St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+
Crucial 11+ info, past 11+ papers and practice 11+ papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School.
How to get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a selective secondary school in Barnet, London. To get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School children need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Here is the step-by-step guide to getting your child into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School with all the important information you need to know.
Admission Requirements
Children born between 1st September 2013 and 31st August 2014 are eligible for Year 7 entry in September 2025 (see key dates). The school offers 128 places annually for Year 7 students with priority given to Catholic girls [1].
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a girls-only grammar school located in North Finchley, Barnet, London with strong Catholic values. Families must demonstrate academic ability through the 11+ examination and commitment to Catholic education to gain admission.
- Girl must be eligible for Year 7 entry (age 11) in September 2025
- Must demonstrate academic ability through St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ examination
- Preferential consideration for Baptised Catholic girls from practising Catholic families who have received First Holy Communion
- All families must support the school's Catholic ethos and values unreservedly
Application Process
Families must register for the entrance examination by Tuesday 8th July 2025 (see key dates) through the school's online system. The St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ examination takes place on Friday 12th September 2025 (see key dates).

Results are released in mid-October 2025 (see key dates) to allow families time to decide before the national deadline. Families must also submit the Common Application Form to their local authority by 31st October 2025 (see key dates) naming St Michael's as a preferred choice.
- Complete the school's online registration form for entrance examination by the July deadline
- Submit Supplementary Information Form (SIF) with the application
- Practising Catholics must provide Certificate of Catholic Practice (CCP) from their Parish Priest
- Evidence of First Holy Communion required for Catholic applicants as proof of faith commitment
- Complete Common Application Form through local authority before October deadline
- Contact the school information section for specific application guidance
Examination Details
The St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ examination consists of four test papers administered by GL Assessment using multiple-choice format. The examination is held on Friday 12th September 2025 (see key dates) for September 2026 entry.
All questions are multiple-choice with children recording answers on separate answer sheets for electronic marking. Places are allocated based on performance ranking with the highest scoring students receiving priority in admission decisions.

- English: Based on Key Stage 2 curriculum content including reading comprehension tasks
- Mathematics: Covers Key Stage 2 content including number, measurement, geometry and statistics taught up to Year 6
- Verbal Reasoning: Tests ability to analyse written information using letters, words, symbols and numbers
- Non-Verbal Reasoning: Assesses problem-solving with visual information not taught in national curriculum
- In case of tied scores, verbal reasoning results take precedence over non-verbal reasoning
Admissions Priority
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School uses a Catholic-first admissions policy with clear priority criteria for the 128 available places in Year 7. All applicants must achieve qualifying scores in the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ examination before admissions criteria apply.
Priority is given to Baptised Catholic girls from practising Catholic families who have received First Holy Communion with appropriate documentation. The school allocates places strictly according to rank order of examination performance within each priority category.
- Highest Priority:Looked after or previously looked after Catholic girls ranked in top 200 examination scores including internationally adopted children
- Second Priority:Catholic girls receiving Pupil Premium ranked in top 200 scores with maximum 32 places (25% of total)
- Third Priority:Baptised Catholic girls from practising families in rank order by examination score
- Fourth Priority:Other Baptised Catholic girls in examination rank order
- Fifth Priority:Girls of other Christian denominations in examination rank order
Preparation Guidance
Effective preparation should begin approximately one year before the examination date to cover all Key Stage 2 curriculum objectives. Children aiming for St Michael's should consistently achieve 80-85% or higher in practice tests as a strong indicator of readiness.

