City of London School for Boys is one of the leading independent boys' schools in London — academically exceptional, situated in the heart of the City, and drawing from one of the broadest and most diverse catchments of any selective school in the capital. Entry is at Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+), with the 11+ being the main and most competitive entry point. For families across London — state and independent school backgrounds alike — City Boys is an outstanding destination.
About City of London School for Boys
The school is located on the north bank of the Thames at Queen Victoria Street, EC4 — minutes from St Paul's Cathedral. It educates around 950 boys from Year 7 to the Sixth Form in one of the most vibrant and academically stimulating environments in London. The school has exceptional results across sciences, humanities and arts, strong representation in national academic competitions, and excellent university destinations including Oxbridge, medicine and top US institutions.
City Boys is notably accessible: it has bursaries available to a significant proportion of its intake, and boys from maintained schools compete successfully for places alongside those from selective preps. The school's location — central London, easily reached by tube from across the city — and its culture of intellectual breadth make it genuinely different from many of its peer schools.
The 11+ process
Registration typically opens in October of Year 5 and closes in November. The selection process:
- First stage: entrance papers in January of Year 6 — candidates sit the school's own Mathematics and English papers. The Maths paper includes multi-step problem-solving and reasoning beyond the Year 6 curriculum. The English paper covers comprehension and writing. In addition, candidates typically take a verbal reasoning test. Papers are assessed holistically.
- Shortlist and interview — candidates who perform strongly on the papers are invited for an interview. City Boys interviews are designed to be engaging and conversational, exploring a boy's interests, curiosity and personality as well as his academic ability. The school is looking for boys who will contribute to its broad community.
- Offers — made in February or March of Year 6. Bursary applications should be submitted alongside or shortly after the registration.
What the papers test
- Mathematics — arithmetic, problem-solving, reasoning and some material beyond the Year 6 syllabus. Multi-step problems requiring clear working and logical thought are central. Boys should be confident with fractions, percentages, ratio and early algebra.
- English comprehension — reading an unseen passage and answering questions requiring inference, analysis and personal response. Writing with appropriate vocabulary and sentence construction is expected.
- Writing — a structured written response, which may be creative or discursive. Boys who write with engagement, clear ideas and a sense of their own voice are at an advantage.
- Verbal reasoning — standard VR format, testing word relationships, logical patterns and verbal analogy. Familiarity with the format is helpful; extensive drilling is rarely necessary for boys who have strong underlying verbal ability.
State school and bursary applicants
City Boys is one of the few highly selective London independents where boys from maintained schools genuinely compete on equal terms. The school has an active bursary programme and a long history of welcoming boys from a wide range of backgrounds. Families from state schools should not be deterred by the assumed dominance of prep school candidates — the school values academic potential and character over preparation pedigree.
For state school families, 11+ preparation typically focuses on: familiarisation with the paper format, targeted Mathematics beyond the Key Stage 2 curriculum, and reading widely. Boys from strong state primaries who are genuinely able often perform very well.
When to start preparation
For boys from independent prep schools, preparation begins naturally as part of the school curriculum in Year 5 and 6. For boys from maintained schools or weaker prep schools, structured tuition should begin in September of Year 5 at the latest — giving 16 months before the January Year 6 papers.
Preparation strategy
- Mathematics beyond the curriculum. Year 5 and Year 6 should include exposure to problem-solving beyond what is taught in school: UKMT Junior Mathematical Challenge preparation, ratio, proportion and introductory algebra.
- Wide reading and comprehension. Read broadly — fiction, non-fiction, journalism — and develop the analytical habit of asking why an author chose a particular word or structure.
- VR format familiarisation. A focused block of VR practice — perhaps four to six weeks — removes the unfamiliarity without requiring months of drilling.
- Interview preparation. Encourage a boy to talk enthusiastically about his interests, to ask and answer questions, and to engage confidently with adults. The City Boys interview is designed to be enjoyable.
Finding a tutor
City Boys preparation benefits from a tutor who understands the school's specific ethos and paper style — and who can support both the academic preparation and the development of a confident, broadly curious young man. The school values character as well as academic ability, so interview preparation is a meaningful part of the tutor's role.
Browse tutors with 11+ experience in Central London and across the city on the parent portal.