11+ in London
London has some of the most competitive grammar schools in the country, concentrated in the south (Sutton, Kingston, Bromley) and north (Barnet, Enfield). Most run their own two-stage assessments, while the Sutton cluster uses GL-style testing.
Exam board
Mostly bespoke / consortium and GL Assessment (varies by borough)
Competition
Ratios of 10–25 applicants per place are common at the top London grammars, so accuracy under time and — for catchment schools — proximity both matter.
Deadlines
Registration typically opens in spring and closes in late June/early July of Year 5, with first-round tests in September of Year 6. Confirm exact dates with each school as they differ.
Parent guide
- Decide early whether you are targeting rank-only schools (e.g. QE Barnet) or catchment-weighted schools (e.g. Latymer), because it changes your strategy.
- Many families sit several tests across a couple of weekends in September of Year 6 — plan the logistics, as test dates can clash.
- For two-stage schools, the second round is where places are won, so rehearse second-round-style questions and extended writing specifically.
Grammar schools in London
Tiffin School
Boys · Kingston upon Thames
Bespoke / ConsortiumThe Tiffin Girls' School
Girls · Kingston upon Thames
Bespoke / ConsortiumThe Henrietta Barnett School
Girls · Hampstead Garden Suburb, Barnet
Bespoke / ConsortiumQueen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
Boys · Barnet
GL AssessmentWilson's School
Boys · Wallington, Sutton
GL AssessmentSutton Grammar School
Boys · Sutton
GL AssessmentNonsuch High School for Girls
Girls · Cheam, Sutton
GL AssessmentWallington High School for Girls
Girls · Wallington, Sutton
GL AssessmentWallington County Grammar School
Boys · Wallington, Sutton
Bespoke / ConsortiumSt Olave's Grammar School
Boys · Orpington, Bromley
Bespoke / ConsortiumNewstead Wood School
Girls · Orpington, Bromley
Bespoke / ConsortiumThe Latymer School
Co-educational · Edmonton, Enfield
Top tips for London
- Start GL-style foundations in Year 4 to leave Year 5 for timed practice.
- Track each school’s registration deadline in a single calendar — missing one is the most common avoidable mistake.
- Use age-standardised scoring to compare progress fairly across summer- and autumn-born children.
FAQs
Which London grammar schools are easiest to get into?+
None are easy, but rank-only schools can be more predictable than catchment-weighted ones if your child scores very highly. The "easiest" route is usually the school where your combination of score and distance is strongest.
Do London grammars use GL or CEM?+
It varies. The Sutton cluster uses GL-style tests; Kingston (Tiffin), Barnet (HBS, QE) and others use bespoke two-stage assessments. Check each school individually.
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