For many families, St Paul’s Girls’ School (SPGS) represents the pinnacle of girls’ education in London — a school renowned for intellectual ambition, academic freedom, and remarkable pupil outcomes. Consistently ranked among the top independent schools in the UK, SPGS attracts applicants from across London and beyond, making 7+ and 11+ admissions extremely competitive.
At Clarendon Tutors, we support families through both entry routes, offering specialist preparation tailored to the school’s distinctive assessment style and educational ethos.
Why St Paul’s Girls’?
Founded in 1904, St Paul’s Girls’ School in Brook Green is celebrated for its exceptional academic results, modern teaching approach, and vibrant co-curricular life. The school nurtures independence of thought, creative problem-solving, and a genuine love of learning — qualities that define SPGS pupils long after they leave.
Its reputation is reinforced by outstanding GCSE and A Level results, a wide-ranging enrichment programme, and a culture that encourages girls to think boldly, challenge assumptions, and explore ideas without restriction.
Entry Routes into St Paul’s Girls’ School
While many people associate SPGS primarily with 11+ entry, there are actually two key external entry points:
- 7+ (Year 3) – entry into St Paul’s Juniors (SPJ Girls), which leads directly into the senior school
- 11+ (Year 7) – the main entry point to St Paul’s Girls’ School
Both pathways are highly selective, but they assess different skill sets and levels of readiness. At Clarendon Tutors, we build tailored programmes for each stage to ensure pupils feel confident, prepared, and capable of performing at their best.
7+ Admissions
The 7+ entry route admits a small number of girls into Year 3 at St Paul’s Juniors (SPJ). This pathway is popular among families seeking early access to the SPGS environment, ethos, and academic challenge.
What the 7+ Assessments Involve
The 7+ assessments typically include:
- English: comprehension, spelling, grammar and early creative writing
- Mathematics: number work, problem-solving, patterns and logical reasoning
- Reasoning: verbal and non-verbal
- Group tasks or observational activities
The emphasis is on foundation skills, curiosity, focus, and readiness for a fast-paced learning environment. SPJ looks for children who are confident communicators, adaptable thinkers and enthusiastic learners.
Clarendon Tutors offers specialist early-years preparation, helping pupils build strong literacy and numeracy foundations while developing the confidence needed for group-work and interview-style activities.
11+ Admissions
The 11+ is the main entry point into St Paul’s Girls’ School and is known as one of the most selective and academically challenging assessments in the country.
SPGS 11+ Exam Structure
The 11+ entrance exam usually includes:
- English: advanced comprehension and creative/analytical writing
- Mathematics: multi-step problem solving, logic, algebraic thinking
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning
Questions often demand creative thinking, clear reasoning and strong written expression — more than rote learning or memorisation.
Interviews
Successful candidates from the written exam are invited to individual interviews with senior staff. These interviews are known for being intellectually exploratory — pupils may be asked to explain their reasoning, discuss a short stimulus, or reflect on a problem they’ve just solved.
SPGS interviewers are looking for:
- Curiosity and openness
- Clear articulation of ideas
- Intellectual independence
- Flexible thinking
- Genuine enthusiasm for learning
Clarendon Tutors provides realistic mock interviews that reflect the school’s discussion-based style, ensuring pupils feel relaxed and ready to engage.
What St Paul’s Girls’ School Looks For
Across both entry points, SPGS values girls who are:
- Deep thinkers with intellectual spark
- Strong communicators
- Adaptable and resilient
- Quietly confident rather than rehearsed
- Curious, creative, and intrinsically motivated
The school places significant emphasis on potential, not perfection. Pupils who enjoy challenge and think independently tend to thrive.
How Clarendon Tutors Supports SPGS Applicants
Our St Paul’s Girls’ School admissions preparation includes:
- 7+ and 11+ English, Maths and reasoning tuition
- Practice using SPGS-style materials
- Targeted skill-building for advanced comprehension and problem-solving
- Interview preparation tailored to SPGS’s discussion-based academic style
- Group activity and confidence coaching
- Continuous feedback for parents
Our approach boosts academic skills and develops the intellectual confidence St Paul’s is known for valuing.
Final Thoughts
Securing a place at St Paul’s Girls’ School is a remarkable achievement. With early preparation, thoughtful guidance, and expert tuition, girls can approach the 7+ or 11+ admissions process with clarity and confidence.
At Clarendon Tutors, we help pupils grow into the kind of thinkers SPGS is looking for — curious, articulate, resilient and ready to thrive in one of the UK’s most inspiring academic environments.
Photograph by Chmee2
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