Selection Procedure for 13+

Selection Procedure

Stage one

All registered candidates are required to take the ISEB online pre-test in October or November of Year 6. Candidates for 13+ 2028 entry should register with ISEB from June 2025 onwards. Signing up for the ISEB mailing list via their website is recommended so that parents receive details on the registration process. There is no charge to register with ISEB.

The ISEB online pre-tests will, preferably, be completed at the pupil’s current school.  In the unlikely event that their school cannot administer the tests, boys can sit them here at St Paul’s in early December.

We will also request a report from a candidate’s Head Teacher covering their character, academic strengths, and interests.

Parents and schools will be informed of our decision in mid-December.

Stage two

All those candidates selected to move to Stage two will be invited to sit written assessments at St Paul’s School in early January 2026. These will comprise of a 60 minute Mathematics paper and a 45 minute English paper.

Stage three

Candidates who perform well in the written assessments will be invited to an interview which will take place on a Saturday in late January or early February.  These will explore the boys’ numeracy skills and also their ability to critically analyse source material. In addition, we will explore their co-curricular interests and have a general conversation with them.  Whilst candidates are being interviewed, parents will have an opportunity to listen to a talk with the High Master and senior leaders and ask questions.

Parents and schools will be advised of the result of these interviews by the end of February. There will be one of three outcomes.

1. A place on the Main List

This offer must be accepted by March of Year 7. If boys attend a school that follows the Year 7 and 8 curriculum prescribed by St Paul’s when interviewed, their place is conditional upon continued good conduct and academic progress at their existing school, including an unreserved reference of support from their Head Teacher in Year 8.

Offers made to boys who do not attend schools following St Paul’s prescribed curriculum in Years 7 and 8 will be subject to the same conditions on progress, conduct, and report, but we reserve the right to place additional conditions upon the offer.  For example, one condition may be that they achieve a minimum of 70% in prescribed subjects at Common Entrance. This condition ensures that boys offered places in Year 6 arrive at St Paul’s at 13+ equipped to handle the curriculum.

2. A place on the Reserve List

Candidates who show potential, but for whom we are not yet able to offer a place, are offered a place on the Reserve List. This means that we would very much like to re-assess them in Year 8 when they have benefited from more time to develop both academically and emotionally in their prep schools.

In the final term of Year 7, we will contact both parents and your son’s school to see if they would like to be re-assessed. We will request an up-to-date report from their Headteacher and boys will sit written papers in English and Mathematics in the September of Year 8. We may also choose to re-interview boys. Following these assessments, some boys will be offered unconditional places for 13+ and a few will be placed on a small waiting list.

3. We regret that we are unable to offer a place at the school

For further information, please email Bernadette Lees (Registrar) on 13plusentry@stpaulsschool.org.uk