London 11+: The consortium tests and how London admissions work

"London 11+" gets used as a catch-all phrase, and that's where a lot of confusion starts. In London, you're choosing between three quite different admissions routes: A small group of super-selective state grammar schools, the London 11+ Consortium (which is a specific test taken by a specific group of independent girls' schools), and the leading independent day schools that use the ISEB Pre-Test plus their own stage-two papers.

This guide separates those three routes so you can build a sensible short-list and a calendar that works. Most London families end up sitting a combination, which is normal and what the systems are designed to allow.

The London 11+ Consortium is one specific assessment, run by a group of independent girls' day schools in central and west London. The Consortium's published membership and joining/leaving schools change year to year, so always confirm the current list and the test dates directly from the London 11+ Consortium website for the cycle you're applying in. For 2027 entry the reported membership is 13 schools: Channing, Francis Holland (Regent's Park), Francis Holland (Sloane Square), Godolphin and Latymer, More House, Northwood College for Girls, Notting Hill and Ealing High, Queen's College London, Queen's Gate, South Hampstead High, St Augustine's Priory, St Helen's School and St Margaret's School. St James Senior Girls' has been reported to have left the Consortium and to be running its own admissions process for September 2027 (verify the exam date and arrangements with St James directly). Note: 13 here refers to the Consortium membership, which is separate from London's roughly 13 state grammar schools.

The Consortium test is an online assessment, sat by the candidate on a computer (typically at her own prep or primary school) in November of Year 6. The reported format is around 100 minutes, delivered by Quest Assessments, with several adaptive sections covering maths, non-verbal reasoning, English and verbal reasoning, plus further non-adaptive sections; verify the exact format, duration and provider with the London 11+ Consortium official site. The result is shared with every consortium school the family has registered with. Each consortium school then uses that score, alongside her school report and a school-specific interview, to make an offer.

The key word is consortium. It's not a generic name for London admissions. If a school isn't in the consortium, it doesn't use this test. Other guides sometimes muddle this, so don't assume any London girls' school you're interested in is part of it.

Most leading mixed and boys' independent day schools in London don't use the consortium test. They typically use the ISEB Common Pre-Test (an online, adaptive test in English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning) as a first-stage screen, followed by school-specific stage-two papers and interviews for shortlisted candidates. Both the consortium and ISEB tests are online and largely adaptive: The main difference is which schools accept them.

Schools historically associated with the ISEB Pre-Test as a first-stage screen include Westminster, St Paul's (boys and girls), King's College School Wimbledon, City of London (boys and girls), Highgate, University College School (UCS), Habs (both schools), Latymer Upper, Alleyn's, Dulwich College and Emanuel. A handful of schools have moved (or are moving) to Quest Assessments in recent cycles, but provider choices change year to year and there's no single up-to-date public list. Westminster and Dulwich College, for example, both use the ISEB Common Pre-Test for current Year 7 entry. Always confirm the assessment provider directly with each school for the cycle you're applying in. Each then runs its own stage-two papers in January of Year 6, usually English and maths, sometimes with a creative writing task or reasoning component.

In practice, that means a child applying to a mixed pool of schools might sit the consortium test in November of Year 6 for her consortium schools, the ISEB Pre-Test or Quest test for her other independents, plus two or three rounds of stage-two papers and interviews in January and February. It's a lot. Knowing which test feeds which school is the first job.

London has a small but heavily oversubscribed set of state grammar schools, mostly in outer boroughs. The headline names are Queen Elizabeth's Barnet, The Henrietta Barnett School, Tiffin (boys and girls in Kingston), The Latymer School in Edmonton, St Olave's, Newstead Wood, Wallington (boys and girls), Wilson's, Nonsuch and Sutton Grammar. They're free, but the competition is intense, with typical pass marks well above the qualifying score.

These schools don't use the consortium test or the ISEB Pre-Test. Each runs its own test, sat in September of Year 6, and the provider varies: Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls' use bespoke papers (verify the current administering provider with the school's admissions page), The Latymer School uses GL Assessment for VR/maths plus its own English paper, Henrietta Barnett uses GL Assessment with school-set second-stage papers, and other grammars use either GL Assessment, Quest Assessments (e.g. the Bexley Selection Test) or a bespoke local provider. Always confirm the test provider per school. Application is via the standard local authority common application form (CAF), submitted by 31 October of Year 6 alongside your other state school preferences.

The practical point: A child sitting state super-selectives and the consortium and ISEB Pre-Test schools is doing a sequence of very different assessments across September, November and January. That's manageable but it needs a calendar.

It helps to walk through the timeline, because the registrations and tests happen in a strict order.

Year 4 and Year 5: Open days. Many schools open for visitors from autumn of Year 4 onwards. Don't book any assessments yet, but do visit widely. Schools differ in feel far more than league tables suggest.

Summer of Year 5: Registration. Most independent schools (consortium and ISEB) close registrations between June and November of Year 5 or early Year 6. Pay the registration fee (typically in the low hundreds, often around £100–£300 per school, non-refundable; check each school for the exact figure) and confirm you're on the list.

September Year 6: Super-selective state grammar tests are sat. Results back in mid-October.

31 October Year 6: State common application form deadline.

November Year 6: ISEB Pre-Test window opens and the London 11+ Consortium test is sat. Candidates take the consortium test at their own school if it can host; otherwise they sit at a consortium member school.

January Year 6: Stage-two papers and interviews for ISEB schools.

February to March Year 6: Offer letters from independent schools.

1 March Year 6: National Offer Day for state schools.

There's no rule, but a workable London short-list for a family applying widely is usually six to eight schools across mixed routes. Something like: One or two super-selective state grammars, three or four ISEB / stage-two independents, and (for girls) two or three consortium schools.

Keep an honest hierarchy in mind. Which would you be happy to send your child to? It's tempting to apply to as many schools as you've heard of, but it can mean four assessment days in two weeks and a child who's exhausted before the schools that matter most. Better to cut the list and prep properly for the ones you really want.

Also build in a back-up. In most years a number of London families end up with no acceptable offer, particularly if the short-list was top-heavy on the most competitive schools. A solid state school you'd send your child to (named on your CAF) is the cheapest and most useful insurance you can have.