London has 19 state grammar schools, and a handful of them rank among the very best schools in the country, free of charge and open to any child who passes the entrance test. Below are our top 10, ranked on a blend of exam results, Ofsted and how hard they are to get into. For each one you will find the things that actually help you plan: who it is for, the 11+ exam it sets, how competitive it is, and why it earns its place. We never run a school down, and the "best" school is always the one that fits your child.
- Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet tops the list, with The Henrietta Barnett School the leading girls' grammar.
- All ten are free, state-funded schools - only entry is selective, by an 11+ test in September of Year 6.
- Most test English and Maths; QE Barnet, Henrietta Barnett, St Olave's and Latymer also test reasoning.
- They are hugely oversubscribed - apply to several, and prepare early across the subjects each one tests.
How we ranked them
There is no single official league table of grammar schools, so we used a transparent blend of three things: the most recent published exam results (2025 GCSE grades 9–7 and A-level A*/A), the latest Ofsted inspection rating, and entrance competitiveness (roughly how many children apply per place). We also weighed consistency and reputation over time.
Two honest caveats. First, the schools here are all excellent - the order separates outstanding from outstanding, and any of them would be a superb choice. Second, results and admissions details change every year, so treat the figures as a 2025/2026 snapshot and always confirm the latest on each school's own website before you apply. Pip is not affiliated with any school or exam board.
1Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
- Who it's forBoys' grammar, day · Barnet (EN5)
- Entrance examOwn GL-style test: two papers covering Maths, English, verbal & non-verbal reasoning
- CompetitionRoughly 12–15 applicants per place; shortlist score around 220+
- Results & Ofsted~96% of GCSEs at grade 9–7 (2025); Ofsted Outstanding
QE Barnet is, year after year, the strongest grammar school in London and one of the very top state schools in England at both GCSE and A-level. It was named The Times State Secondary School of the Year 2026 and sent a record cohort to Oxford and Cambridge in 2025. Entry is by the school's own two-stage test; boys are ranked purely on score, so there is no catchment - talent from across north London competes head to head.
2The Henrietta Barnett School
- Who it's forGirls' grammar, day · Hampstead Garden Suburb (NW11)
- Entrance examRound 1 GL test (English, verbal & non-verbal reasoning); top scorers sit Round 2 (English & Maths)
- CompetitionAround 15+ applicants per place - among the most oversubscribed in the country
- Results & Ofsted~97% of GCSEs at grade 9–7 (2025); Ofsted Good
"HBS" is the standout girls' grammar in London and a perennial fixture at the top of the national results tables. It is also one of the hardest schools in the country to get into, with a two-round process that begins with a GL reasoning and English paper before a second round of the school's own English and Maths tests. Small, academic and fiercely selective.
3Wilson's School
- Who it's forBoys' grammar (co-ed sixth form), day · Wallington (SM6)
- Entrance examSutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): Stage 1 English & Maths, then a Stage 2 paper for top scorers
- CompetitionOne of the Sutton cluster's most sought-after boys' schools
- Results & Ofsted94.6% of GCSEs at 9–7; 80.8% of A-levels at A*/A (2025); Ofsted Outstanding
Founded in 1615, Wilson's pairs a long history with results that place it among the best schools of any kind in the country - the Sunday Times ranked it the third best grammar school in the UK in 2025. It is part of the Sutton consortium, so the first-stage test is shared with the other Sutton grammars and covers English and Maths only.
4The Tiffin Girls' School
- Who it's forGirls' grammar, day · Kingston upon Thames (KT2)
- Entrance examOwn two-stage test, English & Maths (Key Stage 2 content to the end of Year 5)
- CompetitionAround 14 applicants per place; distance is the final tiebreaker
- Results & Ofsted94.1% of GCSEs at 9–7; ~72% of A-levels at A*/A (2025); Ofsted Outstanding
Tiffin Girls' is the dominant girls' grammar in south-west London, rated Outstanding and sending pupils to the most competitive universities every year. Its entrance test is set by the school and, unlike the reasoning-heavy super-selectives, focuses on English and Maths, with a distance tiebreaker once girls have qualified on score.
5St Olave's Grammar School
- Who it's forBoys' grammar (mixed sixth form), day · Orpington (BR6)
- Entrance examOwn one-hour Stage 1: English, Maths and Logic (verbal & non-verbal reasoning); top ~450 sit a written Stage 2
- CompetitionHeavily oversubscribed across south-east London, Kent and Bromley
- Results & Ofsted~91% of GCSEs at 9–7; ~90% of A-levels at A*–B; Ofsted Outstanding
St Olave's is the academic powerhouse of south-east London, with a 450-year history and consistently elite results. It is also one of the few London grammars whose first-stage test still includes verbal and non-verbal reasoning alongside English and Maths, so children applying here need to prepare across all four skills.
