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London independent day school 11+ entry
London has the country's densest cluster of independent day schools taking 11+ entrants. This guide covers 12 verified schools across the capital — Dulwich College, Highgate School, Alleyn's School, Mill Hill School, University College School, Wimbledon High and others — each running its own admissions process. (Separate consortium/borough guides cover Barnet, Bromley, Sutton, Bexley and Redbridge if you're on the state grammar route instead.)
London independent day schools 11+ at a glance
12 verified London independent day schools with 11+ entry, spanning boys', girls' and co-ed schools across the capital.
Westminster Under School uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test; the remainder in our data run their own bespoke assessments.
Each school sets its own registration deadline and test date — there is no single shared "London 11+" exam.
This is separate from London's state-sector selective grammar schools (eg Barnet's QE Boys, Sutton's SET consortium, Bromley's SET schools) — see our dedicated guides for those.
Exam boards, formats and test dates can change year to year, and schools sometimes move between consortia. Always confirm the current arrangements directly with the school or admissions authority before relying on any single source, including this page.
Schools covered
Dulwich College — own entrance assessment
Highgate School — own entrance assessment
Alleyn's School — own entrance assessment
Mill Hill School — own entrance assessment
University College School — own entrance assessment
Wimbledon High School — own entrance assessment
South Hampstead High School — own entrance assessment
Putney High School — own entrance assessment
Channing School — own entrance assessment
Emanuel School — own entrance assessment
Arnold House School — own entrance assessment
Westminster Under School — ISEB Common Pre-Test
Independent day schools vs state grammar in London
London parents often weigh independent day school entry against the state-sector selective grammar route (Barnet, Bromley, Sutton, Bexley, Redbridge each have their own consortium 11+). The two run on different timelines and formats, and many families apply to both in parallel. If you're targeting the state grammar route specifically, see our borough-specific guides linked below.
How to prepare effectively
Start with the fundamentals rather than exam tricks: a child who reads widely and has a solid grip on KS2 maths will out-perform one who has only drilled past papers. Build in short, regular sessions (15–25 minutes, most days) rather than long weekend cram sessions — consistency beats intensity for children this age.
Mix the four areas: maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning each need separate practice — strength in one doesn't transfer to another.
Time it properly: once the basics are solid, practise under exam conditions so pace and exam-day nerves stop being a surprise.
Review every mistake: the value in a practice question is in the five minutes after getting it wrong, not the getting it wrong.
Protect downtime: children preparing for a selective exam still need rest, hobbies and unstructured time — burnout in Year 5 shows up as underperformance in Year 6.
Try real London independent day schools 11+ practice questions
Pulled straight from PipPrep's own question bank — not invented for this page.
Question 1
What is 40% of 320?
Answer: 128. 40% of 320 = 40/100 × 320 = 128.
Question 2
Which word is closest in meaning to "crucial"?
Answer: vital. Crucial means of great importance, ie vital.
Question 3
Using A=1, B=2, C=3... what is the value of URN?
Answer: 53. U=21 + R=18 + N=14 = 53.
Question 4
What comes next?
10, 39, 68, 97, 126, ?
Answer: 155. Add 29 each time. 126 + 29 = 155.
Practice every day, the easy way
PipPrep adapts to your child's target school with 100,000+ questions across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Free to start, no card needed.
Is there one shared "London 11+" exam for independent schools?
No. Each independent day school in London runs its own admissions process and sets its own test, though a growing number use the shared ISEB Common Pre-Test. Confirm the format with each school individually.
How is this different from the state grammar school 11+ in London?
London's state-sector grammar schools (eg Barnet's Queen Elizabeth's Boys, the Sutton SET consortium, Bromley's SET schools) run separate consortium tests, generally free to sit and open to state-school children. This page covers fee-paying independent day schools instead.
Do independent day schools interview candidates?
Commonly yes, alongside the written assessment and a report from the child's current school.