St Michael's School (11+) 11 Plus Exam - 2026 Key Information

St Michael's School is a leading co-educational selective independent school situated in Bryn, Llanelli. Established in 1923, it successfully educates 400+ pupils aged 3 to 18, covering Key Stage 3 (KS3) and sixth form (6th Form).

Ranked among the best independent schools in the UK, st mikes delivers stellar academic results annually. While its latest ISI report shows the school as "Excellent", the school also boasts exceptional pastoral care standards.

Renowned as the Sunday Times Welsh Independent School of the Decade, St Mikes combines sustained academic dominance with exceptional pastoral care. The school consistently tops national league tables for A-Level results and offers bespoke Medical and Veterinary pathways to empower students towards competitive university placements.

In this guide, I streamline St Michael's School 2026 11 plus (11+) Exam admissions for parents, drawing on 18+ years of education consultancy.

School Details

• Type of School: Academy (State Comprehensive)
• Boarding Type: No Boarding
• Gender Type: Co-educational (Mixed)
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Age Range: 3 to 18 years
• Number of Pupils (Total): 400+
• St Michael's School GCSE Results (2025): 94.2% achieved A*- B
• St Michael's School A-Level Results (2025): 93.5% achieved A*- B

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Admissions Details

• Admissions Policy: Non-Selective (Faith-based oversubscription criteria)
• Number of Places in Year 7 (PAN): 180
• Exam Board: N/A (Admission via Local Authority application)
• Number of Stages: 1 (Common Application Form + SIF)
• School Catchment Area: No. (See Below for more details regarding Parish boundaries)
• Sibling Policy: Yes. (See Below for more details)
• Pass Mark: Aim for 90%

Preparing for the St Michael's School open day and admissions cycle requires forward planning due to their unique timeline. I have compiled the essential St Michael's School 11 plus exam dates and 11 plus exam dates schedule below. This calendar highlights the critical summer deadline for the Supplementary Information Form (SIF), ensuring you have the correct dates for 11 plus exams well in advance.

​The 11 plus exam process for st mikes requires careful planning for Year 7 entry in September 2026. As stated in the St Michael's School Admissions Policy, parents must strictly adhere to the published deadlines.

How to Register for 11+ Exam

• Complete the online 11 plus exam registration form on the school website between May and July 2025.
• Include the school on your Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) by 31st October 2025.
• Academic standards here are high, often compared to top independent schools in London.

​​In this section, we explore what is in the 11 Plus exam at St Michael's Catholic Grammar School. The admissions process for Year 7 entry in September 2026 identifies academic potential and suitability for a grammar school education.

Applicants entering in 2026 will sit their entrance examinations in September 2025. It is crucial to adhere to the strict deadlines for the Supplementary Information Form and the local authority application.

As stated in the St Michael's School Admissions Policy, the school uses a rigorous testing process to select candidates. All eligible applicants are invited to the school to sit these formal papers on a specified date.

11+ Mathematics

The 11+ Mathematics paper assesses mathematical fluency based on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum. This section aims to test the child's ability to apply numerical concepts to solve problems.

• Questions cover core topics such as number operations, fractions, decimals, and percentages.
• The paper tests measurement, geometry, and data handling skills through multiple-choice questions.
• Speed and accuracy are essential, as students must calculate answers mentally or with rough working.
• Practising standard 11 plus exam questions helps students manage the time constraints effectively.

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Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning

st mikes places significant weight on reasoning papers to identify potential beyond learned knowledge. These sections are also in multiple-choice format and are timed separately.

• Verbal Reasoning: This tests the ability to solve problems using words and letters. It includes coding, word associations, and logical deduction tasks.
• Non-Verbal Reasoning: This assesses spatial awareness using shapes and patterns. Students must identify sequences, similarities, and differences in visual data.
• Spatial Reasoning: Some GL papers may include spatial elements, testing how children visualise 2D and 3D objects.
• Parents often ask how long is the 11+ exam reasoning section; it is typically integrated into the two main test papers.

The St Michael's School 11 Plus Test is solely an academic assessment; there is no interview or creative writing task for Year 7 entry.

St mikes allocates places based on rank order rather than a specific cutoff. Students should aim to maximise their scores across all subjects to achieve high 11 plus test results.

While the school does not have an official pass mark, if the child is able to achieve 95%+ score in PiAcademy’s 11+ Practice Papers, they will be able to ace the St Michael's School 11 plus exam.

