St Paul's Girls' School 11+ guide

St Paul's Girls' School 11+ entrance exam

Stage 1

All children applying for 11+ entry to St Paul's Girls' School take the CEM Select exam. This is a computer assessment designed by the Centre of Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM). Schools use the exam to get an idea of a child’s academic potential and ability.

The CEM Select exam has a time limit of one hour and is split into six sections. This is a non-adaptive test, so all children see the same questions in the same order. Question types include multiple-choice, drag and drop, and auto-complete.

The core sections in the test are comprehension, missing words, numerical ability and pictures. These sections are often supplemented with one or two more sections which test verbal reasoning.

• Comprehension: the reading comprehension section is one of the longest in the test. Your child will need to read a passage of fiction or non-fiction text, and answer questions to assess their understanding of the text and the extent of their vocabulary.

• Missing words: your child will see two passages of text, one after the other. Both contain missing words. They will need to work out the missing words in each passage.

• Numerical ability: this section of the test assesses your child’s maths skills and knowledge. These questions are aligned to the Key Stage 2 maths curriculum.

• Pictures: the pictures section assesses non-verbal reasoning. For each question, your child will need to choose a picture to complete a set.

You will be informed of the outcome of Stage 1 in mid-December. St Paul’s Girls’ School will also ask your child’s current school for a confidential report around this time.

Stage 2

Children who have performed well in the CEM Select test are invited back to St Paul’s Girls’ School in January for Stage 2 tests. There are three papers in total:

English

The English paper has a time limit of 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Your child will need to read a passage of text and answer questions to demonstrate their understanding and analysis of what they have read. Some of the questions may be extended creative writing tasks based on the passage.

Questions will assess your child’s ability to:

• accurately extract information from the text

• comment on the meaning and effect of individual words and phrases

• show inference and sensitivity to linguistic effects

• apply a wide vocabulary, where appropriate

Maths

The maths paper has a time limit of 1 hour and 15 minutes. This is split into two sections:

• Section A: questions based on fundamental maths concepts taught at Key Stage 2, followed by questions which are more problem-solving in style. 35 minutes are allocated for this section.

• Section B: multi-part questions which will assess your child’s ability to understand new ideas and put them into practice. 40 minutes are allocated for this section.

Your child is encouraged to show their working out in all sections. Wrong answers may be given credit if they are supported by detailed working out.

Comprehension

The comprehension paper has a time limit of 1 hour and 15 minutes and is based on a theme. Your child will need to respond to a range of materials (e.g. visual, numerical, or written) and draw conclusions about them.

This paper tests skills such as:

• deduction and inference

• extraction and organisation of information

• evaluation and comparison

• identification of patterns and links

• logic and problem-solving

Your child will not need any prior knowledge to complete this paper. However, scientific enquiry skills (such as those developed in Key Stage 2 science) might be helpful.

Stage 3

The final stage in the SPGS 11+ admissions process is an interview. Children who are successful in the written entrance exams are invited back to the school for an interview during a weekend in January.

The interview lasts around 20 minutes. The interviewer will use the opportunity to get an idea of your child’s academic potential, using stimulus material to guide the conversation. SPGS is looking for evidence of your child’s creativity, engagement, and capacity for independent thought.

Learn more and get top tips in Atom’s guide to private school interviews.

Atom’s top tips for applying to St Paul's Girls' School

St Paul's Girls' School is a selective school. As one of the most successful schools in the country, competition for places can be high. Here are our top tips to help your child prepare for the selection process.

Bitesize learning

It’s important to build a good knowledge base before school entrance exams. Your child should have a good understanding of the content they’ve been taught at school before testing their knowledge with practice tests.

Using a ‘little and often’ approach when learning is key – our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. For children aged 10–11, child psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20–30 minutes.

With Atom Home, you don’t need to worry about creating a study schedule. When you enter your target schools, you’ll get a bespoke learning plan tailored to your schools’ entrance exams. Know exactly what your child needs to do each week to confidently pass.

Read widely

Entrance exams test children’s ability to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to help your child build these skills.

Encourage them to read books from different genres and by a diverse range of authors. Increasing the variety of your child’s reading will help them understand different styles, tones and purposes. Meanwhile, reading a little every day will help widen their vocabulary, sharpen their analytical thinking, and enhance their imagination.

Looking for reading inspiration? Check out our Key Stage 2 reading list.

Hone curiosity

Selective schools are often looking for children who are interested in learning. You can help by supporting your child’s broader learning, their intellectual curiosity, and their passion for developing an understanding of the world.

Talk to your child about the world we live in and inspire an interest in current affairs with age-appropriate journalism. It’s also a good idea to make sure they’re benefitting from a rich variety of experiences, such as visiting libraries, museums and galleries.

Refine exam technique

When your child feels confident with their knowledge of the exam topics, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.

Mock tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and refine exam technique. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning, while highlighting any knowledge gaps they might want to tackle before exam day.

When you set St Paul's Girls' School as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get CEM Select mock tests as part of their learning plan. Know what to expect on exam day.

Celebrate progress

Setting regular, achievable goals and celebrating your child’s progress – no matter how big or small – will help keep their motivation high.

Make sure to encourage a growth mindset. This means celebrating effort, as well as achievement! When your child makes mistakes or struggles to understand a particular topic, help them understand that they’ll improve through practice. Regular praise will help your child improve their resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.