Paul’s Girls’ School (SPGS) is an independent school for girls aged 11-18, founded in 1904. Girls must meet a certain academic standard, tested through the 11+ exams, in order to be eligible for admission to the school. SPGS was founded upon, and to this day maintains, a liberal ideology and environment.

Girls from all backgrounds are welcomed to the school, where relaxed yet respectful relationships amongst pupils and staff are fostered in the aim of developing independent, confident, academically outstanding students. This goal is consistently met by the school, whose 2022 A-Level results comprised 99.5% A*-B grades, and whose GCSE results comprised 95% grades 8’s and 9’s. In 2022, 37 out of 98 girls were offered places at Oxbridge Universities.

SPGS’s welcoming and holistic environment coupled with their excellent academic track record make places at SPGS highly sought after. Bursaries are available for those who meet the academic requirements and meet the criteria of the Bursary Conditions Award.

Key information for 2026/2027: St Paul’s Girls’ School at 11 Plus (11+)

  • School type: girls’ independent school
  • Registration deadline: November 2026
  • Cognitive ability test – ISEB Common Pre-Test (Stage 1): November 2026
  • Stage 1 results: mid-December 2026
  • Entrance exam date (Stage 2): early January 2027
  • Interviews: late January 2027
  • Offers sent out: February 2027
  • Acceptance deadline: early March 2027
  • Contact details: 020 7605 4882, [email protected], www.spgs.org
  •  

Admissions information for 2026/2027: St Paul’s Girls’ School at 11 Plus (11+)

Please note that SPGS recommends only applying for admission if your daughter lives within a 50-minute journey from the school (each way).

From late spring 2026, applications for 2027 entry will open. Two forms need to be completed: a registration form and an examination entrance form which you will be able to find on SPGS’s website. Both forms must be submitted by mid-November 2026.

From early July you will be able to register for an Open Day to visit the school and get a feel of whether it is a good fit for your daughter. Open Days are usually held in September and October.

Those who have registered will complete a preliminary cognitive abilities test in early December at St Paul’s Girls’ School.

Those who are successful will be invited back to sit written exams at SPGS in January, the results of which will inform the school which girls to invite back for interviews in mid-January. The interviews will last around 20-25 minutes; students will be given stimulus material and asked questions about it.

In February 2027, the school’s final decisions will be posted to the parents and offers must then be accepted by early March 2027. Those who are not applying for bursary awards will be required to pay a deposit on acceptance of their offer.

How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exam at St Paul’s Girls’ School?

You may register your daughter for SPGS’s exams by completing two forms which are available on their website between late spring and November 2026; a registration form and an examination entrance form. In addition, you will need to submit a copy of their birth certificate and passport and pay a registration fee (unless you will be applying for a bursary award).

SPGS prides itself on being an inclusive school and welcomes applications from girls of all backgrounds. If your daughter meets their academic requirements and you also meet the criteria of the Bursary Conditions Award (a total combined annual income of less than £140k) then you may be eligible for a bursary to cover some or all of the tuition costs. Those who will be applying for a bursary do not need to pay the registration fee.

What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for St Paul’s Girls’ School?

Stage 1: ISEB Common Pre-Test – A computer-based, time-limited adaptive assessment testing:

  • Verbal Reasoning
  • Non-Verbal Reasoning
  • Maths 

Your child will sit Stage 1 on site at the school and the test will be marked by a computer.

Stage 2: Standard format (written tests):

  • English – (1 hour 15 minutes) will ask students questions about a piece of writing, the questions will test students’ understanding of the piece, the meaning of specific words, the literary techniques used, & require them to write extended creative writing answers based on the piece
  • Maths – (1 hour 15 minutes broken down into three 25 minute sections) the first part will test fundamental mathematics skills, the second will test problem-solving abilities, & the third will be the most challenging & may involve multi-part questions, all topics will be part of the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum
  • Comprehension – (1 hour 15 minutes) tests all aspects of comprehension including deduction, inference, comparison, & identification of patterns & links, the whole paper will be based around 1 theme of which no prior knowledge is required, students may need to evaluate data presented in different ways & therefore KS2 scientific enquiry skills may be needed

How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) St Paul’s Girls’ School exam

The most useful way to prepare for St Paul’s Girls’ School’s 11+ entrance exam is to use practice tests to familiarise your child with the exam content and format.

These tests can help your child to build their confidence and improve their performance in the exam.

For St Paul’s Girls’ School 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs: 

Key Recommendations

To prepare for the Stage 1 exam

To prepare for the Stage 2 exam

Targeted Skills

Key Recommendations

To prepare for the Stage 1 exam

To prepare for the Stage 2 exam

Targeted Skills

Mock Exams

Find out more about Examberry’s in-person mock exams: please click here.

Tuition

Find out more about Examberry’s in-person and online tuition courses for St Paul’s Girls’ School 11+ preparation: please click here.

Creative Writing Course

Find out more about Examberry’s in-person creative writing tuition courses for 11+ preparation: please click here.

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