How to pass St Paul’s School (Girls) 11+

Are you looking into St Paul’s Girls’ School at 11+ for the next step in your daughter’s education? Find out everything you need to know about the 11 plus admissions process, and how to help your daughter succeed.

• The 11+ admissions process
• Exam content
• The interview
• Scholarships
• Find a tutor for St Dunstan’s Senior School
• Contact us

Introduction to St Paul’s Girls’ School

St Paul’s Girls’ School, or SPGS, is a private day school for girls in Hammersmith, West London. Since its foundation in 1904, the school has believed in the importance of educating women to fulfil their potential while giving them the skills and confidence they need to take their place with pride in the wider world.

The main entry points at SPGS are 11+ and 16+. The school has over 800 girls aged 11-18. Academic excellence is at the heart of St Paul’s, however this is maintained and enhanced by the sheer joy both girls and staff have in learning and the encouragement everyone is given to explore ideas, to challenge preconceptions and to develop their own ideas.

Learning at SPGS is not just about passing exams, it is about a love of academic pursuits, inspiration and imagination. St Paul’s is highly competitive which is no surprise considering its outstanding results when it comes to higher education and university admissions. In 2024, 98% of GCSEs achieved at Grade 9, 8 or 7 (A*-A), while 83% achieved at Grade 9. In the same year, 89% of A Levels were achieved at A* or A. Of the 2024 leavers, 39% went on to study at Oxbridge.

Fees

£12,414 per term for Year 7-13, inclusive of school lunches. A deposit of half the current termly fee is required upon acceptance of a place. This will be refunded in full against the final bill. If one or more of the people responsible for paying the fees is resident outside the UK, St Paul’s will also ask for an overseas deposit which is half of the current termly fee.

11 Plus Open Days at St Paul’s Girls’ School

St Paul’s Girls’ School offer tours during the school day for prospective parents and pupils. These are available from mid-March to the end of the Summer term each year. The tours are led by the Head of Admissions and are around 45 minutes long. St Paul’s also usually offer Open Days in the autumn term. These events include talks from the High Mistress, Director of Studies and Head Girl, in addition to a tour of the school led by current students. 11+ Open Days in September and October for candidates applying for 2026 entry are currently full, however you can email Admissions (admissions@spgs.org) to be added to the waiting list.

You can view a virtual tour of St Paul’s on the school website. This features videos of the various aspects of school life at SPGS, you can see girls in action enjoying the facilities and hear from key members of staff.

Before registering your daughter for admission, we recommend that you and your daughter attend a St Paul’s Girls’ School Open Day. This will give your daughter a sense of what life is like attending SPGS, the facilities it offers, and a chance to meet members of staff, the Headmistress and current pupils. We have found girls who attend Open Events are better prepared in interviews and more confident upon entering in September.

View the Virtual Tour video.

11 Plus Admissions at St Paul’s Girls’ School

Parents can apply to St Paul’s Girls’ School from June of their child’s year 5 to the registration deadline, which is usually the November of the child’s Year 6. 2026 applicants can apply now by submitting the application form found on the SPGS website. 2026 applications must be submitted before the 7th of November 2025 at noon. The application must be completed online. Candidates must pay a non-refundable registration fee of £265 unless the application is for a bursary place.

At 11 plus, St Paul’s accepts around 110 girls. SPGS is highly competitive, with many girls competing for places. St Paul’s does not give any preferential treatment for girls who already have a sister studying at SPGS. It is worth noting this is a highly academic school, and it is not suitable for all girls.

11 Plus Cambridge Select Insight Computer Test at St Paul’s Girls’ School

All candidates will complete an on-screen, time-limited cognitive ability test covering verbal ability, mathematics ability, and non-verbal ability to identify potential.

Sat in late November, the online test assesses verbal ability, mathematics ability, and non-verbal ability. SPGS does not provide practice materials for this exam; however, familiarisation material is available on the school website. We recommend reviewing this so your daughter is not thrown by the question formatting. Learn more about CEM assessments.

CEM Select Assessments include questions measuring:

• The Verbal Reasoning section covers vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension.

• Numerical Ability focuses on arithmetic and problem-solving skills.

• Non-verbal Reasoning tests pattern recognition and spatial awareness.

The assessment includes separate timed sections, each designed to test a particular topic. Before each section, you will be told how many questions there are and how much time is available. Timing is crucial in a CEM assessment; disciplined timekeeping under pressure is difficult for any 10-year-old and requires practice. The tests are designed so that you must use all the time allocated for each section. If you reach the end of a section, you will be sent back to the first question. In some sections, you cannot progress until you have answered all questions correctly or run out of time.

The test lasts an hour and will take place at St Paul’s. Parents will be informed if their daughter is successful in mid-December.

Tailored tutoring could be key to helping your daughter stand out. From academic support to exam technique, our tutors provide the knowledge and confidence needed to tackle the online test.

11 Plus Exam at St Paul’s Girls’ School

Girls who are successful in the computer assessment will be invited to sit the entrance exam on 5th January 2026. This will take place in person at St Paul’s. Girls will sit papers in English, Mathematics and Comprehension, each lasting 75 minutes. SPGS provides sample papers for their entrance exam on their website.

The English exam consists of up to 10 questions on an unseen passage of literary prose. Through close reading, girls must extract information from the text and comment on the meaning and effect of specific words and phrases. Some questions will be extended creative writing tasks based on the passage. Girls are examined on their ability to read, understand and respond to a text, and infer meaning through linguistic effects. St Paul’s also looks for accurate spelling, punctuation, grammar, and wide vocabulary.

