About Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)
Dame Alice Owen's School is a co-educational partially selective academy in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, rated Outstanding by Ofsted (2023). It admits 200 pupils per year into Year 7, of which 65 places are allocated by academic ability (via two-stage entrance exam) and 10 by musical aptitude. Dame Alice Owen's is NOT part of the South West Herts Consortium — it runs its own independent admissions process. Registration opens 10am 29th April 2026.
Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 72.1%. A-Level A*–B: 89.1%.
About Admissions to Dame Alice Owen’s School
Dame Alice Owen’s School (DAO) is a high‑performing co‑educational, partially selective secondary school and sixth form (academy) in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. Founded in 1613 and co‑educational since 1973, it educates around 1,400 pupils and was rated Outstanding by Ofsted (2023). The Year 7 published admission number is 200.
DAO is not a grammar school: the majority of Year 7 places are non‑selective, allocated on priority area and siblings. A minority are selective — up to 65 academic places (for the highest scorers in the Governors’ Entrance Examination: a Verbal Reasoning paper set by GL Assessment, plus English and Mathematics), up to 10 music places (by musical‑aptitude test and audition), and around 22 places for children living closest to the school. At least 20 places are reserved for Islington residents.
To be considered for an academic or music place you must register for the relevant test with the school, in addition to listing DAO on your home local authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October. Offers are made on National Offer Day (1 March).
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)
Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) Admissions Criteria
Dame Alice Owen's School is a co-educational partially selective academy in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, rated Outstanding by Ofsted (2023). It admits 200 pupils per year into Year 7, of which 65 places are allocated by academic ability (via two-stage entrance exam) and 10 by musical aptitude. Dame Alice Owen's is NOT part of the South West Herts Consortium — it runs its own independent admissions process. Registration opens 10am 29th April 2026.
- ✓Register online via the Dame Alice Owen's School website (10am 29th April – 4pm 10th June 2026).
- ✓Applicants must live within the defined catchment area (Hertfordshire parishes including Potters Bar, plus specific London Borough postcodes in Barnet, Enfield and Islington).
- ✓Stage 1 (1st September 2026): Sit the GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning paper (50 min, 80 multiple-choice questions). Scores age-standardised and ranked. Only the top 325 candidates progress to Stage 2.
- ✓Stage 2 (26th September 2026): Sit one-hour English paper and one-hour Mathematics paper (both school-set). Top 116 by combined score offered academic places.
- ✓Music Aptitude Test (22–26 September 2026): Separate test for up to 10 music places — no prior music knowledge required for Stage 1, practical assessment at Stage 2.
- ✓Remaining Year 7 places (approx. 125) filled by: looked-after children, siblings, then distance.
- ✓Apply via Local Authority CAF by 31st October 2026.
Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 200 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. The 65 academic places are ranked by score in the Governors’ Entrance Examination; the majority of places are non-selective, allocated by priority area and siblings.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO))
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 (varies by school) |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | September 2026 (English + Maths + Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2026 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2026 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
How to Apply to Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the GL Assessment 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Herts) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026 (varies by school). There is no fee to sit the entrance test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the GL Assessment Entrance Test
Your child sits the GL Assessment in September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026, BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2026. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 1 March 2027. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)'s waiting list — managed by the school itself.
Governors’ Entrance Examination (Academic Places) at Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)
Dame Alice Owen's selects its academic-place pupils through the Governors' Entrance Examination, taken in two parts on separate dates. Only this route (plus a separate music aptitude test for music places) is selective; a child must live in a designated priority area to sit it.
- Part 1 — Verbal Reasoning & English: a GL Assessment verbal reasoning paper plus a school-set English paper (comprehension and an extended writing piece).
