How to prepare for the St Paul’s Junior School 7+ Assessment

St Paul’s Junior School (SPJS) represents one of London’s most sought-after educational opportunities for your child. As the junior school feeding into the renowned St Paul’s School in Barnes, SPJS offers an exceptional academic environment where bright, curious children thrive.

With entry at 7+ into Year 3, your child would be joining a carefully selected cohort of pupils who will benefit from outstanding teaching, remarkable facilities and a vibrant intellectual community. If you’re considering this path for your son, read on…

Competition is naturally intense, but this also means your child will be surrounded by some of the brightest young minds in London, creating an environment that challenges and inspires in equal measure.

Should I attend a St Paul’s Junior School 7+ Open Day?

Absolutely! SPJS holds open mornings and tours for prospective parents, and attending one is essential if you’re seriously considering the school for your son. These events book up quickly, so register your interest early. 

There’s something irreplaceable about experiencing the school first-hand – walking through the historic buildings, seeing the state-of-the-art facilities, observing lessons in action and getting a genuine feel for the school’s unique atmosphere. Look out for the enthusiasm and passion of both staff and pupils during your visit.

When you leave, you’ll understand why SPJS has such an outstanding reputation and have a clear sense of whether this environment is the right fit for your son.

What is St Paul’s Junior School looking for in its 7+ candidates?

St Paul’s Junior School states they’re looking for boys who are ‘academically able’ and who will ‘flourish in a stimulating and supportive environment’. They emphasise intellectual curiosity, creativity and the ability to think independently. The school wants boys who are eager to learn and who will contribute positively to their community. Maths and the sciences are particularly strong areas for this school, so a genuine flair and interest in these subjects is desirable. 

While the school values natural ability and genuine enthusiasm for learning, the reality – based on over a decade of working with successful 7+ families – is that every single child who has gained entry to SPJS at 7+ has received some targeted preparation, whether from parents, tutors or a combination of both. 

This isn’t about creating exam robots or crushing a natural love of learning. Quite the opposite. Proper preparation gives your child the confidence and skills to demonstrate their real potential when it matters most. It’s about ensuring that on assessment day, your bright, accomplished son can show the school exactly what he’s capable of, without being held back by the unfamiliarity of a formal exam, the assessment format and timings, or unnecessary exam anxiety.

The right preparation enhances natural ability, but doesn’t replace it.

What does ‘academically able’ mean for a 7+ candidate?

When St Paul’s Junior School talks about academic ability in 7+ candidates, they’re looking for something quite specific – and it’s more nuanced than simply ‘being clever’.

Resilience, focus and stamina are also key. The ability to persist with challenging work and maintain concentration during longer tasks can be encouraged with practice – but, to be completely honest here, it’s impossible to force emotional and academic maturity beyond certain natural limits. That’s one reason why the 11+ entry point exists – for able children whose talents and gifts mature a little later on. 

Academic ability isn’t fixed – it grows when nurtured properly.

St Paul’s Junior School successes don’t just happen by accident. These children have been given opportunities to develop their skills systematically, building both knowledge and confidence. Your role is to provide the foundation that allows your son’s natural talents to shine.

How can I give my child the best chance of success in the St Paul’s Junior School 7+ entry process?

To give your son the best chance of success, he’ll need to have mastered the complete Year 2 curriculum in English and Mathematics. But that’s just the baseline. He’ll also benefit from exposure to elements of the Year 3 curriculum to demonstrate the academic maturity that SPJS is seeking and to ensure that he is not fazed by challenging questions and content.

To begin, we recommend using a targeted St Paul’s Junior School 7+ Practice Test to establish your son’s abilities as they stand. 

• 7+ St. Paul’s Juniors Practice Test 1
• 7+ St. Paul’s Juniors Practice Test 2
• 7+ St. Paul’s Juniors Practice Test 3
• 7+ St. Paul’s Juniors Practice Test 4
• 7+ St. Paul’s Juniors Practice Test 5
• St. Paul’s Juniors (SPJ) 7+ Full Practice Tests Bundle – save 30%

Then, use the English, Mathematics and Reasoning Practice Tests below to hone in on areas for improvement. The next step would be to take another Full Practice Test and repeat.

