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St Paul's School

Founded in 1509 beside the Thames at Barnes, St Paul's is one of England's oldest and most academically formidable boys' schools — and one of the hardest 11+ challenges in London.
Exam board
ISEB
Entry
Year 7
Founded
1509
Year 7 places
36

St Paul's School

SMA Difficulty
Expert
Location: Barnes, SW London
School type: Independent
Admissions test: ISEB
Free 11+ Baseline Assessment
LOCATION & GETTING THERE

Where St Paul's School sits — and how to reach it

● Schools● Trains● Buses● School coaches
LOCATION
St Paul's School
Lonsdale Road, Barnes, London, SW13 9JT
Other selective schools nearby, closest first — useful if you are considering more than one.
Latymer Upper School
Hammersmith, London · 2.2 km away
View guide →
Putney High School GDST
Putney, London · 2.3 km away
View guide →
Godolphin and Latymer School
Hammersmith, London · 2.6 km away
View guide →
St Paul's Girls' School
Brook Green, Hammersmith, West London · 2.9 km away
View guide →
Nearest railway and Underground stations, with the lines that serve them. Distances are straight-line from the school.
Barnes
0.6 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Richmond, Hounslow and Reading suburban services
Barnes Bridge
0.9 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Hounslow loop services
Mortlake
2 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Richmond and Kingston/Reading suburban services
Ranelagh Avenue (Stop WT)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Ranelagh Avenue (Stop WX)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Church Road / Red Lion (Stop WS)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Barnes / Red Lion (Stop BA)
0.3 km from the school — routes N22, 209, 378, 485, 533, 969
Surrey service
Zeelo, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 330 808 3306 / contact@zeelo.co.
North London service
Zeelo, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 330 808 3306 / contact@zeelo.co.
Bus stops closest to the school, with the routes that serve them. Distances are straight-line from the school.
Barnes
0.6 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Richmond, Hounslow and Reading suburban services
Barnes Bridge
0.9 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Hounslow loop services
Mortlake
2 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Richmond and Kingston/Reading suburban services
Ranelagh Avenue (Stop WT)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Ranelagh Avenue (Stop WX)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Church Road / Red Lion (Stop WS)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Barnes / Red Lion (Stop BA)
0.3 km from the school — routes N22, 209, 378, 485, 533, 969
Surrey service
Zeelo, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 330 808 3306 / contact@zeelo.co.
North London service
Zeelo, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 330 808 3306 / contact@zeelo.co.
Coach services run by the school itself, where they exist.
Barnes
0.6 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Richmond, Hounslow and Reading suburban services
Barnes Bridge
0.9 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Hounslow loop services
Mortlake
2 km from the school — South Western Railway: London Waterloo to Richmond and Kingston/Reading suburban services
Ranelagh Avenue (Stop WT)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Ranelagh Avenue (Stop WX)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Church Road / Red Lion (Stop WS)
0.2 km from the school — routes N22, 33, 378, 419, 969
Barnes / Red Lion (Stop BA)
0.3 km from the school — routes N22, 209, 378, 485, 533, 969
Surrey service
Zeelo, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 330 808 3306 / contact@zeelo.co.
North London service
Zeelo, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 330 808 3306 / contact@zeelo.co.
Private coach services are run by local operators — confirm routes and seats directly each September.
ON THIS PAGE
OVERVIEW

How the test is structured

Entry at 11+ is a two-stage process. All candidates must first sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test — a computer-adaptive assessment covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics, taken in December of Year 6 either at St Paul's or at an approved ISEB centre. Boys who perform well are then invited to the school in January to sit bespoke written papers in Mathematics (60 minutes) and English (45 minutes), set by St Paul's itself and not shared externally.

Shortlisted candidates are then called to an in-person interview with senior staff. The school also considers the current school report. Around 36 boys are admitted to the Junior School at 11+ each year. A non-refundable exam registration fee applies.

