If your child is in Year 11 and you are considering moving them to a selective independent school for sixth form, the application window is open now and it closes in about six weeks.
That surprises most families. The instinct is that sixth form decisions happen after GCSE results, in the same rush as everyone else. For entry to a selective independent school at 16+, they do not. Registration closes in October, assessments are sat in November, and offers land at the start of December, all before your child has sat a single GCSE paper.
Here are the actual published dates for the 2027 entry round, and what the alternative route looks like.
The Deadlines Are in October, Not August
These are the schools' own published timelines for entry in September 2027, checked in late August 2026.
| School | Registration closes | Written assessment | Interviews | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godolphin and Latymer, Hammersmith | Noon, Tue 13 October 2026 | Tue 3 November 2026 | Sat 14 November 2026 | Tue 1 December 2026 |
| Alleyn's, Dulwich | Midday, Fri 16 October 2026 | Tue 10 November 2026 | Sat 28 November 2026 | Not published |
| Highgate School, North London | Noon, Fri 16 October 2026 | No separate written paper | Sat 14 November 2026 | Tue 1 December 2026 |
| Mayfield School, East Sussex | Fri 30 October 2026 | Sat 21 November 2026 | With school leadership | By Fri 4 December 2026 |
Three of those four close within four days of each other. That is not coordination, it is the shape of the sector: schools want assessments done before the Christmas holidays and offers out before families commit elsewhere.
Two consequences follow.
You cannot apply late. Godolphin and Latymer states plainly that it cannot offer alternative assessment or interview dates. Most selective schools take the same position, because the papers are sat by every candidate on the same morning.
The decision is made on predicted grades and a paper, not results. Offers are conditional, typically on a set of GCSE grades confirmed the following August. Your child is being assessed in November on the strength of an entrance paper, an interview and a school reference.
What the Assessments Actually Involve
The format varies more than parents expect, and it is worth checking before you assume it is more GCSE practice.
Mayfield's Year 12 entrance is three papers of 45 minutes: a general paper testing critical thinking, logic and writing, plus two subject papers chosen from the A level subjects on offer. Godolphin and Latymer sets a written entrance exam followed by a separate interview day. Highgate runs no separate written paper at all, assessing instead through interviews in the nominated A level subjects plus a general interview.
The pattern across the sector is that schools are testing suitability for specific A levels rather than general ability. A candidate applying for maths and physics is examined on maths and physics thinking, not on a generic verbal reasoning paper.
Our guide to sixth form interview questions and answers covers the interview half, which in several of these schools now carries more weight than the written paper.
Independent Sixth Form Colleges Work on a Different Clock
This is the part that changes the calculation for a lot of families, and it is why the October panic is avoidable.
Independent sixth form colleges, the tutorial colleges concentrated in London and a handful of other cities, generally operate rolling admissions. There is no single closing date, no national assessment morning in November, and no December offer round. Students are assessed individually, usually through an interview with the principal or a senior member of staff plus subject specific assessment where the college needs it, and places are offered as applications come in.
The practical differences:
| Selective independent school 16+ | Independent sixth form college | |
|---|---|---|
| Application window | Fixed, closes October | Rolling, year round |
| Assessment | Set paper on a set day | Individual, often interview led |
| Offer timing | Early December | Usually within weeks |
| After GCSE results | Generally closed | Often still enrolling |
| Class sizes | School sized | Typically much smaller |
That last row is why families choose colleges for reasons other than timing, and we cover it in what an independent sixth form college is.
The timing point still matters though. A family that misses the October round for schools has not missed the year. A family that assumes the college route is equally deadline driven often delays a decision they could have made in a fortnight.
What to Do in the Next Six Weeks
If a selective school is on your list, work backwards from mid October.
- This week. Confirm each school's exact registration deadline from its own admissions page. Do not rely on a summary, including this one, more than a fortnight old. Deadlines move and pages are updated.
- Early September. Book open days. Most selective schools run 16+ open events in late September and early October, which is after registration opens and before it closes. Our guide to private sixth form college open days covers what to actually look at when you get there.
- Mid September. Decide the A level subjects your child will name on the form. This is not administrative. At several schools the entrance assessment and the interview are built around the subjects declared, so a vague answer costs marks.
- Late September. Request the reference from your child's current school. Independent schools ask for a confidential reference and current schools are slow in October, when they are writing dozens.
- Before the deadline. Register. Scholarship and bursary applications often run on separate, earlier deadlines, so check those at the same time. See sixth form scholarships and bursaries.
- October half term. Past papers, where the school publishes them, and subject reading for the interview.
The Case for Applying to Both
Nothing prevents a family from registering for a school 16+ round in October and talking to sixth form colleges in parallel. In a year where a GCSE set could go either way, that is the sensible position.
The school offer, if it comes, is conditional on results in August. The college conversation stays open through the summer, which is precisely when a conditional offer can fall over. Families who keep both live have somewhere to go on results day; families who have only the conditional offer are making a fast decision in the worst possible week.
Our guide to switching to a private sixth form after GCSE results covers that route, and London's private sixth form colleges covers the options.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do 16+ applications close for 2027 entry?
For most selective independent schools, mid to late October 2026. Godolphin and Latymer closes at noon on 13 October, Alleyn's and Highgate at midday and noon respectively on 16 October, and Mayfield on 30 October. Individual schools differ, so check each one's admissions page directly.
Can I apply for 16+ entry after GCSE results?
At selective independent schools, generally not. The assessment day has passed and the places have been offered. Independent sixth form colleges are a different matter: rolling admissions mean many are still enrolling in August and into September.
Do I need to sit an entrance exam for sixth form?
It depends on the institution. Selective independent schools usually set written papers in the subjects your child intends to take at A level, though some, including Highgate, assess through subject interviews instead. Independent sixth form colleges typically assess individually rather than through a set paper on a fixed day.
What GCSE grades do independent schools require for sixth form?
Requirements are set by each school and are usually expressed as a minimum overall profile plus higher grades in the subjects to be studied. Offers made in December are conditional on those grades being achieved the following summer. Ask for the exact requirement in writing before you register, because the published figure and the subject specific requirement are often different numbers.
Are 16+ places competitive?
At the well known selective schools, yes, often substantially. Sixth form is the point where these schools take in external candidates in meaningful numbers, and demand is concentrated on a small number of names. Applying to more than one is normal and sensible.
What happens if we miss the October deadline?
You have not missed sixth form, only that school's round. Independent sixth form colleges recruit year round, state sixth forms have their own later timelines, and a strong candidate who misses October is not out of options. What you have lost is the ability to choose from the selective school list, so if that list matters to you, register now.
Register First, Decide Later
Registration is not a commitment. It costs a fee and a form, and it keeps the option open through the autumn while your child gets on with Year 11.
The families who end up with the fewest choices in August are usually the ones who waited until GCSE results to start thinking about it. Six weeks from now, the selective school route for September 2027 will be closed. Everything else stays open, but only that one is on a clock.
If you are starting from scratch, our parent guide to choosing a sixth form college is the place to begin.
