Latymer Upper School
Independent Co-educational Day School · Est. 1624
Loading map…
King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9LR
11+ Places
160–180
largest co-ed intake in London
Term Fees
£8,637
£25,911 per annum
Competition
~9:1
applicants per place
GCSE 9-7
96.5%
2024 results
A-Level A*/A
81.4%
2024 results
Oxbridge
20+
places annually
Best For
An energetic, well-rounded child who excels academically but also wants to row on the Thames, act in a play, or play in a band — and do all three in the same week. Latymer's managed 50/50 balance, world-class bursary programme, and progressive Thames-side campus make it the definitive modern London co-ed.
Watch Out For
The intake of 160–180 is the largest of any 11+ co-ed in London — the school is genuinely big and can feel overwhelming at first. Weekend sports fixtures are expected (rowing regattas especially). The November registration deadline is strict, and bursary applications are due simultaneously — don't miss it.
Entry Points
- 11+ (main entry)
- 13+
- 16+ (sixth form)
- 4+ (prep school via Latymer Prep)
The Complete Admissions Timeline
Every key date, deadline and decision point — with insider intelligence you won't find on the school website. Click any item to reveal verified insider knowledge.
The critical window: Latymer's two-stage process opens with a November registration deadline that is strictly enforced — and uniquely, bursary applications must be submitted at the same time. Stage 1 in December filters the cohort; the genuinely distinctive element is Stage 2 in January, a half-day immersive event that goes far beyond a standard interview.
Open days — visit the Thames-side campus
Registration + £150 fee deadline — bursary applications also due
Stage 1: Bespoke English (80 mins) and Maths (60 mins) written papers at the school
Shortlisting results — Stage 2 invitations issued to successful candidates
Stage 2: Half-day immersive assessment — taster lessons, group activities, 1-to-1 interview
Offer letters dispatched
Acceptance deadline — deposit required to secure place
Key Dates At-a-Glance — Latymer Upper 2026/2027 Entry
- 1
Registration + bursary deadline
Early November Year 6
- 2
Stage 1: Written Exams
Early December Year 6
- 3
Stage 2: Half-day assessment
Mid-January Year 6
- 4
Offers issued
Mid-February
- 5
Acceptance deadline
Early March
The Latymer Upper 11+ Examination
Latymer Upper sets its own bespoke papers — there is no ISEB Pre-test, no consortium involvement, no multiple-choice. Two written papers (English and Maths) in early December determine who is shortlisted for the Stage 2 half-day assessment. The English paper is longer (80 minutes) and tests stamina alongside analytical and creative skill; the Maths paper (60 minutes) is non-calculator and includes challenging logic puzzles alongside core arithmetic.
English
80 minutes · Comprehension + Story Continuation
Writing a generic, plotted story instead of picking up the exact tone and register of the given opening. Markers reward candidates who match the given voice and develop it with genuine creativity — not those who ignore it and write their own story.
Maths
60 minutes · Non-calculator written paper
Leaving logic puzzles blank because they look unfamiliar. Latymer puzzles are designed to be solved by systematic thinking, not remembered techniques — candidates who write down their reasoning process score even when they don't reach the final answer.
Topic Difficulty & Weight
Difficulty (%) and exam weight by topic area
Key takeaway: 80 minutes. Own bespoke paper. Two sections: reading comprehension (inference and language analysis) and creative writing (story continuation). Latymer explicitly rewards originality, empathy, and a distinctive personal voice — not formulaic writing.
Topic Breakdown
Known Exam Traps — English
Read the given passage twice before writing a word. Your continuation must match the voice, tense, and register of the opening — writing your own story instead is the single most costly mistake.
Use PEE (Point, Evidence, Explain) for every answer and include a direct quotation. Retelling what happened scores close to zero — Latymer wants HOW and WHY the author has written this way.
Predictable openings, cliché similes, and stock characters signal a tutored approach. Practise writing with a genuine personal voice — read widely and notice how authors create atmosphere through unexpected, specific detail.
Target 35 minutes for comprehension and 45 minutes for the continuation. The creative section carries significant weight — practise strictly against the clock so you never have to rush it.
The pattern: Writing a generic, plotted story instead of picking up the exact tone and register of the given opening. Markers reward candidates who match the given voice and develop it with genuine creativity — not those who ignore it and write their own story.
