The independent school admissions cycle: a step-by-step guide
Independent (private) schools run their own admissions, on a different timetable from grammar schools. Here is the usual cycle for September 2027 entry.
Year 5: look around
Visit open days in Year 5 and early Year 6. Check each school's tests, deadlines, scholarships and bursaries.
Year 6, autumn: register
You register with each school directly. There is no single form. Deadlines are usually October to early November. For example, City of London School for Girls closes on 30 October 2026, City of London School on 2 November 2026 and South Hampstead High School on 6 November 2026.
Year 6, November to January: tests and interviews
- Written English and Maths papers, often with a reasoning test.
- Some schools use the ISEB Common Pre-Test, taken once and shared with every school that asks for it.
- Many schools interview children, and some add group activities.
February: offers
Offers usually arrive in mid-February. For example, City of London School for Girls and South Hampstead send offers on Friday 12 February 2027.
Early March: decide
Many London schools ask you to reply in early March. South Hampstead's deadline is noon on Wednesday 3 March 2027, with a deposit. This is just after National Offer Day (1 March), so you can compare with your state school offer before you decide.
Tips
- Keep one list of every school's deadlines.
- Apply for bursaries at the same time as you register. They are means-tested and have their own deadlines.
- Still fill in your council's CAF by the deadline, as a back-up.
More: Independent school 11+ entrance exams explained and our school guides.
Sources: City of London School for Girls, 11+ admissions; City of London School, 11+ entry; South Hampstead High School, entry at 11+; gov.uk.