6The Tiffin School
- Who it's forBoys' grammar (co-ed sixth form), day · Kingston upon Thames (KT2)
- Entrance examOwn two-stage test, English & Maths; Stage 1 in early October
- CompetitionVery high demand across south-west London and Surrey
- Results & Ofsted80% of GCSEs at 9–7; ~71% of A-levels at A*/A (2025); Ofsted Good
The brother school to Tiffin Girls', Tiffin is a historic Kingston grammar with a national reputation for music and sport alongside strong academics. Like its sister school, its two-stage entrance test concentrates on English and Maths rather than reasoning, with a distance tiebreaker after the test.
7Sutton Grammar School
- Who it's forBoys' grammar (mixed sixth form), day · Sutton (SM1)
- Entrance examSutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): Stage 1 English & Maths, then Stage 2 for top scorers
- CompetitionShares the heavily contested Sutton SET with Wilson's, Nonsuch and Wallington
- Results & OfstedConsistently among the top selective schools nationally; Ofsted Outstanding
Sutton Grammar sits at the heart of the Sutton borough cluster - five grammar schools within a few miles that together make Sutton one of the strongest places in the country for selective state education. Entry is via the shared Sutton SET, so preparing for one Sutton school largely prepares your child for the others. They also draw families from neighbouring Surrey, which has no state grammars of its own.
8Nonsuch High School for Girls
- Who it's forGirls' grammar, day · Cheam (SM3)
- Entrance examSutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): Stage 1 English & Maths, then Stage 2
- CompetitionOne of the most popular girls' grammars in south London
- Results & Ofsted~82% of GCSEs at 9–7 (2025); Ofsted Outstanding
Set in a Tudor-era park, Nonsuch is the leading girls' option in the Sutton consortium and one of the largest grammar schools in the area. It uses the same shared Sutton SET as the borough's boys' schools, testing English and Maths at the first stage.
9The Latymer School
- Who it's forCo-educational grammar, day · Edmonton (N9)
- Entrance examThree papers: GL Maths and GL Verbal Reasoning, plus the school's own written English
- CompetitionThe top ~650 on Maths and reasoning have their English marked; ~192 places offered
- Results & OfstedAmong north London's strongest results; Ofsted Outstanding
Latymer is the leading co-educational grammar in north London and one of the few top mixed grammars in the capital, with an outstanding reputation for music. Its entrance process is unusual: children sit Maths and verbal reasoning papers plus a written English paper, with only the highest scorers' English marked before places are offered.
10Newstead Wood School
- Who it's forGirls' grammar (mixed sixth form), day · Orpington (BR6)
- Entrance examOwn super-selective entrance test, ranked on score with no catchment area
- CompetitionDraws able girls from across south-east London, Bromley and Kent
- Results & Ofsted~88% of GCSEs at 9–7 (2025); Ofsted Outstanding
Newstead Wood is a leading girls' super-selective in Bromley with particular strength in science and maths. Like the other super-selectives it admits purely on test score with no catchment, so it attracts high-achieving girls from a wide area of south-east London and west Kent.
Every grammar here tests English and Maths, and the super-selectives add verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Pip builds all four with unlimited, exam-style questions and free downloadable papers - Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Knowing how GL-style tests work and how to choose which schools to apply to helps you target preparation.
One free app for every school on this list
London's grammars test some mix of these four skills. Pip turns them into five calm minutes a day - adaptive, exam-style, and genuinely free.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best grammar school in London?+
By exam results, Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet is consistently the top grammar in London and one of the highest-achieving state schools in England, named The Times State Secondary School of the Year 2026. The Henrietta Barnett School is the leading girls' grammar. The "best" school, though, is the one that fits your child - weigh culture, distance and admissions criteria too.
How do you get into a grammar school in London?+
Register your child directly with each school in Year 5, sit its 11+ entrance test in September of Year 6, then name the school on your local authority's Common Application Form by 31 October. Most London grammars test English and Maths; the super-selectives also test reasoning. A pass does not guarantee a place at an oversubscribed school, so most families apply to several.
Are grammar schools in London free?+
Yes. Grammar schools are state-funded and free to attend. Only admission is selective, decided by an 11+ entrance test rather than by fees.
Which London grammars test verbal and non-verbal reasoning?+
Queen Elizabeth's Barnet, The Henrietta Barnett School and St Olave's test both verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and The Latymer School tests verbal reasoning. The Sutton schools (Wilson's, Sutton Grammar, Nonsuch and Wallington) and both Tiffin schools test English and Maths only.
How competitive are London grammar schools?+
Extremely. The super-selectives draw roughly 10 to 15 or more applicants per place, and because passing does not guarantee an offer, applying to several schools and preparing early is the norm. Our guide on whether you can pass but not get a place explains why.
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