St Paul’s School: 13 plus entry guide

About St Paul’s School

St Paul’s School is one of the top private schools in the UK and provides a prestigious education for boys aged 7–18. It was founded in 1590 by John Colet, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, to educate boys ‘from all nations and countries indifferently.’ The school encompasses a senior school (13–18) and a prep school, St Paul’s Juniors, for boys aged 7–13.

The school is located on a 45-acre site by the River Thames in Barnes, South West London. Boys have access to exceptional facilities, including a RIBA award-winning science building and the new Samuel Pepys Theatre (named after the famous former pupil). St Paul’s has a very strong reputation for sport, with almost 30 physical activities to choose from, and many pupils progress to regional, national, and international levels.

80% of students at St Paul’s go on to study at the top 12 UK universities, while 13% take up places at North American universities (Ivy League or equivalent). The school describes its own pace of life as fast – bright boys thrive in a wide variety of academic pursuits and an unparalleled range of co-curricular activities.

The main entry point to St Paul’s School is at 13 plus. Boys looking to join St Paul’s at 11 plus apply separately to St Paul’s Juniors.

• Headteacher: Sally-Anne Huang

• Address: St Paul’s School, Lonsdale Road, Barnes, London SW13 9JT

• London borough: Richmond-upon-Thames

• Age range and gender: 7–18, boys only

• Number of pupils: 1,500+

• National league table rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 2

• A level results: 98.8% A*–B

• GCSE results: 98.9% 9–7

St Paul’s School fees and financial assistance

The fees at St Paul’s School in 2023–2024 are 9,895 per term.The fees include the cost of tuition, sports games, loan books, stationery, the library, medical inspection, careers aptitude tests, certain school publications and school lunch – which is compulsory for all pupils.

Financial assistance

St Paul’s School is able to provide financial support to boys who pass the entrance exams but whose families would not otherwise be able to afford the school fees. Known as a bursary, this type of financial assistance is means-tested.

Most financial support is focused towards boys applying at 11 plus and 16 plus to reflect the natural state school entry point. As a guide, families with a combined household income of less than £120,000 may be entitled to some level of financial support.

Find out more about bursaries at St Paul’s School.

Scholarships

St Paul’s School awards scholarships at 13 plus entry. Scholarships are not means-tested, but awarded based on a child’s talent in a particular subject.

Academic scholarships are awarded to boys who perform particularly well in academic scholarship exams, which are held in May in Year 8. These are honorary awards, worth £60 – which many families put towards book costs.

Music scholarships and exhibitions are awarded to talented musicians, based on the outcome of an application, audition and interview. Music scholarships carry a reward of £60 plus free tuition on two instruments. Music exhibitions provide free tuition on one instrument.

St Paul’s School 13 plus admissions process

St Paul’s School welcomes around 176 boys into Year 9 every year. Almost half of these pupils have moved up from St Paul’s Juniors, while the other half join from a wide range of schools – both preps and primary.

The next available entry point to St Paul’s School is Year 9 entry in 2026.

1. Visit the school

If you’re considering St Paul’s School for your son, it’s a good idea to visit first. St Paul’s is selective and has a fast-paced environment, so it’s important to make sure your son would be happy and thrive at the school.

13 plus open afternoons are held in the spring, summer, and autumn terms. Find out more about upcoming events and book a place on the school website.

2. Register for 13 plus entry

Once you have decided to proceed with your child’s application to St Paul’s, you will need to register for entry to Year 9. The next available entry point is for 2026, for boys born between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013.

To register, complete the online application form before midnight on Wednesday 20th September 2023. You will need to upload an electronic copy of your son’s passport and pay a registration fee of £200, which is non-refundable.

After St Paul’s has received your son’s application, the admissions team will contact your child’s current headteacher to request a report. The headteacher will be asked to comment on your child’s character, academic strengths and interests.

4. Second stage exam

In mid-December, you will find out if your child has been invited to the second stage of the entrance process. This will depend on your son’s performance in the ISEB Common Pre-Test and the strength of the reference from his headteacher.

Children who are selected to move to stage two will be invited to sit written tests at St Paul’s. These will take place on 8th January 2024 – when your child is in Year 6.

• Maths: 60 minutes

• English: 45-minutes. Children will be asked to write a response to one of three topics.

5. Interviews

Children who perform well in the written tests will be invited back to St Paul’s School for the third and final stage. This will take place between January and June in Year 6.

The third stage of the process consists of two interviews, each with a senior member of the teaching staff. Each interview will last approximately 25 minutes and will be a discussion about your child’s academic studies. While your child is being interviewed, you will have the opportunity to meet with a senior member of staff.

Find out more about the sorts of questions your child might be asked in our guide to school interviews.

6. Offers

You will find out if your child has been offered a place at St Paul’s School approximately three weeks after the interviews. There are three potential outcomes:

• Place on the main list: a conditional offer which must be accepted by the end of Year 7. Children who accept this offer will need to maintain good conduct and progress at their current school, with a further reference of support from their headteacher in Year 8.

• Place on the reserve list: after the deadline for acceptance of main list offers has passed, the reserve list will be reviewed early in Year 8. St Paul’s will request an up-to-date report from your child’s headteacher and your son might be invited to take further written papers in English and maths. Following these, some boys will be offered unconditional places and a few more will be placed on a small waiting list.

• No offer

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