Introduction
School Name: Merchant Taylors’ School
Description: Boys’ independent day school
Acceptance Ages: 11+ and 13+
Overview
Merchant Taylors’ School is situated in Northwood, in the London Borough of Hillingdon with its vast estate consisting of over 280-acres, including 100 acres of sports provision, classic Art Deco buildings and a range of contemporary facilities. Despite its rural setting, the school is just half an hour away from the centre of London by tube.
Merchant Taylors’ is an independent day school for boys Aged 11–18, joined with the former Northwood Prep, now Merchant Taylors’ Prep School, in 2015 to provide a ‘through school’ experience from the age of 3. However, transfer is not automatic from the prep to the senior school.
The school takes its name from the Merchant Taylors’ Company, which was responsible for its foundation in 1561 and acts as its governing body. Originally based in London and moved to its current site in 1933.
Merchant Taylors’ School prides itself on tailoring its curriculum to the individual student. Boys joining the school in the Thirds (Year 7) study a broad curriculum of 12 subjects, have a choice of 21 subjects at IGCSE / GCSE and 26 subjects at A level.
Merchant Taylors’ School 11 Plus Admissions
Assessment for entry into the Thirds (Year 7) is based upon a report from the applicant’s current school, entrance examination and an individual interview for those applicants who passed the standard in the examination.
Entrance exams consist of an English paper, a mathematics paper and a general paper which will be held on the second Tuesday in January of the year of entry.
The individual interview with the purpose to find out more about each applicant’s interests, personal qualities and aptitudes. Interviews are held in late January / early February.
A limited number of means-tested bursaries are available and at least five significant academic scholarships and two outstanding talent awards are awarded at 11+ based on the performance of the entire assessment process. Scholarships are also awarded for sport, drama, DT, art and music.
Downloadable copy of Merchant Taylors’ School Admissions Policy and Procedure is available on the school’s website.
For further information about the admissions process at Merchant Taylors’ School, please contact the admissions department directly: admissions@mtsn.org.uk or 01923 845514.
How to Apply for 11 Plus Entry to Merchant Taylors’ School
Prior to the registration of entry, prospective parents are encouraged to visit the school with their son during Open mornings held in September and May. Places can be reserved via the online booking form. Personal tours may also be arranged via the admissions department: admissions@mtsn.org.uk or 01923 845514.
For their son to be assessed for a place at Merchant Taylors’ School, parents must complete the online registration form on the school’s website. Deadline for registration is at the end of October in the year preceding entry.
Please submit a digital copy of your son’s birth certificate and passport and a credit card to pay the £100 non-refundable registration fee as part of the registration process.
Merchant Taylors’ School 11 Plus Exam Format
The Merchant Taylors’ School entrance exam consists of the following papers:
- English Paper is for 1 hour – comprehension and composition
- Mathematics Paper is for 1 hour – arithmetic and problem solving
- General Paper.
Until recent years, the school set a verbal reasoning paper that was replaced by the general paper which is designed to test a wider range of skills, including problem solving and creativity.
Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood 13 Plus (13+) Exam Information
Address: Sandy Lodge, Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2HT
School Type: Independent boarding and day school for boys
Number of Students: 1100 (approx.)
Open day: September and May
13+ Exam Date: January of Year 6
13+ Exam Type / Board: School’s own
Open Events for Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood 13 Plus (13+) Entry
The school’s Open Mornings are held each year in September and May. Booking is necessary and available on the school’s website. You may also book a private tour with a senior boy on a school day. For more details and information, please visit the school’s website.
Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
Following the visit to the school, you may wish to proceed to register your son. Boys must be registered by the end of June, during their Year 5 at their current school. This can be done online via a form available on the school’s website.
MTS will then request your son’s Head Teacher’s confidential reference and will then be invited for a thirty-minute interview with a senior member of staff which will take place in September/October of Year 6. The interview will assess the following areas: communication, intellectual curiosity, reasoning and extra-curricular commitment.
In November, following the interview, you will receive in writing one of three possible outcomes:
- offer conditional on a satisfactory performance in the 11+ examinations
- offer conditional on passing the 11+ examinations at grade C or above
- No offer
A deposit of £1,050 needs to be paid and is refundable if the examinations not being passed.
The Entrance Examinations will be early in January when your son is in Year 6. Following the examinations, in mid-February, you will receive a letter containing an unconditional offer of a place in Year 9, an offer of a place on the waiting list or no offer.
The school offers Academic and All-rounder scholarships, along with Subject Scholarships in Art, Drama, DT, Music and Sport.
For 13+ entry, the school gives out up to 5 major academic scholarships, each valued at a minimum of 10% of the school fees, up to 12 minor academic scholarships with a maximum value of 10% of the school fees and up to 2 all-rounder scholarships, each with the value of at least 10% of the school fees.
For more information about scholarships, please visit the school’s website.
Bursaries help parents/guardians with financial difficulties and cover up to 100% of the fees. All bursaries are means-tested. You must complete confidential means-testing application form and pay an administration fee of £100. The fee is fully refundable if there is an actual and proven need for financial assistance, regardless of whether a place is offered.
An external agency will process the application and you will receive a home visit. The deadline for applying for a bursary is in September of the year before entry.
You will need to provide the following information:
- Income
- Outgoings
- Capital Assets
- Capital Liabilities
- Net Assets
For more information about bursaries, please visit the school’s website
Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
The Merchant Taylors’ School entrance examination consists of the following assessments:
- English is for 60 mins.
- Mathematics is for 60 mins.
- General Paper
The English paper evaluates both comprehension and writing skills, including inference, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation. The Mathematics exam evaluates the applicant’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills.
The General paper evaluates a variety of topics that include some Verbal Reasoning, amongst other topics such as problem solving, ethics and linguistics.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Merchant Taylors’ School 13+ entrance examinations.
