INTRODUCTION:

City of London School is one of the top five boys' schools in the UK, offering elite private education to boys aged 10 to 18. The school consistently ranks at the top of national league tables and has partnerships with the City of London School for Girls and City of London Freemen's School in Surrey. Located near St. Paul's Cathedral and the River Thames, the school benefits from strong connections to the political, educational, business, and cultural institutions of London. Additionally, the school collaborates with organizations like the London Youth Choir, IntoUniversity, King's College London, University College London, and the City of London Academies to enhance the educational experience.

The City of London School curriculum is broad and covers topics such as robotics, Mandarin, Russian, Greek, and linguistics. The school offers a special course on Core Learning and Survival Skills, which focuses on essential life skills such as time management, organization, and information processing. Additionally, students have access to a variety of enrichment activities, including participation in scientific Olympiads, Model UN, and essay contests like Trinity and Erasmus.

ADMISSION GUIDELINES:

During the spring and autumn terms, the school hosts open events that provide prospective students and their parents with a firsthand look at the school in action and an opportunity to learn more about it. Activities include staff meetings, facility tours, and usually end with refreshments.

Oversubscription Criteria:

There are no oversubscription criteria for the school.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

To apply for a Year 7 spot at City of London School, parents need to register their child online and pay a non-refundable £160 registration fee. Registration opens early in the year and closes in November the year before admission. The admissions process includes a two-part 11+ exam (an online portion and a written portion), a January interview to assess the applicant's interests and personal traits, and a private report from their present school. Email offers are made in February, and offers must be accepted by early March.

CATHCHMENT AREA:

There is no catchment area for the school.

EXAM FORMAT:

There are two assessments in the City of London School 11+ Exam: Part 1 and Part 2. The first part is completed online and follows this format:

·       Mathematics (20 minutes)

·       English (20 minutes)

·       Non-Verbal Reasoning (10 minutes)

·       Verbal Reasoning (10 minutes)

·       Puzzles & Problem Solving (15 minutes)

·       Creative Comprehension (20 minutes)

Students' skills in arithmetic and problem-solving are evaluated in the mathematics section, with some problems incorporating charts or diagrams.

The English section uses multiple-choice questions to assess students' understanding of grammar, punctuation, and reading comprehension.

The Non-Verbal Thinking section also employs multiple-choice questions to measure students' spatial and visual thinking abilities.

In the Verbal Reasoning section, students are assessed on their vocabulary and their capacity to comprehend meanings based on context.

The Puzzles & Problem Solving module presents students with interactive puzzles and diagrams, each followed by a multiple-choice question.

The Creative Comprehension exam comprises multiple-choice questions based on various sources such as texts, maps, diagrams, timetables, and charts.

In Part Two of the assignment, your son is required to complete a Creative Writing task, which should take around thirty minutes. He will need to create a story using a provided prompt and image for inspiration. He can choose to write in the first person, third person, or from a different perspective. The narrative can be entirely fictional or based on real experiences. Points will be awarded for excellent use of form, innovation, organization, coherence, and sentence structure.

PRPERATION AND TARGET TEST SCORES:

Before your child tackles mock exams, make sure they have a solid grasp of the Year 5 curriculum through brief but regular study sessions. This will help them prepare for the City of London School's admissions process. To enhance their analytical and comprehension abilities, encourage extensive reading across a variety of genres. Engage children in conversations about current events and cultural experiences to help them think critically. Using mock examinations can help improve exam technique and identify opportunities for development as they gain confidence in their knowledge. Celebrate accomplishments and hard work to stay resilient and motivated.

Students who consistently score 75% or higher on our 11+ practice tests are generally on track to pass the entrance exams for the City of London School. While this has historically been a good indicator of success in the CLS 11+ Exam, it does not guarantee passage.

Summary:

Name: City of London School

School Type:  Independent Day School for Boys

School Website: https://www.cityoflondonschool.org.uk/

County: Greater London

Address: Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 3AL

Email: admissions@cityoflondonschool.org.uk

Phone: 020 3680 6300

Number of Places Available: 1000+

11+ Exam Date: November 2025

Exam Format: Bespoke Online Test and Writing

This information was last updated in December 2024.