King's College London Mathematics School
A founding 2014 school now expanding its intake by 50% — and the highest Oxbridge progression rate we found data for.
King's College London Mathematics School opened in 2014 as the second of the original two university maths schools, sponsored directly by King's rather than through a further-education college partner. Physics is compulsory here alongside Maths and Further Maths — a stricter academic core than most of the network. The school is currently expanding into a converted building on Lambeth Walk, increasing its intake by roughly 50% from September 2025, and was named the Sunday Times' Sixth Form College of the Year for Academic Excellence for the second year running based on 2025 results.
Key facts
- Status
- Open
- Location
- Lambeth, South London
- Region
- London
- Age range
- 16–19
- University sponsor
- King's College London
- Opened
- 2014
- Current roll
- 156–157 students (Sept 2024 Ofsted count: 78 Year 12 + 79 Year 13); rising as a 50%-larger intake begins from September 2025
- DfE URN
- 140564
- Website
- www.kingsmathsschool.com
Admissions
- GCSE requirements
- Grade 8 or 9 in Mathematics; Grade 7–9 in Physics (GCSE or iGCSE), or Grade 7-7+ in Combined Science; Grade 5+ in English Language; four further GCSEs at grade 5+.
- Entrance test
- 90-minute "Admissions Test" sat in person at ExCeL London — a 30-minute multiple-choice section plus a 60-minute written-problems section, non-calculator, based on Key Stage 3 content but including unfamiliar problem types. Extra time is available under standard access arrangements.
- Interview
- For applicants who score highly on the test: a mathematics interview plus a separate personal interview.
- Deadline
- For September 2026 entry: applications opened 12 September 2025 and closed 23 November 2025; test sat 6 December 2025; interviews 23–24 January 2026; offers issued early February 2026. No personal statement is required, and late applications are not normally considered.
- How to apply
- www.kingsmathsschool.com/admissions
Full admissions page for KCL Maths School →
Subjects
Required: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics
Unusually, Physics is compulsory alongside Maths and Further Maths for every student — not just an option, as at most other schools. Year 1 also includes an AS in Computer Science or Economics plus a "King's Certificate" research project; Year 2 adds "Curriculum X" extension courses and an optional EPQ.
Boarding & travel
- Boarding
- Not offered — day school
- Boarding detail
- No boarding or residential provision found — operates as a day school. Partly verified
- Travel support
- Travel bursary of up to £1,200 for students receiving Free School Meals; up to £600 for households receiving Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit, each with a reduced-deposit laptop loan attached. Assessed on household income.
Catchment
No formally defined boroughs — described only as drawing from "all over London and bordering home counties." The admissions FAQ states no catchment or travel-time restriction is applied; applicants must simply be able to sit the entrance test in person in London.
This school does not operate a defined catchment boundary — see the note above for how it actually decides who can apply.
Results
| Year | % A* | % A*–A | % A*–B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 70–71% | 92.2% | 95.7% |
| 2024 | 77% | 97.6% | 99.5% |
| 2023 | 69% | 91% | — |
2025: Figures for A* and Oxbridge progression vary slightly between the school's own results page (70% A*, 39% Oxbridge) and King's own news coverage (71% A*, 42% Oxbridge) — both are reported here rather than one being picked.
Destinations
39% (school's figure) or 42% (King's news coverage) of the 2025 cohort progressed to Oxford or Cambridge; other named destinations include Warwick, Durham, Bath and UCL. In 2024, over 38% went to Oxbridge, with Imperial, UCL, Warwick, Durham, Bristol and Edinburgh also regular destinations. Nine students secured Cambridge places via STEP performance in 2025.
Ofsted
- Rating
- "Continues to be an outstanding provider" — short inspection, category judgements under the post-2024 framework
- Date
- 16–17 September 2024 (report published 11 November 2024)
- Report
- Read the report
Culture & ethos
Explicitly inspired by the Kolmogorov Physics and Mathematics School in Moscow (founded 1965). Five core student-chosen values: Curiosity, Ambition, Compassion, Tenacity, Integrity. Ofsted described a culture of "productive struggle," with students who "grow into confident, articulate scholars." Runs weekly "Extension Mathematics" sessions from January of Year 12 through to university interviews, explicitly working through past MAT, TMUA and STEP questions.
Leadership
Timothy Bateup
Compare KCL Maths School
- vs. Imperial Maths Schoolvs. The 1729 Maths Schoolvs. Exeter Maths Schoolvs. Cambridge Maths Schoolvs. Surrey Maths School
Sources
- 1.King's Maths School — official site — https://www.kingsmathsschool.com/
- 2.Admissions requirements and process — https://www.kingsmathsschool.com/admissions
- 3.2025 results — https://www.kingsmathsschool.com/about/results
- 4.Ofsted report, September 2024 (PDF) — https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50261228
- 5.KCL: expansion and social mobility coverage, Oct 2025 — https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/university-maths-schools-drive-social-mobility-and-widen-participation-in-stem
- 6.DfE Get Information About Schools — URN 140564 — https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/140564