St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School sits in North Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet, close to Friary Park. It is a popular choice for families who want a high achieving girls school with a clear Catholic ethos and a very structured approach to learning. St Michael’s 11 plus preparation tends to feel simpler once the application steps and the faith paperwork are mapped out early, not just the revision.
Most families feel calmer once two things are clear. First, St Michael’s admissions is shaped by Catholic practice and academic ranking, so paperwork and timing matter as much as test technique. Second, the St Michael’s entrance exam is in early September, so summer of Year 6 is best used to keep confidence steady and routines familiar.
A helpful first step is to map your grammar school application UK timeline on one page, so nothing sneaks up on you when Year 6 is busy. This overview on your site keeps it simple: grammar school application UK timeline.
| Key detail | Information |
| Address | Nether Street, North Finchley, London N12 7NJ |
| School type | Girls selective, Catholic voluntary aided |
| Year 7 places | 128 |
| Entry assessments | Verbal reasoning, non verbal reasoning, English, maths |
| Who can sit the test | Oversubscription criteria apply, testing up to 200 applicants |
| Key paperwork | Online school form, baptism certificate, certificate of Catholic practice |
| Admissions contact | office@st-michaels.barnet.sch.uk, 020 8446 2256 |
| Location |
For the most accurate published details, start with the admissions policy for 2026 entry and the Admissions 2026 to 2027 page.
The easiest way to think about St Michael’s admissions is as a sequence of small tasks that build on each other. The earlier part focuses on paperwork and eligibility, followed by the test itself, and then the local authority offer stage.
Complete the school’s online supplementary form and upload the required evidence by the school deadline. This includes a baptism certificate, and for practising Catholic criteria, a certificate of Catholic practice signed by your parish priest. Keeping scans and confirmations in one folder avoids last minute stress.
The school form is separate from your local authority application. St Michael’s must be listed on your borough secondary application by the national deadline, or a strong test result cannot turn into an offer.
The written stage includes verbal reasoning, non verbal reasoning, English and maths. Applicants are ranked by score and places are allocated within the published oversubscription criteria. Calm pacing and strong multiple choice technique matter over a long test morning.
Offers are released through the local authority on national offer day. The admissions policy explains how the waiting list is ranked for girls who sat the test and named the school. Appeals are possible, but correct paperwork and realistic back up choices usually bring the most peace of mind.
These dates are for September 2026 entry and should be checked again closer to the time. A useful local reference is the secondary school applications for September 2026 key dates.
| Milestone | Date |
| Open day | Wednesday 25 June 2025, 5pm to 7pm |
| School application deadline | Tuesday 8 July 2025, 4pm |
| Entrance test | Friday 12 September 2025 |
| Local authority deadline | Friday 31 October 2025 |
| Offer day | Monday 2 March 2026 |
| Appeals deadline to the school | Tuesday 31 March 2026, 4pm |
St Michael’s is a Catholic school and its admissions criteria prioritise Catholic practice before academic rank. For September 2026 entry, the published admissions number for Year 7 is 128, with up to 200 applicants invited to sit the test.
Places are offered by combined test score within each criterion. Where scores tie, priority is given by paper order: verbal reasoning, then non verbal reasoning, then English, then maths, and finally distance to the school.
As a state funded school there are no tuition fees, but families should budget for uniform, travel and school activities. Planning travel early matters, as a winter commute can feel very different from a summer practice run.
A realistic check using the Transport for London Journey Planner helps turn a vague idea into a workable routine.
Access arrangements are possible but must be requested early. Parents are asked to contact the admissions administrator before the test date and provide documentary evidence such as an EHCP or confirmation from the primary school SENDCO.
For a clear overview of next steps after a refusal, the government guide to appealing a school admission decision is helpful.
There is no interview stage for St Michael’s 11 plus admissions. Preparation is best focused on exam technique and confidence rather than rehearsed answers.
Preparation works best when it feels like training rather than judgement. For St Michael’s, the priority is confidence across four papers on the same day and reliable multiple choice technique in the reasoning sections.
A steady weekly rhythm helps avoid overload: Year 5 revision plan.
As a clear starting point, you can book a free 11 plus diagnostic session with Find Your Tutor FYT focused on St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School. It benchmarks your child’s level and provides a personalised preparation roadmap.
Most families feel steadier once two things are clear. First, The Henrietta Barnett School admissions is a two round process, so you are building step by step rather than trying to do everything at once. Second, the best preparation is not endless papers. It is strong reading habits, secure maths foundations, and calm timing practice that grows gradually through Year 5 and Year 6.
A helpful first step is to put your whole grammar school application UK plan on one page so deadlines do not creep up when school is busy. This simple guide keeps it practical: grammar school application UK.
Join Hundreds of Families Who Secured St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School Places with Find Your Tutor.
The admissions policy states the entrance test date as Friday 12 September 2025 for September 2026 entry. That early timing is why Year 5 habits matter. It also means the summer holiday should be used to keep routines steady, not to cram.
The school sets four papers: verbal reasoning, non verbal reasoning, English and maths. The reasoning sections are heavily about multiple choice technique and speed with accuracy. English is a mix of comprehension and writing skills, even though no familiarisation paper is published for it.
The published admissions number for Year 7 is 128. Places are offered by rank order within the published oversubscription criteria. That is why both eligibility and score matter.
The admissions policy explains that the school normally tests up to 200 applicants and that oversubscription criteria apply to who is invited. Historically the school has been oversubscribed with applicants meeting the highest Catholic criteria. Getting documents right early is essential.
The admissions criteria prioritise baptised Catholic girls from practising Catholic families, and the policy says the school has long been oversubscribed with those applicants. In practice this means non Catholic applicants should plan realistic alternatives. Reading the criteria carefully helps you avoid surprises
A certificate of Catholic practice is part of the evidence for practising Catholic criteria in the admissions policy. It is usually completed by the parish priest where the family normally worships. Leaving it late is risky because it can take time to organise calmly.
The school does not publish an English familiarisation paper, so it is best to prepare with steady reading and timed writing. Focus on clear answers backed by evidence and clean paragraph structure. Proofreading in the last minutes can protect marks.
Expect word meaning and pattern style questions where speed and vocabulary matter. Regular practice with synonyms, antonyms and quick reasoning is usually the best route. Multiple choice accuracy is as important as the thinking.
Non verbal reasoning is usually about shapes, sequences and pattern rules. Children often improve quickly once they practise spotting the rule in one glance. Short daily drills beat long weekly sessions.
The published admissions documents describe written tests rather than an interview stage for Year 7 entry. That can be reassuring because preparation is more predictable. It also means paper performance matters a lot.
Offers come through your local authority on national offer day, and St Michael’s places follow the rank order within the criteria. Keeping a calm back up plan helps, because selective schools can be unpredictable year to year. A waiting list may move after offers, but it is still rank based.
The admissions policy explains that the Year 7 waiting list is ranked using the same oversubscription criteria and test ranking. That means being higher on the list is about the criteria and score, not about when you ask. Waiting lists can move, but it is safest to plan for both outcomes.
The policy asks families to raise this before the test date and to provide evidence such as an EHCP or confirmation from the primary school SENDCO. Schools usually try to mirror public exam guidance where possible. Early communication avoids last minute stress.
Year 4 is ideal for gentle habits and confidence. Year 5 is where timing and multiple choice technique should become familiar. Year 6 is for exam readiness, not learning everything from scratch.
Tutoring is not required, but structured feedback can help some children. The best choice is the one that keeps confidence steady and progress visible. A calm routine at home can be enough when it is consistent.