The school provides familiarisation papers on their website for mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning but does not provide English familiarisation materials for the creative writing component. Regular practice with GL Assessment style papers builds confidence and exam technique.
- Start preparation 12 months before the examination date for comprehensive coverage
- Use little and often approach with 20-30 minute sessions recommended by child psychologists
- Focus on Key Stage 2 curriculum mastery for English and Mathematics components
- Download official familiarisation papers from the school website
- Practice time management skills under exam conditions to improve technique
- Consider professional tutoring support for structured preparation
- Aim for consistent 80-85%+ scores in practice tests as readiness indicator
Practical Advice
Examination day preparation should focus on confidence building and stress management techniques. Children should arrive well-rested having practiced under timed conditions to improve both time management and exam technique.
Families should understand that passing the entrance examination does not guarantee admission as many grammar schools are oversubscribed with qualified candidates. Having realistic backup options in Barnet ensures families have suitable secondary school choices regardless of 11+ outcomes.
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Information
In order to get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School, children need to pass the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Subjects & Structure
The St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:
- English
- Maths
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-verbal Reasoning
The 11 plus entrance exam for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a multiple-choice assessment that covers a range of subjects. The exam is designed to evaluate the academic potential of girls seeking admission to the school.
The English section assesses the candidate's understanding of the national curriculum content, often including a reading comprehension task. The Maths portion covers Key Stage 2 content, focusing on aspects of number, measurement, geometry, and statistics. Both Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning sections are not taught in the national curriculum but aim to test the candidate's ability to analyze and solve problems using written information and visual cues, respectively.
The 11 plus exam is a crucial step in the admissions process for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School, helping to identify students with the necessary academic skills and potential to thrive in the school's educational environment.
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Marking Process
The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.
Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.
It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Pass Mark
The pass mark for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at St Michael's Catholic Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.
Key Dates for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Entrance Tests
Here are all the important dates for the 11+ tests (to get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.
Date | Event | Calendar Link |
---|---|---|
23/04/2025 | Registration Opens For The Entrance Exam At St Michael's Catholic Grammar School | Add Dates to Calendar |
08/07/2025 | Entrance Exam Registration Closes | |
12/09/2025 | St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Entrance Exam | |
Late October | National Deadline To Apply For Secondary School Places | |
02/03/2026 | National School Offers Day |
Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with St Michael's Catholic Grammar School as they may well change.
11+ Tutor for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School
As the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ entrance process is particularly gruelling, we would highly recommend using an 11+ private tutor.
Why use a private 11+ tutor?
Personal tutors have the experience and expertise to help children pass their 11+ exams. They know the requirements of the GL Assessment 11+ tests inside-out and can provide tailored support to give children the best possible chance of success. It's also important to bear in mind that plenty of other children will be using private tutors too.
11+ tutors don't need to be face-to-face, plenty of children use online 11+ tutors.

11+ tutors can also provide regular progress reports and feedback, helping parents to monitor their child's progress and make any necessary adjustments to their preparation.
Most importantly, using an 11+ tutor helps ensure that the preparation work gets done!
Private 11+ Tutors for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Tests
We have a range of private tutors who specialise in preparing children for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ entrance tests. Please click here to be put in touch with a range of excellent 11+ private tutors from our friends at exams.courses.
11+ Past Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School
Unfortunately, St Michael's Catholic Grammar School has not made any of their 11+ past papers publicly available. However, you can use However, you can use 11+ practice papers from other exam boards (such as GL Assessment, CEM and CSSE) to help your child prepare.
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School
Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ Ensure you double-check with St Michael's Catholic Grammar School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.
This is just a sample of our extensive collection of 11+ practice papers. Please click here to see the full collection.
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by Bond
These Free GL 11+ Practice Papers were published by Bond and cover and cover all the main 11+ subjects: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. As such they are very helpful for children hoping to pass the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+ to get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School.
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | English | ||
GL Assessment | Maths | ||
GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning | ||
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | ||
GL Assessment | Mixed |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by GL Assessment
These Free GL 11+ Practice Papers were published by GL Assessment themselves. As with the Bond papers, they cover all the main 11+ subjects: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. They remain useful and we encourage parents to download and use them with their children to help them get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School.
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | English | |||
GL Assessment | Maths | |||
GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning | |||
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | |||
GL Assessment | Mixed |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by Exam Ninja
These Free 11+ Practice Tests by Exam Ninja are extremely useful. They are straight-forward 10-question tests in Maths and English, following the same GL Assessment style (and multiple-choice format) as the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11+.
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | Maths | ||
GL Assessment | English |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by Owl Tutors
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published by Owl Tutors. These too are written in a GL Assessment style and make useful practice for children hoping to get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School.
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | English | ||
GL Assessment | Writing | ||
GL Assessment | Maths | ||
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by CGP
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published by CGP and we thank them for granting us permission to distribute them. As with the Bond, GL Assessment and Exam Ninja papers, they're written for the GL Assessment style, in multiple-choice format and are helpful for children hoping to pass their 11+ tests and get into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School.
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | Maths | |||
GL Assessment | English | |||
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | |||
GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
These Free CEM 11+ Practice Papers were published by CGP and we thank them for granting us permission to distribute them. If St Michael's Catholic Grammar School ever used them then they don't anymore as grammar schools no longer use CEM for any of their 11+ entrance tests. However, as a general practice tool these 11+ tests remain useful.
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|---|
CEM | Maths | |||
CEM | Verbal Reasoning | |||
CEM | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by 11+ For You
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by "11+ For You".
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by Examberry
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by "Examberry".
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by Independent Junction
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by Independent Junction.
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by IPS
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by IPS (Internet Primary School Ltd).
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | |||
GL Assessment | Maths |
11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School by Schofield & Sims
These 11+ practice papers were published by Schofield & Sims, a large UK educational publisher.
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
---|---|---|---|
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | ||
GL Assessment | Maths |
School Information
Below you will find further information about St Michael's Catholic Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.

