St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 Plus Guide

St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a girls' selective Roman Catholic grammar school in North Finchley, London, rated Outstanding by Ofsted in every category. It uses GL Assessment for its 11 plus exam, which covers verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths and English. Registration for 2027 entry opens on 14th April 2026 and closes on 7th July 2026. 

If you are planning to apply to St Michael's Catholic Grammar School, this guide covers everything you need to know about the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus - what the school is like, the four-paper GL Assessment exam, key dates for 2027 entry, Catholic admissions requirements, how places are allocated and exactly how to prepare your daughter. 

Key information

School type: Girls' voluntary aided Catholic grammar school 

Location: Nether Street, North Finchley, London, N12 7NJ 

Year 7 places: 128

Entrance exam: GL Assessment (four papers)  

Catchment area: No formal catchment area

About St Michael's Catholic Grammar School

St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is one of the most celebrated state schools in London. Founded in 1908 by the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus as St Michael's Convent.

The school is part of one of the most competitive grammar school clusters in London. Being well-prepared for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus is essential for any family applying.

Key dates for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 2027 entry

The admissions process for St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus follows a clear annual timetable. Missing any of these dates can mean your daughter loses her chance to apply. Save them all now. 

14th April 2026: Test registration opens on the school website 

7th July 2026: Registration closes. All the documents must be submitted by this deadline 

11th September 2026: St Michael's Catholic Grammar School entrance test day 

Mid-October 2026: Test results emailed to parents 

31st October 2026: Deadline to apply for secondary school places on the Common Application Form 

1st March 2027: National secondary school offers day 

What does the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus exam involve?

The St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus exam consists of four papers, all provided by GL Assessment. The entrance test takes place on a single day in September. Your daughter will receive a question booklet and separate answer sheets for the multiple-choice papers.

Verbal Reasoning

Tests how well your daughter can reason using words, letters, numbers and symbols. Not taught at primary school, so specific preparation is essential. Includes question types such as letter patterns, word connections, code-breaking and sequence completion.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Tests logical thinking and pattern recognition using shapes, diagrams and spatial sequences. No reading or writing required. Like verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning is not part of the primary school curriculum and needs dedicated practice.

Maths

Covers the KS2 national curriculum. Includes arithmetic, number, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, geometry, area, perimeter and problem-solving. Questions are designed to stretch beyond straightforward recall, requiring children to apply their knowledge to new types of problems.

English

The only written paper, your daughter writes her answers rather than selecting from multiple-choice options. Tests reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and analytical thinking. Children who read widely tend to perform significantly better in this paper.

GL Assessment is one of the most widely used 11 plus providers in England. The question types are consistent from year to year, which means that systematic practice with GL-style papers is one of the most effective ways to prepare. Our free 11 plus practice papers cover all four subjects in GL Assessment format and are a great starting point for building familiarity with every question type your daughter will face. 

St Michael's Catholic Grammar School admissions: how places are allocated

St Michael's is a Catholic school, and the Catholic faith is the primary consideration in admissions, alongside academic performance. Understanding exactly how places are allocated is essential before you apply.

After results are released in mid-October, all applicants who meet the qualifying standard are ranked from highest to lowest score. Places are then allocated to Baptised Catholic girls from Practising Catholic families in the following order of priority:

1. Looked after and previously looked after girls ranked within the top 175 in the entrance test 

2. Up to 32 girls in receipt of Pupil Premium ranked within the top 175 in the entrance test 

3. All other Baptised Catholic girls from Practising Catholic families, in rank order from highest score downwards 

Passing the entrance test is a necessary first step. But it is important to understand that simply meeting the qualifying standard does not guarantee a place. St Michael's is consistently oversubscribed with applicants who meet both the academic and faith criteria. The higher your daughter's score, the stronger her position in the ranking. 

Does St Michael's Catholic Grammar School have a catchment area?

No. St Michael's Catholic Grammar School does not have a formal catchment area. Any girl who meets the qualifying test standard and the Catholic faith criteria is eligible to apply, regardless of where she lives in the UK.

