City of London School for Girls: 11+ and 16+ admissions

City of London School for Girls, usually shortened to CLSG, is an independent girls’ day school in the Barbican. It has no boarding provision. Pupils travel from across London, mostly by public transport.

The school divides Years 7–8 into its lower school, Years 9–11 into its senior school, and Years 12–13 into its sixth form. Its proprietor is the City of London Corporation. It is non-denominational and academically selective.

Programme and qualifications

Years 7–9 follow a broad curriculum across English, mathematics, sciences, humanities, technology, arts and physical education. Pupils initially study two languages chosen from Chinese, French, German and Spanish.

Most pupils take ten General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) or equivalent courses in Years 10–11. English, English literature, mathematics and the three separate sciences form part of the usual core. Pupils also choose at least one modern language and one humanities subject.

Year 12 pupils normally begin four A-level subjects, advanced qualifications usually taken before university. Most reduce to three during or after Year 12. The optional Extended Project Qualification is an independent research project. Subject combinations depend on timetabling and demand.

The live curriculum page still mentions Pre-U qualifications for Chinese and German. That wording is stale. The current subject pages identify both as Edexcel A levels.

11+ entry for September 2027

Registration is open and closes on Friday 30 October 2026. The UK registration fee is £192, including VAT. The overseas fee is £300. These fees are non-refundable.

The first stage runs from 13 to 18 November 2026. It is a one-hour Cambridge Select Insight computer test covering numerical, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. The school also requests a reference from the applicant’s current headteacher.

There is no school-specific first-stage practice test. CLSG directs families to Cambridge’s familiarisation material so that pupils understand the format.

The admissions policy uses two first-stage score thresholds. Candidates above the upper threshold progress, while those below the lower threshold do not. The school selects a further group from scores between those thresholds.

Within that middle band, the policy may consider a score in the top 10% for an individual test section. Other factors include being in local-authority care, attending a state school, having a sibling at CLSG or having a summer birthday.

Successful candidates return on Wednesday 6 January 2027. They sit a 45-minute English paper covering creative and analytical writing, followed by a 45-minute problem-solving mathematics paper.

Interviews run from Monday 11 to Thursday 21 January 2027. Offers, including bursary and scholarship decisions, are due on Friday 12 February 2027. The school describes 11+ offers as unconditional.

The acceptance deadline is in early March, but the exact date is not yet published. An acceptance deposit is required unless the pupil receives bursary assistance. The school does not publish the amount or its refund treatment.

16+ entry for September 2027

Registration closes on Friday 2 October 2026 for both UK and international applicants. The written assessment is on Wednesday 14 October 2026.

All candidates take a multiple-choice critical-thinking paper. Depending on proposed A-level choices, they also take a 45-minute mathematics paper, a 45-minute argumentative essay, or both.

Shortlisted candidates have ten-minute interviews in each proposed subject on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Conditional offers are due on Tuesday 1 December 2026 and must be accepted by Wednesday 9 December 2026.

The live admissions page requires at least eight GCSE or international GCSE (IGCSE) grades at 7 or above. It also requires at least grade 8 in each proposed A-level subject.

The linked English as an Additional Language policy instead mentions grade 7 in English and proposed subjects. International applicants with different qualifications should obtain the exact equivalency and offer conditions in writing.

The 16+ acceptance deposit is non-refundable, although its amount is not public. Bursary-assisted applicants do not pay it.

Occasional places

Places may become available in Years 8 and 9. The school does not admit new pupils into Years 10, 11 or 13.

Applications for September 2026 are closed. An expression-of-interest form for September 2027 is due to open during the autumn term of 2026. Candidates sit English, mathematics and general papers before any interview.

The school says Year 8 vacancies are rare, while it expects to enlarge Year 9 by at least five pupils. Scholarships and bursaries are not available for these non-standard entry points.