HISTORY & ETHOS

The school's story

Founded in 1509 by John Colet, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, St Paul's is one of England's nine original Clarendon schools — and one of the oldest continuously operating schools in the world. Colet's radical founding vision was to educate boys in classical learning and Christian virtue regardless of background, a humanist ideal that was remarkable for its era. The school originally occupied the cathedral churchyard, was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, rebuilt in 1670, relocated to Hammersmith Road in 1884, and moved to its current 43-acre riverside campus in Barnes in 1968.Old Paulines include Samuel Pepys, John Milton, Edmond Halley, the Duke of Marlborough and Field Marshal Montgomery — a lineage of thinkers, writers and leaders stretching over five centuries. The school has consistently ranked among Britain's top academic boys' schools. This culture of rigorous, conceptual thinking maps naturally onto the Singapore mastery method: both reject passive learning and demand that pupils construct deep understanding before moving on.

Why the maths is genuinely hard

The bespoke written Maths paper goes well beyond KS2 recall — boys must demonstrate genuine problem-solving flair across number, geometry, algebra and data, tackling multi-step scenarios under timed pressure. Combined with the prior ISEB filter, only the sharpest mathematical thinkers reach interview stage.

SMA DIFFICULTY VERDICT

Our honest take on the difficulty

The SMA Verdict

4.5

/5

Expert

St Paul's 11+ sits among the most demanding in London. The ISEB pre-test acts as a first filter, but it is the school's own bespoke Maths paper — emphasising original problem-solving over curriculum recall — that distinguishes Pauline hopefuls. Competition for roughly 36 places is fierce, drawn from high-achieving prep schools across South and West London. Boys who thrive here think mathematically rather than procedurally, exactly the disposition Singapore mastery builds from the earliest years.

CATCHMENT & TOWNS

Where families come from

Barnes
Putney
Richmond
Wimbledon
Fulham
Chiswick
Kew
Wandsworth
Hammersmith
Twickenham
KEY DATES

The 11+ admissions calendar

June 2026Registration opens
December 2026ISEB Common Pre-Test
January 2027Bespoke written papers (Maths & English)
February 2027Offers issued
FAQ

Parents' most common questions

Does St Paul's use the ISEB Common Pre-Test at 11+?

Yes. All 11+ applicants must sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test (covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning, maths and English) in December of Year 6 as Stage One. Only boys who perform well in this screening are then invited to sit St Paul's own bespoke written Maths and English papers in January.

How many boys does St Paul's admit at 11+?

Around 36 boys are offered places in the Junior School (Year 7) at the 11+ stage each year. The school also has a larger entry at 13+, which is the main point of entry to the Senior School.

What does the St Paul's bespoke Maths paper look like?

The 60-minute written Maths paper covers number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics at KS2 level — but with a strong emphasis on multi-step problem solving and mathematical reasoning rather than rote calculation. The school does not release past papers but publishes a syllabus.

How does Singapore Maths preparation help for St Paul's 11+?

St Paul's specifically seeks boys who demonstrate natural mathematical flair and problem-solving ability, not just curriculum knowledge. Singapore mastery — with its bar-model reasoning, CPA approach and emphasis on deep understanding over speed-drilling — builds exactly this disposition, giving candidates the flexibility to tackle unfamiliar multi-step problems with confidence.

When should we start preparing for the St Paul's 11+?

Most families preparing seriously for St Paul's 11+ begin structured tuition by Year 4 or early Year 5. Given the ISEB pre-test in December and bespoke written papers in January of Year 6, children need well-embedded reasoning and problem-solving skills — not last-minute cramming — well before the autumn of Year 6.
EXAM PAPERS

Past and sample papers

COMING SOON

We're gathering the sample and familiarisation papers St Paul's School publishes, so you can see the real thing before you prepare. If you'd like them sooner, just ask.

NEARBY SCHOOLS

Other selective schools in the area

Latymer Upper School
Hammersmith, London · 2.2 km
View guide →
Putney High School GDST
Putney, London · 2.3 km
View guide →
Godolphin and Latymer School
Hammersmith, London · 2.6 km
View guide →
St Paul's Girls' School
Brook Green, Hammersmith, West London · 2.9 km
View guide →

Preparing for St Paul's School?

We teach the reasoning these papers actually reward — not test tricks. Small online groups, qualified teachers, and a Singapore Maths method built on genuine understanding.