English Preparation for SPJS 7+

For English, your child will need to demonstrate:

Reading comprehension – The ability to read age-appropriate texts independently and answer questions that test literal understanding, inference and interpretation. He should be comfortable with both fiction and non-fiction. The first round of the 7+ SPJS exam tests comprehension via a multiple-choice paper. 

Creative Writing – Creative writing is not tested in the first round – but it is assessed in the second round, so you need to develop (and not leave!) writing skills to the last minute. It is impossible to ‘teach’ creative writing in just a couple of weeks! When the time comes, SPJS wants to see writing that shows imagination, structure and focus. Your son should be able to write stories, descriptions or accounts (diary, letter) that are interesting, well-organised and showcase apt and impressive vocabulary that goes beyond everyday words. Accuracy in basic SPAG is essential. This includes full stops, capital letters, question marks, commas, apostrophes for contraction and possession and age-appropriate spelling.

Recommended English resources for 7+ SPJS preparation:

Mathematics Preparation for SPJS 7+

For Mathematics, your child needs to demonstrate:

• Number and place value – Solid understanding of numbers to 100 (and ideally 1000), including partitioning, ordering, and comparing.
• Four operations – Confident addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division using appropriate methods. Mental calculation strategies are particularly valued.
• Times tables – All times tables up to 10× should be secure. Don’t just focus on the “easier” ones – SPJS will expect comprehensive knowledge.
• Problem-solving – This is crucial. Your son needs to be able to apply his mathematical knowledge to word problems and multi-step challenges. This requires practice and strategic thinking.
• Fractions – Basic understanding of halves, quarters, thirds and their equivalents.
• Measurement and geometry – Practical experience with length, mass, capacity, time, money and 2D/3D shapes.
• Mathematical reasoning – The ability to explain his thinking and show his working clearly.

Recommended Mathematics resources for 7+ SPJS preparation:

Reasoning Preparation for SPJS 7+

St Paul’s Junior School includes Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning in their first round assessment process. These tests evaluate thinking skills, pattern recognition, logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

Your child should be working confidently at the 7-9-year-old level in both areas. This means being comfortable with all types of reasoning questions and approaching them with both accuracy and speed. These aren’t skills that develop overnight; they require patient, systematic practice over several months. Familiarisation with the question types is essential, as even very bright children can struggle with questions they haven’t encountered before.

Recommended Reasoning resources for 7+ SPJS preparation:

Note: Our reasoning papers are pitched at a high level, and you can always go on and use our 8+ resources if your son has exhausted our 7+ reasoning range. This is a worthwhile extension.

The second round interview stage at St Paul’s Junior School

If your son is successful in the written assessments, he’ll be called back for an interview and further assessment. This is a crucial part of the SPJS selection process and includes maths activities and a creative writing exercise. 

The interview at SPJS is designed to be friendly and conversational and is usually done in small groups, but make no mistake – it’s an assessment. The school wants to see:

• Communication skills – Can your son express himself clearly and confidently? Can he articulate his own thoughts and opinions? 
• Genuine interests – The interviewers want to hear about what truly fascinates your son. Authenticity matters enormously here. They can spot rehearsed answers a mile away, and they’re looking for that spark of genuine enthusiasm.
• Social awareness – Is he polite, well-mannered and able to interact appropriately with adults? Does he make eye contact and respond thoughtfully to questions? Does he listen to the other children?
• Intellectual curiosity – Does he show interest in learning? Does he ask thoughtful questions? Does he engage with ideas?
• Character and personality – What kind of person is he? Will he contribute positively to the SPJS community?

How to prepare for the SPJS interview:

• Develop deep interests – Help your son explore topics he naturally gravitates towards. Whether it’s dinosaurs, football, space, history, music or Lego – encourage depth of knowledge and genuine passion. 
• Practise the art of conversation – Regular family discussions where everyone shares opinions and listens to each other. Ask your son about his day, his thoughts on books he’s reading, what he enjoyed about activities he’s done.
• Current awareness – Age-appropriate awareness of what’s happening in the world. Read age-suitable news stories together, discuss what’s happening in the news and visit museums and exhibitions. Try CBBC Newsround or The Guardian Foundation – Child-friendly News.
• Books and reading – Be able to talk enthusiastically about books he’s read and enjoyed. What characters did he like? What happened in the story? Would he recommend it to a friend?
• Boost social confidence – Arrange playdates, encourage structured activities with unfamiliar children, practise introducing himself and having polite conversations with adults.

