How to apply to a maths school

Every school runs its own application process and its own dates, so treat this as the shape of the journey rather than a fixed script — always confirm specifics on the admissions page for your school.

1. Check eligibility and catchment. Most schools have a defined catchment area, though several will consider strong applicants from further afield if they can manage the travel. Use our catchment checker as a starting point.
2. Start early — ideally at the start of Year 11. Application windows typically open in the autumn term of Year 11, well before GCSEs are sat. Some schools run taster days or open events before that — check the specific school's site.
3. Submit the application. This usually asks for predicted/mock GCSE grades, a personal statement or short-answer questions about your interest in maths, and sometimes a reference from your current school. It is a direct application to the maths school, not a UCAS application — UCAS is only used for university entry at 18, not sixth-form entry at 16.
4. Sit an admissions test, if the school sets one. Formats vary — see our guide to admissions tests.
5. Attend an interview. Almost every school interviews shortlisted candidates. See our guide to what to expect.
6. Receive a conditional offer. Offers are typically conditional on achieving specific GCSE grades, especially in Maths.
7. Sit your GCSEs and confirm the place. Once results are out in August, the school confirms places against the conditions of the offer — similar in spirit to how university offers work at 18, just a few years earlier and outside the UCAS system.

Once you have a shortlist, read entry requirements and use the comparison tool to weigh schools against each other directly.