If you can only improve in one area, make it
Voice + inference
What this means in practice:
Dedicate 60%+ of prep time to this area
Practice under timed conditions regularly
Review mistakes immediately after each session
Track progress weekly to spot patterns
All focus areas ranked by impact:
#1
Voice + inference
English
#2
Logic puzzles + working
Maths
Format
Written paper — comprehension + story continuation
Duration
80 minutes
Answer Method
Handwritten responses
Curriculum baseline: Comprehension passage + story continuation from given opening
Results & League Table Position
consistently ranks among the top co-educational schools in England. These figures are benchmarked against national averages so you can see the full picture.
A-Level A* Rate
36%
National rank #21
A-Level A*/A Rate
81%
Use the narrative summary below.
GCSE Grade 9-7
97%
National rank #18.
A-Level A*-B Rate
95%
Latymer consistently appears in the top 25 schools nationally in Sunday Times and Times tables. The fact it achieves these results as a co-ed day school — rather than a selective boarding school — sets it apart from most comparable institutions.
A-Level Results vs National Average
vs England average (%)
What this means: Latymer sits at No. 21 nationally in the A-Level league tables with 81.4% A*/A — exceptional for a school of this size (nearly 1,400 pupils). The breadth of the result, maintained across a large sixth form rather than a small curated group, is the most impressive aspect of the figure.
GCSE Grade Distribution
vs National distribution (%)
What this means: 96.5% grades 9-7 at GCSE makes Latymer the top-performing co-educational school in London. With nearly half of all grades at grade 9, the results are comparable to single-sex schools that take far fewer, more heavily selected pupils.
University Destinations
Where leavers go — % of cohort
Notable Academic Achievements
96.5% GCSE grades 9-7
Top co-ed school in London at GCSE
81.4% A-Level A*/A
No. 21 nationally at A-Level (2024)
20+ Oxbridge annually
Plus strong Ivy League track record — Brown, Yale, Stanford, NYU
160–180 11+ places
The largest 11+ co-ed intake in London
1-in-4 on bursary (target)
Inspiring Minds campaign — up to 100% fees funded
50/50 co-ed balance
Actively managed — one of the only schools to guarantee gender balance
League Table Position: Latymer consistently appears in the top 25 schools nationally in Sunday Times and Times tables. The fact it achieves these results as a co-ed day school — rather than a selective boarding school — sets it apart from most comparable institutions.
The Latymer Stage 2 Assessment
Stage 2 at Latymer Upper is not a standard interview — it is a half-day immersive event. Shortlisted candidates spend time at the school: they attend taster lessons in subjects like History and Science, take part in group activities (parents report board games in the library while waiting), and conclude with a 1-to-1 conversation with a member of staff. The school is explicitly looking for all-rounders: children who are passionate, curious, and engaged — not just academically accomplished.
Format
Half-day immersive event: taster lessons + group activities + 1-to-1 interview
Duration
Half-day (typically 2–3 hours in total)
Role in Admissions
Eliminatory — a strong pass is required
Half-Day, Not a Chat
Most parents preparing for Latymer's interview have the wrong mental model: they prepare their child for a 15-minute academic conversation. The reality is a half-day event where assessors observe how candidates engage with lessons, interact with peers in group activities, and behave naturally when they think no one is watching. The 1-to-1 element is the final part — and by then, impressions have already been formed.
What Makes a Strong Impression
Genuine enthusiasm about specific subjects or activities — not generic 'I love school' answers. Candidates who can discuss a real hobby with authentic passion (rowing, acting, coding, reading a particular author) stand out far more than those with impressive lists of achievements. Interviewers report that the 'all-rounder' signal is about depth of engagement, not breadth of CV.
What Happens in the 1-to-1
Compiled from parent reports (2023-2025)
- Why Latymer specifically — interviewers expect genuine reasons, not rehearsed school praise
- Favourite subjects — and what the candidate actually finds interesting about them, not just that they are good at them
- Hobbies and interests outside school — depth and authentic enthusiasm matter more than length of list
- Discussion of an obscure picture, estimation problem ('how many footballs in the UK?'), or short poem
- Debate topic — e.g. 'All schools should be co-educational' — interviewers want to hear how the candidate constructs an argument, not the answer they reach
- Current reading — what they are reading for pleasure, not for school
The pattern: Warm and conversational. Latymer interviewers are explicitly not looking for academic performance — they want to see how a child thinks, engages, and communicates. Puzzle-solving in the interview is about reasoning process, not correct answers. Freezing on a puzzle is worse than struggling through it confidently.