However, if a tie-break is needed between applicants who are equally ranked, the girl living closest to the school is prioritised. The school's address is Nether Street, North Finchley, London, N12 7NJ, and distance is measured in a straight line from home to school.

If you do not live close to the school, it is worth thinking practically about the daily journey before making your application. How long will it take? Is the commute manageable on public transport? A long daily journey can affect how much time and energy your daughter has for homework, rest and after-school activities.

How to apply to St Michael's Catholic Grammar School

The application process for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus has several steps and several documents to prepare. Here is exactly what to do and when.

1. Attend the school's open events

Visit the school before you apply. Open events give your daughter a chance to see the school environment and ethos in person, and give you a chance to speak with staff and current families. Check the school website for open event dates. 

2. Obtain your Certificate of Catholic Practice (from 14th April 2026)

Contact your Parish Priest to obtain the Certificate of Catholic Practice (CCP) signed by them and dated within three months of the application date. Do this early; many Parish Priests are busy, and requests can take time. Remember, the CCP must be delivered to the school in person or by post, not electronically. 

3. Register for the test and submit the SIF (by 7th July 2026)

From 14th April 2026, a registration link will be available on the school website. Complete the test registration and submit the Supplementary Information Form (SIF) with all required documents, including your daughter's Certificate of Baptism and the original Certificate of Catholic Practice, by 7th July 2026. Late applications are not accepted.

4. Sit the entrance test (11th September 2026)

Your daughter sits the GL Assessment four-paper entrance test at the school on 11th September 2026. Results are emailed to parents in mid-October. 

5. Submit your common application form (by 31st October 2026)

If your daughter meets the qualifying standard, name St Michael's Catholic Grammar School on your secondary school common application form and submit it to your home local authority by 31st October 2026. Offers go out on National Offer Day, 1st March 2027. 

How to prepare your daughter for the St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus

The St Michael's Catholic Grammar School 11 plus is competitive. It is a four-paper GL Assessment exam, which means your daughter needs to be confident and well-prepared across all four subjects: verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths and English. Here is how to approach preparation effectively.

1. Start early in Year 5

Begin preparing at least 12 months before the September exam. Short daily sessions of 20 to 30 minutes build skills gradually without overwhelming your daughter. Our 11 plus tuition programmes are structured around exactly this kind of steady, progressive preparation.

2. Master English writing as well as comprehension

Because the English paper requires written answers, your daughter needs to be able to express herself clearly in writing under timed conditions. This is different from a multiple-choice paper. Build comprehension, vocabulary and written analytical skills through daily reading and discussion.

3. Build strong maths foundations first

Make sure your daughter's KS2 maths is secure before moving to timed practice. The GL Assessment maths paper tests application as well as knowledge, so being able to work through multi-step problems accurately and efficiently is more important than just knowing the content.

4. Practise GL Assessment question types

GL Assessment uses consistent, predictable question formats. Systematic practice with GL-style papers builds pattern recognition and speed that directly improves scores. Our free 11 plus practice papers cover all four GL Assessment subjects in the right format.

5. Use realistic timed mock exams

Once your daughter is confident with the content, introduce full-length timed practice under realistic exam conditions. Our 11 plus mock exams replicate the GL Assessment format closely and give you a detailed breakdown of results so you always know exactly what to work on next.

6. Make the most of the summer

With the exam on 11 September, the summer before Year 6 is a critical preparation period. Our 11 plus intensive summer course gives your daughter a focused, structured boost in the final weeks before the exam, combining content revision, timed practice and exam technique in one well-designed programme.

For personalised, expert support from tutors who know the GL Assessment format inside out, our 11 plus tutors work with families throughout the preparation period, providing targeted feedback and tailored sessions based on exactly where your daughter is right now.

Final thoughts

St Michael's Catholic Grammar School is one of the most exceptional state schools in London. Outstanding in every Ofsted category, with academic results that place it among the very best in the country, it offers a genuinely extraordinary education within a caring and faith-centred community.

At Pass 11 Plus Grammar, we have been helping children prepare for the GL Assessment 11 plus and earn places at grammar schools across London and the UK. Whether your daughter is in Year 4 and just starting out, or in Year 6 and needs a focused final push, we have a programme built around exactly where she is right now.