Mill Hill School Foundation entrance guide
Mill Hill is a unique and popular independent school, situated in extensive grounds in North London. While Mill Hill technically refers to the senior school alone, it is often shorthand for the Mill Hill Foundation which comprises four schools in total. For children aged 3-7, Grimsdell is the pre-prep while older children will attend the prep, Belmont.
Uniquely, the foundation technically has two senior schools: Mill Hill and Mill Hill International, who provide an education to those aged 13 and above. As might be surmised from the name, the latter serves international students who are boarding in the UK and are taught by subject specialist teachers who are also trained to provide support with English.
Like most independent schools, there is considerable demand for places and entrance is dependent upon successful examination entry and other factors. On this page you can find a guide outlining the entry points for the senior schools and tutors who have experience supporting applicants there. Please see the separate guide for Belmont, for 7+ and 11+ queries. The main entry points for Mill Hill Foundation School are 13+ and 16+, although the school also takes a small number of pupils at 14+.
Open Days and Events at Mill Hill Foundation School
Prospective families are encouraged to arrange a visit to Mill Hill. There are regular Open Mornings, registration for which takes place via the school’s website. For local families, there are also midweek tours with talks from current pupils. For international families, virtual appointments are available. Children holding offers will be invited to a special Open Morning in the Spring Term.
13+ Entry to Mill Hill Foundation School – Early Testing Track Process for UK-based applicants
Stage 1 - Early Testing Track in Year 6
Like most other independent schools, the process for Year 9 entry begins early, when the applicant is in Year 6. All applicants who have registered with the school will be invited to sit for the CEM pre test or "Early Testing Track". This test takes place (like most other schools), in the Autumn term, most usually mid-November. The test is computerised and focuses on Numeracy, Verbal and Non-Verbal reasoning. The reasoning tests in particular may be new to applicants so it is worth practising a few CEM style assessments. You can familiarise yourself with the content here.
Stage 2 - The Interview
Applicants who are successful during the stage one assessments will be notified shortly after and invited to an interview at the school a few weeks afterwards. The interview will be conducted by a senior member of staff and will draw upon (but not exclusively) the Headteacher’s report, their current school experience and why they would like to attend Mill Hill. If boarding, it is important your child thinks carefully about why they want to board, as the school has a duty of care to ensure boarding places are offered to those children who would be happy to do so.
Stage 3 - Offers
Applicants who pass the above two sections are offered an unconditional place in February and parents have until March to accept or decline a place.
13+ and 14+ Entry to Mill Hill Foundation School – Track Chance Process for UK-based applicants
Late applicants to Mill Hill who have missed the Year 6 Early Track Testing process can apply in the Autumn Term of Year 8. These children will sit a similar computer-based test, age-appropriate, with tests in Numeracy, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. A waiting list is produced by the school and offers are made as places come up to those who have been successful in the tests.
Applicants for entry to Year 10 (14+) entry are assessed in a different way, with written papers in both Maths and English which are taken at the school, accompanied by an interview. Offers will be made to successful prospective pupils as places become available.
13+ and 14+ Entry to Mill Hill Foundation School – Track Chance Process for UK-based applicants
Late applicants to Mill Hill who have missed the Year 6 Early Track Testing process can apply in the Autumn Term of Year 8. These children will sit a similar computer-based test, age-appropriate, with tests in Numeracy, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. A waiting list is produced by the school and offers are made as places come up to those who have been successful in the tests.
Applicants for entry to Year 10 (14+) entry are assessed in a different way, with written papers in both Maths and English which are taken at the school, accompanied by an interview. Offers will be made to successful prospective pupils as places become available.
16+ Entry to Mill Hill Foundation School
Candidates for 16+ entry to Mill Hill will be asked to submit references and predicted grades from their current school, and suitable prospective pupils are then invited to an interview at Mill Hill in the Autumn term of Year 11.
13+ and 16+ Entry to Mill Hill International School for International Applicants
International applicants who are interested in boarding at Mill Hill International School can apply throughout the year and will sit a number of different tests. They are required to demonstrate their English language ability using a standardised test, and also to sit CAT4 (Cognitive Ability) tests in Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning and Number. Candidates for entry at 16+ will also have an interview with an appropriate Head of Department and the Assistant Head of Sixth Form.
Scholarships and Bursaries at Mill Hill Foundation School
Scholarships are available at Mill Hill up to a maximum fee remission of 10%. Academic scholarships do not involve written papers, but are interview-based, with discussion material provided beforehand for the prospective pupil. Interviews for academic scholarships will take place soon after the entrance tests, and children are invited to attend these by the school based on their performance, alongside a recommendation from their current school. Scholarships for Drama, Music, Art (combined here with Design and Technology) and Sport are also available; auditions for these take place in January.
Bursaries are available at Mill Hill using an application form available directly from the school. There is one specific bursary available which offers a 100% fee remission.
Below, you can find our Mill Hill tutors who have experience supporting applicants to Mill Hill Senior.
Click here to access the official Mill Hill School Foundation website
