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+ 2026 entry should register with ISEB from mid-August 2023. Do not register with them before this date. In the meantime, it is recommended to sign up to the ISEB mailing list via their website, 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 their current school but if their school is unable to administer the tests, boys are able to sit them here at St Paul’s.

We will also request a report from a candidate’s Head Teacher covering their character, academic strengths and interests. These reports and the pre-test results are carefully reviewed before deciding which boys are called forward to the second stage of the selection process, the written assessments. 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. These will comprise of a 60 minute Mathematics paper and a 45 minute English paper. The English paper will require candidates to write a discursive piece in response to one of three topics given.

Stage three

Candidates who perform well in the written assements will be invited to an interview which will take place between January and June of Year 6. Here they will meet with two senior members of teaching staff who will each spend 25 minutes talking to them about their academic studies. Whilst candidates are being interviewed, parents will have an opportunity to meet with a senior member of staff for 25 minutes.

If boys are attending schools which finish in Year 6, or are at school overseas, we will attempt to interview them between January and March.

We will write within three weeks of the interview to let you know our decision. This will be one of three outcomes.

A place on the Main List

This offer must be accepted by end of Year 7. If boys are attending a school which 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 the 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 upon them achieving a minimum of 70% in prescribed subjects at Common Entrance. This condition is to ensure that boys offered places in Year 6 arrive at St Paul’s at 13+ equipped to handle the curriculum.

A place on the Reserve List

Once the deadline for the acceptance of Main List offers has passed the Reserve List will be reviewed early in Year 8.  This will involve St Paul’s requesting an up-to-date report from the Head Teacher and boys sitting written papers in English and Mathematics, after which some boys will be offered unconditional places for 13+ and a few more will be placed on a small waiting list.

We are unable to offer a place at the school

For further advice and information, please email Allison Chownsmith, Registrar.

Email: 13PlusEntry@stpaulsschool.org.uk