Address | St Michael's Catholic Grammar School, Nether Street, North Finchley, London, N12 7NJ |
---|---|
School Website | https://www.st-michaels.barnet.sch.uk/ |
Telephone | 02084462256 |
Email Address | office@st-michaels.barnet.sch.uk |
Gender | Girls only |
Total Year 7 Places | 128 |
Total Pupils (Girls/Boys) | 849 (809 Girls / 40 Boys) |
Headteacher | Mr Michael Stimpson |
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a girls only school. It is also a local authority maintained school, meaning the local authority oversee the funding, admissions, and overall performance of the school.
In total 849 pupils attend St Michael's Catholic Grammar School and it's led by the Headteacher, Mr Michael Stimpson.
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School Location
Below you will find a map showing the school's location:
Ofsted Information
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 09/11/2022 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 29/12/2022, declaring that the school was 'Outstanding'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data
Date Inspected | Inspection Duration (Days) | Reporting Date | Rating | Full Report | 09/11/2022 | 1 | 29/12/2022 | Outstanding | Full Report |
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Ofsted Report Summary
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School was inspected by Ofsted on 9 November 2022 and received an Outstanding rating in all areas. The school demonstrated exceptional performance in the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.
The inspection report highlights the school's outstanding achievements across all key areas. St Michael's Catholic Grammar School has shown excellence in providing a high-quality education, fostering positive behaviour and attitudes among students, promoting personal development, and demonstrating effective leadership and management.
The sixth form provision at St Michael's Catholic Grammar School was also rated as Outstanding, indicating that the school provides an exceptional learning environment and support for students in their post-16 education.
GCSE & A-Level Subjects
Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at St Michael's Catholic Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.
GCSE Subjects Offered |
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A-Level Subjects Offered |
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GCSE & A-Level Performance
Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.
GCSE Results Information (2022-23)
Subject | Total Pupils | Grades Achieved | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
Art & Design | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
Biology | 55 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 19 |
Chemistry | 55 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 11 | 4 | 17 | 22 |
Design & Technology | 32 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 7 | 19 |
English Language | 96 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 19 | 25 | 29 | 21 |
English Literature | 96 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 14 | 26 | 30 | 21 |
D&T Food Technology | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 7 | 3 |
French | 33 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 9 |
Geography | 62 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | 7 | 18 | 21 | 12 |
History | 47 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 25 |
Italian | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
Latin | 18 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
Mathematics | 96 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 5 | 19 | 41 | 30 |
Music | 19 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 2 |
Physics | 55 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 20 |
Religious Studies | 96 | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 6 | 12 | 19 | 57 |
Spanish | 36 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 7 |
Drama & Theatre Studies | 18 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
Physical Education/Sports Studies | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | - |
Science: Double Award | 41 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
A-Level Results Information (2022-23)
Subject | Total Pupils | Grades Achieved | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U | E | D | C | B | A | A* | |||||
Art and Design | 9 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | |||
Biology | 66 | - | 3 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 12 | |||
Chemistry | 66 | - | 3 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 7 | |||
Economics | 21 | - | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | |||
English Literature | 25 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 8 | |||
French | 7 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||
Geography | 23 | - | - | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | |||
Government and Politics | 13 | - | - | 2 | - | 4 | 5 | 2 | |||
History | 11 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | |||
Italian | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 7 | |||
Mathematics | 65 | - | - | - | 2 | 5 | 25 | 33 | |||
Mathematics (Further) | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 7 | |||
Physics | 30 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 3 | |||
Psychology | 47 | - | 5 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 6 | |||
Spanish | 8 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | 3 |
FAQ
Is St Michael's Catholic Grammar School hard to get into?
Yes, St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is hard to get into! Children need to pass their challenging 11+ entrance test (with a high pass mark) and there's tough competition with many other children trying to get a place for Year 7.
Is St Michael's Catholic Grammar School a private school?
No, St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is one of the few remaining academically selective, state-funded grammar schools left in England.
Is St Michael's Catholic Grammar School free?
Yes, St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is free, there are no school fees. Thus, sending your child to St Michael's Catholic Grammar School won't cost you any money.
How do I get my child into St Michael's Catholic Grammar School?
You need to apply to take the school's 11+ test. Contact St Michael's Catholic Grammar School for how up to date information on how to apply (it may be automatic or it may require some forms to be filled in). More information on their 11+ entrance test can be found here.
Is St Michael's Catholic Grammar School a girls-only school?
Yes, St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a girls-only school.