Grammar schools in City of London
There are no grammar schools in City of London.
Grammar schools are state secondaries that select by ability, usually through an 11+ test. Only 46 of the 226 local authorities in the UK still have any — City of London is one of the majority that does not, so local state secondaries admit without a selective test.
The nearest is The Henrietta Barnett School, about 6.2 miles away in Barnet. Nearest is not the whole answer, though: these schools rank children by test score, and most put children living in their own area first.
Could a child from City of London get a place?
Passing the test is not enough. These schools rank children by test score, not by distance from home. Most put children living in a set area first, so from City of London the question is whether your home is inside it.
| School | Intake | How places are decided, 2027 entry | City of London postcodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Henrietta Barnett School | Girls | Girls in the top 300 of the first test who live within 3 miles of the school come first. The remaining places of the 120 go in order of test score wherever the child lives. (school's policy) | none within 3 miles |
| St Michael's Catholic Grammar School | Girls | Places go to baptised Catholic girls from practising Catholic families, in order of test score. Home address only breaks a tie. (school's policy) | No area limit |
From each school's own admission arrangements for September 2027 entry. Priority groups such as looked-after children and children on Pupil Premium come before these rules. The postcode share uses ONS postcode centres and straight-line distance, so it counts postcodes, not households; a home near the edge of an area should be checked with the school.
Key dates
- 31 October 2026: deadline to apply for a secondary place, through City of London Council even for schools in another council
Each school or group of schools sets its own test, with a registration window months before the test itself, and parents register their child directly.
Nearest grammar schools to City of London
Straight-line distance from the centre of City of London — not a travel time.
| School | Area | Distance | Intake | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Henrietta Barnett School | London | 6.2 miles | Girls | Good |
| The Latymer School | London | 7.7 miles | Mixed | — |
| St Michael's Catholic Grammar School | London | 7.9 miles | Girls | Outstanding |
| Woodford County High School | Woodford Green | 7.9 miles | Girls | Good |
| Ilford County High School | Ilford | 8.9 miles | Boys | — |
| Bexley Grammar School | Welling | 9.4 miles | Mixed | Outstanding |
Published admissions priorities
These are extracts from school-specific arrangements for the entry years shown, in priority order. They are not the full policy or a prediction of an offer. Check the linked arrangement for test eligibility, deadlines and all remaining priorities.
The Henrietta Barnett School — 2026 entry
- Looked After/Previously Looked After Children ranked in the top 300 Round One test results (published source)
- Pupil Premium girls ranked in the top 300 Round One test results, with current-school confirmation (published source)
- Girls living within 3 miles of the school (measured at application, straight line), who sit the Round Two test — ranked by score if oversubscribed (published source)
The Latymer School — 2026 entry
- Looked After/Previously Looked After Children, ranked within the top 900 test-takers (published source)
- Up to 20 places: Free School Meals/Universal Credit children ranked within the top 900 (published source)
- Up to 20 music places: children ranked within the top 700, selected by audition after passing the academic threshold (published source)
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Baptised + Practising Catholic girls who are Looked After/Previously Looked After, ranked in the top 200 entrance-test places (published source)
- Up to 32 places (25%): Baptised + Practising Catholic girls eligible for Pupil Premium, ranked in the top 200 (published source)
- Baptised + Practising Catholic girls, in rank score order (published source)
Woodford County High School — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children with the minimum score (104) (published source)
- 45 places (25%) for children entitled to the Pupil Premium (including Ever 6), in order of total standardised score (published source)
- Other children living in the Common Catchment Area, in score order (published source)
Ilford County High School — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children with the minimum score (104) (published source)
- 45 places (25%) for children entitled to the Pupil Premium (including Ever 6), in order of total standardised score (published source)
- Other children living in the Common Catchment Area, in score order (published source)
Bexley Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children (published source)
- Up to 12 places: Pupil Premium children deemed selective, ranked by distance from the school (published source)
- Guaranteed Grammar School Place: LA-wide top 180 standardised scores in the Bexley Selection Test (across all Bexley grammar schools) (published source)
Schools in City of London
City of London has 6 open schools. Browse all City of London schools with Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and admission criteria, or see them on the map.
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