Data profile
Independent boys senior school in City of London. Selective entry, established SEND provision.
Where leavers go after sixth form.
Class of 2025
A level A*–A and GCSE 9–7, recalibrated for 2026.
Recalibrated
| Entry | Year | Places | Assessment | Day fee (max) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10+ | Year 6 | — | School's own exam · Verbal reasoning · Non-verbal reasoning · Interview | £29.5k |
| 11+ | Year 7 | — | School's own exam · Group assessment · Interview · Reference / report | £29.5k |
| 13+ | Y9 | — | ISEB Common Pre-Test · School's own exam · Interview | £29.5k |
| 16+ | Year 12 | — | School's own exam · CAT4 · Interview · Reference / report | £29.5k |
Our composite score, broken down by pillar.
Index score
90
/ 100
National rank #10
ISI
met
Inspected 2024-11-19
Head
Alan Bird
Head at CLS since January 2018. MA in Economics from Cambridge, MSc in Economics from LSE. Previously Deputy Head at Brighton College.
Senior Deputy Head
Mark Wardrop
Responsible for day-to-day running of the School. Teaches Chemistry.
Deputy Head (Pastoral) And Designated Safeguarding Lead
Alice Martineau
DSL, responsible for all safeguarding matters and pupil welfare. Teaches Religion and Philosophy.
Deputy Head (Co-Curricular)
Andrew McBroom
Coordinates all co-curricular activities and educational visits. Teaches History.
Deputy Head (Academic)
Glenn Bezalel
Responsible for curriculum, pedagogical approach and educational innovation. Teaches Religion & Philosophy.
Director Of Studies And Senior Mistress
Noeleen Murphy
Involved in alumni events and academic matters. Organises trips and quiz competitions. Teaches History.
— how’s the pastoral side of the school? @LondonLulu Might you or someone else be able to comment on pastoral care and how competitive/pressurised the culture is at CLS? @LondonLulu Might you or someone else be able to comment on pastoral care and how competitive/pressurised the culture is at CLS?
Advanced search Saved [Active](https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/active) [Unanswered threads](https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/active?tab=unanswered) Connect with other parents whose children are [starting secondary school](https://www.mumsnet.com/articles/starting-secondary-school) on this forum. My child got an offer from CLS for 13+. It’s his favourite school but I have some doubts. Does anyone have a child there? My questions are (and I don’t want to ask my child what he thinks about them as I want him to develop his own opinion rather than be influenced by my own) — the school felt very claustrophobic, probably due to location. Perhaps children don’t feel that? — do all children need to do …
— the school felt very claustrophobic, probably due to location. Perhaps children don’t feel that? Congrats to your DS! I agree with it feeling claustrophobic (we visited many, many years ago) but my guess is the boys don’t feel that way once they get used to it. my son is currently there, in 2nd form, so same year as your son. He’s never complained about feeling claustrophobic in school, he loves the location/views. Mumsnet carries some affiliate marketing links, so if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale [(more details here)](/i/terms-of-use)
Schools families applying here also consider.
University College School is a boys' day school in London with overlapping entry phases (7+, 11+, 13+), a similar fee bracket (£32.9k), and a non-denominational ethos focused on A-levels and strong Oxbridge destinations.
Bancroft's School is a boys' day school with selective entry at 7+ and 11+, located within commuting distance (15km), with fees (£30.1k) and a Church of England ethos similar to City of London School.
Hampton School is a boys' day school with selective entry at 11+, located within 21km, with fees (£29.9k) and a strong academic record including Oxbridge destinations, matching the selectivity tier.
St Paul's School is a boys' school offering both day and boarding with entry at 7+ and 11+, located 10km away, with higher fees (£35.8k) but similar ethos (C of E) and top-tier academic results including Oxbridge.
King's College School, Wimbledon is a boys' day school with overlapping entry phases (7+, 11+, 13+), located in London within reasonable commute, with a higher fee bracket (£38.6k) but similar highly selective ethos and strong academic destinations.
Matched on sex, boarding, entry phase, location, fee band, tier and outcomes. Scoring: 0.45 outcome similarity, 0.25 structured, 0.10 embedding, 0.20 AI re-rank. Refreshed yearly and when a profile changes.
Open days, bursaries and how to apply: City of London School profile →