Mock interviews – Towards the end of your preparation period, conduct one or two practice interviews. Keep them friendly but formal enough that your son experiences that specific situation. This is a good time to elicit the services of friends, relatives and colleagues and to organise at least one external mock interview with a professional. 

The key is to foster natural confidence. Your son should be comfortable talking about himself and his interests without sounding rehearsed or coached. The preparation should feel like natural conversation, not interview training per se.

When should I start preparing for the St Paul’s Junior School 7+ assessment?

The honest answer? Probably earlier than you think.

Ideally, you should begin structured preparation in the summer after your son has finished Year 1 and before he starts Year 2, giving you a full academic year of preparation. This timeline allows for:

• Steady, stress-free progress without cramming
• Time to identify and address areas of weakness
• Regular practice that becomes part of your routine
• Building genuine confidence and familiarity with all assessment type
• Time for interview and social skills development

But if you’re starting later than this, don’t panic – but do be willing to commit to a more intensive preparation schedule and consider more professional support as needed.

How do I start preparing for the 7+ exam at St Paul’s Junior School?

Should I hire a tutor for St Paul’s Junior School 7+ preparation?

Let’s be direct: professional tutoring isn’t essential for every child, but it is extremely valuable for most, and for some children, it makes the crucial difference.

The benefits of professional tutoring include:

• Expertise – A specialist 7+ tutor knows exactly what SPJS is looking for and how to prepare your son effectively.
• Objectivity – Sometimes children respond better to someone who isn’t their parent. Tutors can maintain boundaries and expectations that parents find harder to enforce.
• Targeted support – Tutors can quickly identify weaknesses and address them systematically.
• Exam technique – Professional tutors teach efficient strategies and approaches that save time and improve accuracy.
• Pressure valve – Having a tutor can reduce friction at home by taking the pressure off parents to “teach” everything themselves.

Professional tutoring isn’t a sign of weakness or failure – it’s a strategic investment in your son’s future and a source of reassurance for you as parents. The right tutor should complement parental support.

Building your 7+ support network

The families who succeed at this level are those who approach the process with realistic expectations, proper preparation and expert support. We’re always here to help with any questions you might have about the SPJS 7+ process. We’ve been doing this for over ten years and have insights ready to share with you!

Looking towards 7+ success at St Paul’s Junior School

As you embark on this journey toward the St Paul’s Junior School 7+ Assessment, hold onto the excitement of what lies ahead. Your son has the opportunity to join a truly exceptional educational community that will challenge, inspire and support him throughout his junior school years.

The path requires dedication, preparation and realistic expectations, but thousands of families have walked it successfully with us before you. 

Yes, the process is competitive. Yes, it requires significant commitment from both you and your child. But with proper preparation, the right support, and a positive approach, this is absolutely achievable.

7+ St Paul’s Junior School FAQs

What is assessed in the St Paul’s Junior School 7+ Assessment?

The 7+ assessment includes English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests, followed by an interview and group activities for shortlisted candidates.

When should my child start preparing for the St Paul’s Junior School 7+ exam?

Ideally, structured preparation should begin in the summer after Year 1, giving a full year to build skills, confidence, and familiarity with the exam format.

What resources are best for SPJS 7+ preparation?

Start with school-specific 7+ St Paul’s Juniors Practice Tests, English and Maths Packs, and The Complete Guide series for comprehension, writing, mathematics, and reasoning.

How can I prepare my son for the interview?

Encourage natural conversation at home, help him discuss his hobbies and reading, and practise friendly mock interviews to build confidence.

Do I need a tutor for the St Paul’s Junior 7+ exam?

While not essential, a specialist tutor can provide expert guidance, targeted practice, and support for both academic and interview preparation.