​St Michael's School is widely considered the gold standard for Catholic girls' education in North London. However, securing a place is incredibly difficult due to the strict faith criteria and high academic standards. Most successful applicants have a robust backup plan in place.

In my 18 years of consulting, I have seen many capable students miss out due to narrow school choices. I always advise parents to shortlist three grammar schools and two private schools. This strategy ensures your daughter accesses an elite education, even if St Mikes is not the final destination.

Top 5 Alternative Grammar and Independent Schools

Families targeting St Michael's usually look towards the Barnet consortium for state options and the Edgware corridor for private backups. Here is how the top alternatives compare:

Why these schools are the top alternatives to St Michael's School

• Henrietta Barnett School (HBS): This is the primary academic rival in Barnet. It offers a similar single-sex environment but focuses purely on academic merit rather than faith criteria.
• The Latymer School: For families willing to consider a co-educational setting, Latymer provides exceptional results. It sits within a reasonable commute and uses a similar GL Assessment format.
• North London Collegiate School (NLCS): This is the closest independent equivalent in terms of academic pressure and prestige. The facilities are world-class, offering a broader curriculum than most state grammars.
• Dame Alice Owen's School: Although partially selective, this school rivals grammars for Oxbridge entry. It is perfect for children who excel in a mixed environment with strong extracurriculars.

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For official details on the application process, visit the St Michael's School website. You can also find specific entry requirements on their admissions page at St Michael's School Admission page.

​St Michael's School assesses candidates using its own bespoke entrance examination. The assessment focuses on core academic potential and logical thinking skills.

Analysis of 11+ Exam Maths topics

Our analysis of 11+ maths papers indicates a broad curriculum coverage. Questions frequently test arithmetic fluency and standard problem-solving abilities.

This breakdown highlights that Numbers and Geometry are the most significant areas. These topics make up approximately 55% of the questions in the 11+ past papers.

Enhance your preparation with our 11 Plus Maths topics-wise Questions. This resource includes a comprehensive planner and worksheets to master key concepts.

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Analysis of 11+ Exam Non-Verbal Reasoning topics

The 11+ non verbal reasoning section tests spatial awareness and logic. Shapes, matrices, and sequences are regularly featured in these assessments.

Which are the Best 11+ Practice Papers for St Michael's School?

Our targeted 11 plus practice papers help students familiarise themselves with the exam format. They are designed to mirror the difficulty of actual exams.

​St Michael's School is highly sought after, making effective preparation vital for prospective students. Sitting the St Michael's School 11 plus mock exam helps children understand the specific test format. These sessions are excellent for building speed and identifying specific knowledge gaps.

To succeed at St Mikes, consistent practice is required to build exam confidence. We recommend using 11 plus mock tests to simulate the actual exam environment.

Parents can download our free 11 plus mock test to gauge their child’s initial ability. This preparation ensures readiness for any 11 plus mock test Hampshire based sitting.

For the 2024/25 academic year, St Michael's School fees for Year 7 day pupils are approximately £5,505 per term. This figure typically covers tuition and curriculum essentials, though parents should budget for lunches and transport separately.

The school is committed to accessibility, offering St Michael's School Scholarships to recognise excellence in academics and sport. Families requiring financial assistance may also apply for a St Michael's School bursary, which is means-tested. For further insights on private school scholarships bursaries, we recommend reading our blog on the most expensive Private Schools UK.

• Autumn Half Term 1: Wednesday 3^rd September 2025 to Friday 24^th October 2025
• Autumn Half Term 2: Monday 3^rd November 2025 to Thursday 4^th December 2025
• Spring Half Term 1: Monday 5^th January 2026 to Friday 13^th February 2026
• Spring Half Term 2: Monday 23^rd February 2026 to Friday 27^th March 2026
• Summer Half Term 1: Monday 13^th April 2026 to Friday 22^nd May 2026
• Summer Half Term 2: Monday 1^st June 2026 to Thursday 09^th July 2026

This information has been sourced from Get Information about Schools and St Michael's School Official Website.

Independent school admissions involve direct applications, distinct registration deadlines, and bespoke pre-testing. Review these official inspection reports and testing guidelines to prepare your child for St Michael's School.

• UK Govt. - Get Information on St Michael's School Page
• St Michael's School Inspection reports
• St Michael's School Admission Policy​
• UK Govt. - Schools, pupils and their characteristics data