Access arrangements, English and learning support

Families should disclose special educational needs, disabilities and material circumstances at registration. The school requests current professional reports and evidence from the present school when considering entrance-test arrangements.

A professional report alone does not guarantee extra time. CLSG follows Joint Council for Qualifications guidance and looks for an established history of need. Entrance-test arrangements do not automatically continue after enrolment.

The admissions policy welcomes pupils whose needs the school can meet and whose safety the site can support. Families should discuss complex needs with admissions before applying, rather than waiting for an offer.

The study centre is open to all pupils from 8:30am to 4:00pm on school days. Pupils can be referred or approach the team themselves for study skills, organisation, revision and examination support.

Specialist provision follows a cycle of assessing needs, planning support and reviewing progress. The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) policy says some external assessments or teaching may need to be arranged and paid for by parents. Financial help may be possible for bursary-funded pupils.

English is the language of teaching. The English as an Additional Language (EAL) policy expects every entrant to be at least a competent English user because selection and teaching are academically demanding. Subject teachers support academic language, but this is not a beginner-English pathway.

The compact, listed campus has lifts, but physical access is not complete. The accessibility plan says wheelchair users cannot reach the swimming pool or all-weather playing area. Discuss the child’s exact route through the site before accepting.

Fees and contract questions

The school’s published 2026/27 charges are:

Charge	Published amount
Tuition, including VAT but excluding lunch.	£10,611 per term.
Indicative tuition for three terms.	£31,833 per year.
School lunch, VAT exempt.	£6.50 per day.
Ten individual music lessons, including VAT.	£460.
UK registration, including VAT and non-refundable.	£192.
Overseas or occasional-place registration, including VAT and non-refundable.	£300.

Fees are reviewed annually, so September 2027 tuition may differ. The public pages do not provide the standard parent contract or its withdrawal terms.

Bursaries and scholarships

Means-tested bursaries are available at 11+ and 16+. The school says it usually awards 12–15 at 11+ and 3–4 at 16+, subject to academic success, eligibility and available funds.

Awards can reach 100% of tuition. As a general guide, households with net annual income up to £70,000 and very limited assets may qualify for consideration. Eligibility does not guarantee an award, and support is reassessed annually.

Full bursaries also cover lunch, a school laptop, compulsory curriculum trips and public examinations. They include a £500 uniform payment for 11+ entrants and specified travel and co-curricular support.

UK applicants with net household income up to £27,000 may be considered for a reduced £64 registration fee. This must be arranged through the bursary team. Overseas applicants are not eligible for bursaries.

At 11+, music scholarships provide up to 10% fee remission. At 16+, scholarships are available in art, drama, music and sport. Music carries 10% remission; the others are worth up to £1,500 per year.

Overseas applicants and residence

CLSG accepts overseas applicants. Interviews may be remote, and 16+ candidates may arrange the written test through a local British Council office. The school warns that this can require up to six weeks’ notice.

The Home Office register lists the City of London Corporation as a sponsor for Student and Child Student routes. It does not identify CLSG’s process on the school’s admissions pages.

Ask CLSG to confirm in writing whether it will issue the required Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies for this applicant. Do this before paying a non-refundable deposit.

This is a day school and does not provide accommodation. An overseas family must arrange a suitable London home and any required care or guardianship independently. Check the current United Kingdom guide alongside official immigration advice.

Inspection context

The Independent Schools Inspectorate visited from 29 April to 1 May 2025. It found that all assessed standards were met, including education, wellbeing, leadership and safeguarding.

Inspectors asked the school to check policies consistently and embed its newer assessment framework across subjects. They also reported effective identification and classroom support for pupils with SEND.

Our take

For 16+ applicants, the immediate deadline is 2 October 2026. Overseas candidates needing a British Council venue have little spare time because the school warns that arrangements can take six weeks.

Families needing intensive beginner-English teaching, full wheelchair access or boarding should not assume the school can provide it. Families seeking aid should also treat bursary eligibility and an actual award as separate decisions.

Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.