Never Asked — Don't Over-Prepare
- Trick questions or deliberate stress tests
- Questions requiring specific factual knowledge
- Requests to recite memorised material
- Questions about GCSE subject choices or career plans
What Actually Wins Offers
- 1Genuine, specific enthusiasm for at least one non-academic interest — ideally something the child actually does, not something listed for the application
- 2Willingness to engage with puzzles and estimation problems by thinking aloud — it is fine not to know the answer
- 3Clear, specific reasons for choosing Latymer (the Thames campus, a specific co-curricular, the 50/50 balance) rather than generic praise
- 4Natural, confident behaviour throughout the half-day — not just in the 1-to-1 — since assessors observe candidates from arrival
- 5Ability to construct a reasoned argument when given a debate topic — candidates who see both sides and explain their reasoning are preferred to those who pick a side and stick to it robotically
“My daughter said she spent 40 minutes playing Catan in the library before her interview. She thought it was just waiting time — it wasn't. The teacher supervising was clearly assessing how the group interacted.”
“They showed him an obscure photograph of an industrial landscape and asked him to describe what he saw, then asked what feelings it evoked. He had never practised anything like that. He said it was the most interesting part of the whole process.”
“The interviewer asked her: 'If you get an offer here, will you take it?' Our tutor had prepared her to say yes immediately and mean it. She said it confidently and the interviewer seemed satisfied. The school wants commitment, not a safety-net application.”
“The estimation problem was: how many piano tuners are there in London? He said he had no idea but worked through it step by step — population, proportion who own pianos, how often tuned, how long a tuner works. He got the offer. The answer didn't matter.”
Contact Admissions
Latymer Upper School Admissions Team
Insider Intel: What Other Parents Don't Know
These are the verified insights you will not find on the school website, in Good Schools Guide, or from any single tutoring agency. Each insight is compiled and cross-referenced from 108+ sources including official documents, parent reports, and tutoring industry data.This is the intelligence that gives ClassAce families an edge.
The creative writing task gives a passage opening and asks candidates to continue it. The single most common mistake is writing a separate story that ignores the tone, style, and register of the given opening. Read it twice before writing. Your first paragraph must sound like it was written by the same author. Wide reading of fiction (not just comprehension workbooks) is the best preparation for this skill.
Logic puzzles in the Maths paper are designed to be solved by systematic thinking, not by remembered techniques. Candidates who write down their reasoning process (even if the final answer is wrong) score method marks. Blank answers score nothing. Practise working through unfamiliar problem formats by narrating your thinking in writing.
Stage 2 includes taster lessons and group activities (board games, discussion sessions). Multiple members of staff observe the group throughout the half-day. Candidates who engage naturally and cooperatively in these activities — not just in the formal interview — make a far stronger impression. Coaching your child to perform only in the 1-to-1 misses the point entirely.
Latymer manages a strict 50/50 co-ed balance and takes only 160–180 pupils per year. The school does not want to be a safety net. Multiple parent accounts confirm that interviewers ask directly whether the candidate would take a place, and that a confident, genuine 'yes' is noted positively. If Latymer is your first choice, say so clearly.
The Inspiring Minds bursary application closes on the same day as registration (early November). Families who apply in December or January — after finding out their child passed the exam — are too late. The goal of 1-in-4 pupils on a significant bursary is genuine: Latymer actively wants to fund talented children from lower-income families and does so substantially.
The registration deadline in early November of Year 6 is strict. Late applications are not considered. With 160–180 places available, competition is still fierce at approximately 9:1. Registration requires a £150 non-refundable fee and an online form — allow several days to complete it fully, especially if applying for a bursary simultaneously.
Common Mistakes Parents Make
The errors we see most often from families preparing for Latymer Upper School. Avoid these and you're already ahead of the majority of applicants.
Preparing for a 15-minute interview
Stage 2 is a half-day immersive event with taster lessons and group activities, not a brief conversation. Families who only prepare their child for a 1-to-1 interview miss the fact that assessors are watching how candidates engage from the moment they arrive.
