Know exactly where your child stands for Haberdashers' Boys' School
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Haberdashers' Boys' School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Haberdashers' Boys' School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Haberdashers' Boys' School
Haberdashers' Boys' School (Habs) is an independent day school for boys. Its 11+ entrance exam process involves two stages and includes an interview. The school uses the Independents and Quest Admissions exam boards for its Year 7 entry.
If you have a confident, self-motivated boy who actually enjoys being pushed, Haberdashers' is one of the names that will come up. It is an independent day school for boys in Elstree, set on a rural hundred-acre site on the edge of north London, in the grounds of Aldenham House, a former stately home. It was founded in 1690 by Robert Aske, a wealthy merchant who left money to the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers to educate the sons of poor members. Today it shares the campus with Haberdashers' Girls' School, the two running as single-sex schools on one site, with every sixth former taught at least one subject in a mixed class.
The school is openly academic and competitive, and the Good Schools Guide describes a place that has opened up in recent years, with boys who make an impact 'not just through their own achievements but by reaching out a hand and bringing others with them'. One parent told the Guide that the young men they had hired from Habs all 'were self-assured and comfortable in their own skin'. Music is a real strength, and pastoral care follows what staff call 'the Habs way', loosely meaning values above victory. Its alumni run from the comedians Sacha Baron Cohen and Matt Lucas to plenty of others who have gone quietly far.
Habs suits a self-assured, highly numerate boy who likes hard work and the push that comes with it. The Guide is honest that a boy who needs a lot of mollycoddling may be happier elsewhere. Led since 2023 by headmaster Robert Sykes, it is a demanding school that backs the children who lean into it.
Key facts
Year 7 places
Approximately 160-175 entering Year 7 (incl. ~60 moving up from Prep), per school site
Admissions
Admissions contact
admissionsboys@habselstree.org.uk
Admissions phone
0208 266 1700
Registration form
https://www.habselstree.org.uk/boys/admissions/apply/online-application-form/
Sibling policy
What this school tests
11+ Assessment
English
- Grammar
- Punctuation
- Reading Comprehension - Comparison
- Reading Comprehension - Evaluation
- Reading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuation
- Reading Comprehension - Inference and Deduction
- Reading Comprehension - Information Retrieval
- Reading Comprehension - Language Techniques and Imagery
- Reading Comprehension - Sentence-level Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension - Sequencing
- Reading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and Tone
- Reading Comprehension - Summarising
- Reading Comprehension - Text Classification and Purpose
- Reading Comprehension - Types of Words and Phrases
- Reading Comprehension - Word Meaning / Choice
- Spelling
- Vocabulary
Maths
- Algebra
- Angles and Degrees
- BIDMAS
- Coordinate Grids
- Estimation and Rounding
- Factors and Multiples
- Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
- Measurement
- Money
- Number and Place Value
- Operations
- Perimeter, Area and Volume
- Position and Direction
- Properties of Shapes
- Ratio and Proportion
- Reflection, Rotation and Symmetry
- Sequences
- Special Numbers
- Speed, Distance and Time
- Statistics
- Time
Non-verbal Reasoning
- Figure Analogies
- Figure Matrices
- Figure Series
- Grid Matrices
- Horizontal Codes
- Match to a Group of Figures
- Most Like Three Figures
- Odd Figure Out
- Odd Shaped Matrices
- Star Matrices
- Triangle Matrices
- Vertical Codes
Verbal Reasoning
- Alphabet Logic
- Anagrams
- Compound Words
- Embedded Words
- Form a Word
- Insert 2 / 3 Letters
- Insert a Letter
- Letter Analogies
- Letter Sequences
- Move 1 / 2 Letters
- Ordering Words
- Rhyming Synonyms
- Shuffled Sentences
- Synonyms
- Word / Logic Puzzles
- Word Analogies
- Word Completion
- Word Match
- Word Opposites
- Word Pairs
- Word Relationships
- Word Swap
- Words and Codes
Spatial Reasoning
- 2D Rotations
- 2D View of 3D Shape
- 3D Rotations
- Block Counting
- Building Blocks
- Combining Shapes
- Diagonal Reflections
- Figure Missing from Image
- Fold and Punch
- Folding Cubes
- Hidden Shapes
- Missing Face of Cube
- Nets of 3D Shapes
- Shape Completion
Critical Thinking
- Logical & Deductive Reasoning
- Inference & Evaluation
- Extracting & Distilling Information
- Visual Sources
- Comparison & Ordering
- Data Analysis
- Codes & Decoding
Creative Writing
English
- Creative Writing - Descriptive
- Creative Writing - Narrative
- Creative Writing - Personal
- Creative Writing - Persuasive
Catchment area
Selection review and safety net
Previous exam results
GCSE results
Most pupils at this school sit IGCSE and Pre-U qualifications, which are not reflected in DfE's published GCSE measures. See the school's own website for full results.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
A-level results
In 2025 students achieved an A average grade per A-Level entry. 68.1% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam boards does Haberdashers' Boys' School use for the 11+?
Haberdashers' Boys' School uses the Independents and Quest Admissions exam boards for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Haberdashers' Boys' School include an interview in its 11+ process?
Yes, an interview stage is part of the 11+ admissions process at Haberdashers' Boys' School.
Is Haberdashers' Boys' School a single-sex or co-educational school?
Haberdashers' Boys' School is a single-sex independent day school for boys.
How many stages are there in the Haberdashers' Boys' School 11+ exam?
The 11+ entrance exam process at Haberdashers' Boys' School consists of two stages.
What is the official website for Haberdashers' Boys' School admissions?
The official website for admissions information is https://www.habselstree.org.uk/boys/admissions/admissions-process/.
Does Haberdashers' Boys' School offer bursaries or help with fees?
Yes. Habs has a strong means-tested bursary programme at 11+, designed to be transformational, with some awards covering a full free place. A place is offered first on the assessment, then the family completes a confidential statement of income and an informal meeting with the finance team. Awards run throughout a boy's time at the school, subject to an annual review. There is also a Bright Futures scheme for pupils of Black African or Caribbean heritage. Contact admissions to apply.
What scholarships does Haberdashers' Boys' School offer?
At 11+ Habs offers scholarships for academic ability, art, design technology, drama, music and sport. Scholarships carry a nominal reduction in fees and recognise real talent or promise in their area. You apply by completing the relevant scholarship form by the deadline, alongside the main online application. A scholarship and a means-tested bursary can be held at the same time, so you can apply for both if you also need help with fees. See the scholarship booklet for what each one involves.
Location
https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2475.042617286036!2d-0.3157556!3d51.65905610000001!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x487615be6b66f8cb%3A0x132da845ab517e47!2sHaberdashers%27%20Boys%27%20School!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1780592357726!5m2!1sen!2suk
