Highgate Junior School 7+ Entry: The 2027 Admissions Guide

If you are a North London parent, Highgate School is likely at the top of your list. Known for its academic excellence and intellectual atmosphere, Highgate is one of the most sought-after co-educational schools in the country.

But how hard is the Highgate 7+ exam? With around 250+ applicants for 50 places, Highgate Junior School is just as highly competitive as Westminster Under and St Paul's. A deep understanding well-beyond the Year 2 curriculum is expected and needed to secure a place.

Highgate 7+ Key Dates (September 2027 Entry)

Highgate's process starts earlier than most. Don't let these dates slip:

• Registration: Register your interest now to hear as soon as registration opens

• Stage 1 (Entrance Exams): Early December 2026.

• Stage 2 (Group Assessment & Interviews): Early January 2027.

• Offers Sent: End of January 2027.

The Highgate 7 Plus Exam Format

Highgate’s Stage 1 consists of two main papers: English and Mathematics. Interestingly, they traditionally do not include a formal Verbal or Non-Verbal Reasoning paper at the first stage, focusing instead on core academic mastery.

1. Mathematics: Concept over Rote

The Highgate Maths paper is designed to see if a child can apply mathematical concepts to a variety of different contexts.

• The Focus: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions and measurements.

• The "Highgate Level": This includes concepts and puzzles that push into the Year 3 curriculum and above.

• Preparation: Your child needs to be comfortable with "unseen" problems. Our 7+ Mathematics Mastery Series is specifically built to teach children how to apply KS1 logic to advanced KS2-style questions.

  
  

2. English: Retrieval & Inference

Highgate is a highly-academic school and they expect to see an advanced reading age.

• Comprehension: Quick reading fluency is paramount. This part of their exam will test meaning and inference. Children must be able to explain why a character feels a certain way.

• Expert Advice: Can they make a point and use evidence to support their point of view? Can they use context to find the meaning of tricky vocabulary?

Stage 2: The Taster Lesson and Interview

Shortlisted candidates are invited back for a "taster lesson". This is where Highgate truly differentiates itself.

• The Taster Lesson: Children join a group and are taught a mini-lesson. Teachers watch to see who is engaged, who asks questions and who listens.

• The Group Interview: This is a non-academic, fun task designed to see behaviour and social skills.

• What they want: They are looking for teachability. A child who makes a mistake but listens to the teacher’s correction can be more valuable to Highgate than a child who knows everything but won't listen.

Final Highgate 7+ Advice

Success at Highgate comes down to Confidence and Communication. Start your journey today:

• Boost their Logic: Use our 7+ Mathematics Mastery Series to ensure they are comfortable with the advanced arithmetic and geometry in the Stage 1 paper.

• Enhance their Retrieval Skills: Explore our selection of complex comprehension papers.

• Practice Interview Questions: A selection of the most common interview questions along with expert advice on behaviour and body language.

For a full comparison of London's top schools, visit our [7+ Resource Hub].