Missing the November deadline
Registration closes in early November of Year 6. The bursary application deadline is the same day — families needing financial support cannot apply retroactively. This is the most consequential missed deadline in West London 11+ admissions.
Writing a generic story in the creative writing section
The English paper asks candidates to continue a given story opening, not to write a new story from scratch. Candidates who ignore the provided opening and write their own story show they have misread the task — this is penalised heavily by experienced markers.
Treating logic puzzles as unknowable
Many candidates leave logic puzzles blank because the format is unfamiliar. These questions are solvable by systematic reasoning and carry significant marks. A reasoned attempt with clear working scores method marks even without the correct answer.
Over-rehearsing interview answers
Latymer interviewers are skilled at identifying scripted responses. The school explicitly wants all-rounders who engage authentically — not candidates who perform a prepared character. Parents who script their child's interview answers are actively working against them.
Applying without knowing the 50/50 balance policy
Boys and girls are competing in separate pools for equal numbers of places. This means preparation strategy and realistic outcome assessment must account for gender — a boy's chances are affected by the overall quality of the male applicant pool, not the entire cohort.
vs Competitor Schools
How does Latymer Upper School compare to the schools your child is most likely also applying to? This analysis covers the key factors that actually matter to families.
Important context: Latymer Upper is the benchmark co-educational independent school in London. Its closest comparison is Alleyn's in Dulwich (also co-ed, progressive ethos, bespoke papers) and the nearby Godolphin & Latymer School (girls-only, also in Hammersmith). For families comparing with top boys' or girls' schools, the managed 50/50 balance and world-class bursary programme are the two differentiating factors.
| Factor | FeaturedLatymer Upper School | Alleyn's School | Godolphin & Latymer | Westminster School | King's College School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Type | Independent Co-ed | Independent Co-ed | Independent Girls' | Independent Boys' (Co-ed 6th) | Independent Boys' |
| Co-educational | |||||
| VR in Exam | |||||
| Annual Fee | ~£25,911 | ~£24,000 | ~£24,000 | ~£35,000 | ~£24,840 |
| 11+ Difficulty | Very Hard | Very Hard | Very Hard | Extremely Hard | Very Hard |
| Interview Style | Half-day immersive | Group activity | Academic | Academic | Academic |
Why Parents Choose
- Best co-ed results in London96.5% GCSE grades 9-7 and 81.4% A-Level A*/A — exceptional for a co-ed school of this size
- 50/50 gender balance managed activelyOne of the only schools in London to guarantee equal numbers of boys and girls — uncommon and distinctive
- Inspiring Minds bursary programmeGoal of 1-in-4 pupils on a significant bursary, with up to 100% of fees available — genuinely transformative financial aid
- Thames-side campus with rowingUnique riverside location giving access to rowing on the Thames — the school is a rowing powerhouse
- US university track recordTop UK school for US Ivy League placements (Brown, Yale, Stanford, NYU) alongside strong Oxbridge output
- Progressive, modern ethosExplicitly not a traditional 'stuffy' school — down-to-earth culture with 160+ clubs and a genuine all-rounder identity
Points to Consider
- Large intake — 160-180 pupils per yearThe school is genuinely big. Some families find the scale overwhelming; it can feel impersonal at first, especially compared to smaller London independents.
- Weekend sports fixtures expectedLatymer is a sporting powerhouse, particularly in rowing. Weekend fixture and regatta commitments are common and expected — not optional.
- Half-day Stage 2 is substantively different from a standard interviewPreparation focused only on the 1-to-1 interview component misses the majority of Stage 2. The taster lessons and group activities are integral parts of the assessment.
- Bursary and registration deadlines are the same dayFamilies who need financial support must have their bursary application ready by the early November registration deadline. This cannot be done after the exam.
Scholarships & Financial Support
Latymer Upper awards Academic, Music, and Sports scholarships at 11+. Scholarships are honorary (reduced fee value) and can be combined with the Inspiring Minds means-tested bursary, which is significantly more generous and covers up to 100% of fees.
| Scholarship Type | Value | Available Places | Selection Method | Stackable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Scholarship | Honorary + bursary supplement | Limited | Awarded on merit through the standard admissions process | Yes |
| Music Scholarship | Honorary + bursary supplement | Limited | Separate audition required — contact admissions | Yes |
| Sports Scholarship | Honorary + bursary supplement | Limited | Assessment of sporting excellence — contact admissions | Yes |
* The Inspiring Minds bursary is separate from and more valuable than any scholarship. Families from households with income under £100k should apply regardless of whether their child is likely to receive a scholarship. The bursary application closes at the same time as registration — early November of Year 6.