The Mathematics paper has two sections, both designed to identify a girl’s potential. The first tests core arithmetic concepts; the second contains harder, multi-part questions based on unfamiliar material. Questions cover a wide range of topics from the National Curriculum up to KS2.

The Comprehension paper is unique to St Paul’s. It is based around a theme and tests comprehension in the broadest sense, identifying girls’ potential to respond perceptively to various material. This paper tests deduction, inference, extraction, organisation, evaluation, comparison, identification of patterns and links, and logic. KS2 science skills may be needed to evaluate data presentation, but no other prior knowledge is required. St Paul’s looks for the ability to respond to a range of stimuli and draw accurate conclusions.

This is a particularly challenging exam. If you’d like expert support, our specialist 11+ tutors have extensive St Paul’s entrance experience.

11 Plus Interview at St Paul’s Girls’ School

Those who are successful in the written entrance exam will be invited back to St Paul’s for an interview. The interview lasts around 20 minutes and will take place in late January. For 2026 applicants, it is on the 17th and 25th of January. It is one-to-one with a senior member of staff and is an important part of the admission process. Designed to identify natural ability and potential, girls will be given material to generate conversation. Interviewers will look for creativity, engagement, and critical thinking skills.

Applicants will be asked to talk about themselves; the interviewer will explore their interests and ideas. Girls need to articulate firm views on their interests and justify them to an interviewer who may question or challenge them. The interview will also include questions to gauge communication skills, inquisitiveness, reasoning, and wider cultural interests. It is a chance for girls to show genuine excitement and interest in SPGS.

Teachers look for enthusiastic, confident girls who they will enjoy having at the school and who will make the most of what it offers. Your daughter must clearly articulate her answers and address the questions directly, rather than meandering. At St Paul’s, they prefer girls not to appear over-practised; rehearsed answers can reduce the chance of being offered a place.

The thought of an interview can be daunting for some girls who find it hard to express their views. Each year, Mentor runs individual and group sessions to build confidence. Focusing on interview prep and what to expect, we encourage children to develop answers and present their best selves.

11 Plus Scholarships at St Paul’s Girls’ School

St Paul’s Girls’ School offer several Music Scholarships and Exhibitions at 11 plus. St Paul’s invite potential Music Scholars for a practical audition and interview by the Director of Music and other music staff. Music Scholarships are worth £936 per year, based on the value of lessons in one instrument or voice. Scholars who join at 11+ retain their award for five years, after which they must apply for a 16+ (Year 12) scholarship for their final two years at St Paul’s.

In addition, Music Exhibitions may be awarded following the auditions. Exhibitioners benefit from mentoring, recognition throughout the school, and increased opportunities in the school’s music-making.As with scholarships, exhibitions are kept for five years.

Meet our Tutors

To guarantee your daughter the best chance of admission to St Paul’s Girls’ School at 11 plus, offer her some additional support from one of our tutors. Many of our over 200 tutors are experts in the SPGS 11 plus and with bespoke one-to-one tuition, they can help children to achieve success at exams and interviews.

With more than 40 years of experience in tutoring children to gain admission to some of London’s most competitive independent schools, we at Mentor have a wealth of knowledge on how best to prepare your daughter for entry to SPGS.

Over 80% of our tutors are qualified teachers, so they have an in-depth knowledge of their subject, the syllabus and the most effective teaching methods. Many have been heads of department, head teachers or examiners and all come with a wealth of experience and a great track record of success. All have up-to-date DBS certificates and references. Wherever possible we will match your daughter with a tutor who has a track record at St Paul’s themselves.

For some information on our tutors’ unique approach to testing children in preparation for exams, contact our team.

More on St Paul’s Girls’ School

St Paul’s has built a reputation as an academic powerhouse, consistently boasting exceptional exam results. That level of success and status generally goes hand in hand with a “hothouse” reputation, which is not something SPGS has completely avoided. However, the highly rigorous selection process ensures that once girls join, they flourish.. Girls must have a genuine love of learning and be incredibly ambitious. If your daughter is not naturally academically gifted, it is simply not the right school for her. Girls who thrive at St Paul’s take initiative, stay on top of their work, and handle academic pressure well.

At SPGS, academic excellence goes alongside a liberal ideology. The school enforces few rules and encourages relaxed, respectful student-teacher relationships. There is no uniform; instead of formal rules and discipline, girls are expected to behave with common sense and courtesy. Despite the academic demands, the school fosters a welcoming and kind community Currently, only about 11% of girls receive financial assistance, but SPGS aims to increase that figure to 20%. Sarah Fletcher became High Mistress in 2017, after serving as Head of City of London School.

In addition to high academic achievement, St Paul’s offers a broad range of co-curricular opportunities. Live music is never far off. The school encourages girls to perform in choirs, bands, ensembles, and orchestras. Moreover, sport is vital to a St Paul’s education, with an inclusive and varied programme catering to all abilities and interests. Girls can try fencing, lacrosse, tennis, horse riding, swimming, rowing, kickboxing, cross country, basketball and athletics. Drama also thrives, with spectacular performances in clubs, productions and lessons. There are also many clubs and societies including Dissection, Coding, Junior Feminism, Debating, Journalism, Radio and Chess.

More Information on SPGS

Address: St Paul’s Girls’ School, Brook Green, Hammersmith, London, W6 7BS

Telephone: 020 7603 2288

Email: admissions@spgs.org

Website: www.spgs.org

Local Authority: Hammersmith and Fulham

School’s Unique Reference Number (URN): 100366

Gender: Girls

Age Range: 11-18

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