- Part 2 — Mathematics: a school-set mathematics paper.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)
Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)’s academic-place test includes a GL‑style Verbal Reasoning paper plus English and Mathematics. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
Academic Performance at Dame Alice Owen's School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Dame Alice Owen's is among the highest-performing state schools in England and was rated Outstanding by Ofsted across all areas (December 2023). In 2024 it recorded a GCSE Attainment 8 score of about 73.5 with roughly 74% of grades at 9–7, and around 87% of A-Level grades at A*–B, with many students progressing to Oxbridge and Russell Group universities.
- GCSE: around 74% of grades at 9–7 in 2024.
- Sixth form: strong A-Level outcomes with a broad subject offer.
- Strengths: a noted reputation in music, science and sport.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Dame Alice Owen's School
Dame Alice Owen's is partially selective, not a wholly selective grammar. Of its roughly 200 Year 7 places, only about 65 are academic places awarded on the school's Governors' Entrance Examination, with a further 10 reserved for musical aptitude; the remainder are allocated by other criteria — around 22 places for children living closest to the school, 20 places reserved for children from Islington (where the school began), then siblings and distance. To sit the entrance examination, a child must live in one of the school's designated priority areas (or be educated in the London Borough of Islington).
The academic test is taken in two parts on separate dates: a GL Assessment verbal reasoning paper together with a school-set English paper (comprehension plus an extended writing piece), and a school-set mathematics paper. There is no fixed pass mark — scores are age-standardised and ranked. Always confirm the current places breakdown, priority areas and test format in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Dame Alice Owen's School is a co-educational, partially selective academy of around 1,400 pupils on a 34-acre estate at Dugdale Hill Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire (EN6 2DU). Founded in 1613 in Islington by the philanthropist Dame Alice Owen — making it one of the oldest schools in the country — it added a girls' school in 1886, merged and moved to Potters Bar in the 1970s, and is part of the Dame Alice Owen's Foundation (whose trustees are the Worshipful Company of Brewers).
The school combines its heritage with modern facilities and is known for strengths in music, science and sport, alongside strong pastoral care and a wide programme of clubs, drama, competitions and overseas trips. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dame Alice Owen's School
How do I apply to Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) for Year 7?
Applications to Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) are made through your home Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) — not directly to the school. To be considered for an academic place, your child sits the Governors’ Entrance Examination — a Verbal Reasoning paper set by GL Assessment plus English and Mathematics (registration closes late June 2026 (varies by school)), then list Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) uses the Governors’ Entrance Examination for its academic places, taken in September 2026 (English + Maths + Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning). The test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised age-adjusted scores.
What is the pass mark / qualifying score for Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)?
Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) sets its own qualifying mark each year. Pupils must score at or above the qualifying mark to be eligible for a place. Final ranking is by total standardised score (highest first) up to the admission number of 200 places.
How many Year 7 places does Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) have?
Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) admits 200 Year 7 pupils each September. Demand for places typically exceeds supply, so the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places fairly.
When are GL Assessment results released in 2026?
For 2027 Year 7 entry, GL Assessment test results are released on Mid-October 2026 — before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
When is National Offers Day for Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) in 2027?
National Offers Day for Year 7 secondary school places in England is Monday 1 March 2027. Offers are issued by your home Local Authority — not directly by the school. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)'s waiting list.
Is Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) a state school or fee-paying?
Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) is a state-funded, partially selective school — there are no tuition fees. As a partially selective school, it offers up to 65 academic places via the Governors’ Entrance Examination, but pupils who pass the test do not pay to attend.
How can my child prepare for the Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) 11+ test?
ExamTutor offers a complete GL Assessment 11+ preparation programme including tutor-led practice papers, full video explanations for every question (covering all GL topic areas — English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning), and downloadable resources. Most parents start preparation 12-18 months before the September 11+ test.
Where can I find Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO)'s official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Dame Alice Owen's School (DAO) 2027 entry is published on the school's official website. Always check the school's website for the most up-to-date oversubscription criteria, qualifying mark, supplementary forms (if any), and any school-specific application requirements.