The Preparation Roadmap
Everything here is built around Latymer Upper School's specific exam format, interview style, and selection criteria. This is not generic 11+ advice. Every recommendation is calibrated to this school.
Year 4–5 (Age 8–10)
- Build wide reading habit across fiction, non-fiction, and varied genres — especially contemporary fiction
- Develop creative writing skills with emphasis on personal voice, not formula
- Build mental arithmetic fluency and comfortable problem-solving confidence
- Introduce logic puzzles and lateral thinking activities for mathematical intuition
Year 5 (Age 9–10)
- Practise writing story continuations — read a passage and continue it in the same style
- Begin Latymer-style word problems (multi-step, with irrelevant data)
- Build vocabulary actively through reading and targeted word lists
- Introduce estimation problems — practise Fermi-style questions (how many pianos in London?)
Year 6 Sep–Oct (Age 10–11)
- Attend Latymer open day — visit the Thames campus and have a specific, genuine reason for applying
- Register and submit £150 fee by early November — book calendar reminders now
- If applying for a bursary, prepare full application — deadline is the same as registration
- Begin timed practice: 80-minute English and 60-minute Maths under exam conditions
Year 6 November
- Intensive story continuation practice — read a passage, then write a continuation matching voice and register
- Complete full timed Latymer-style Maths papers showing all working
- Practise logic puzzles in unfamiliar formats — aim to write reasoning even when unsure of answer
- Comprehension: practise answering 'how' and 'why' questions with quotation and analysis
Year 6 December
- Sit Stage 1 English and Maths written papers at the school in early December
- Read the story opening twice before beginning the creative writing section
- Show all working on every Maths question — attempt every logic puzzle
- Await shortlisting results in late December / early January
Year 6 January
- Prepare for a half-day, not a 15-minute interview — ensure your child knows what to expect
- Develop a genuine, specific answer to 'Why Latymer?' — avoid generic school praise
- Practise thinking aloud when given a problem or puzzle — the process matters more than the answer
- Have a clear, genuine commitment to taking a place if offered — the school asks directly
You now know things about this school most applicant families never find out.
This is the Latymer Upper School profile. ClassAce gives you the same intelligence for every school on your shortlist, plus a personalised preparation plan built around your child.
Free while we build. No credit card required.
School guides included
Explore detailed profiles for your target schools while ClassAce is free to use
Personalised prep plans
AI-powered learning plans built around your child's specific targets, strengths and weak areas
Verified exam preparation
Practice papers, topic drills and timed tests aligned to the exact format of each school's exam
Parent community
Connect with other parents navigating the same admissions journey — share and learn
Everything included in ClassAce
Full access to every piece of intelligence we've gathered — organised to give you an unfair advantage in the admissions process.
- Full insider intelligence on all shortlisted schools
- Unlock pass mark data and score benchmarks
- Personalised gap analysis for your child
- Exam practice papers matched to school format
- Interview preparation guides
- Real-time admissions calendar with reminders
- Scholarship and bursary eligibility calculator
- Peer comparison data from ClassAce families
ClassAce Free Access
Browse every school profile for free. ClassAce helps you turn your target schools into a clearer preparation route, with practice and planning tools available while we build.
Create Free AccountNo card required.
Intelligence Score
Updated April 2026 · 108 sources
Coverage
Measures how much of the admissions picture is directly evidenced rather than inferred from comparable schools or legacy material.
Freshness
This edition was last checked April 2026. Recency scores fall when public evidence ages or current-cycle detail is sparse.
Use it well
Treat lower-scoring areas as prompts to verify with admissions, not as automatic red flags. The score is about evidence quality, not school quality.
Keep researching
More from ClassAce
School Match quiz
Answer a few questions and get a shortlist matched to your child and your area.
11+ exam formats
How entrance exams differ between schools — boards, papers, and timings compared.
Daily 11+ challenge
One free exam-style question a day. Build the habit before the mocks begin.
Near Latymer Upper School