Gloucestershire grammar schools 11 plus guide

Thinking about a grammar school in Gloucestershire for your child? This guide walks you through how the system works, key dates for entry, and how to support your child through the 11+.

In this guide, you'll find:

• How the Gloucestershire grammar school system works
• Key 11+ dates and deadlines for 2027 entry
• Which schools use the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test
• What your child will be tested on
• How the exam is scored and how places are allocated
• Practical ways to support your child's 11+ preparation

Gloucestershire grammar schools

There are seven grammar schools in Gloucestershire. They all use the same 11+ test. This is known as the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test.

• Denmark Road High School (girls)
• Marling School (boys)
• Pate’s Grammar School (mixed)
• Ribston Hall High School (girls)
• Sir Thomas Rich’s School (boys)
• Stroud High School (girls)
• The Crypt School (mixed)

Key dates for 2027 entry

• Monday 18th May 2026: test registration opens
• Friday 26th June 2026: test registration closes
• Monday 7th September 2026: test centre details are sent to parents by this date
• Saturday 12th September 2026: test day
• Mid-October 2026: parents receive test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: secondary school common application deadline
• Monday 1st March 2027: national school offers day

Dates can vary slightly between schools and may be subject to change.‍

What is the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test?

The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test is the 11+ exam used by all seven grammar schools in the county.

Your child only needs to take it once, even if you’re applying to multiple Gloucestershire grammar schools.

The test is taken in September of Year 6. Children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 will sit the test on Saturday 12th September 2026 for entry to Year 7 in September 2027.

The test is designed to assess a child’s academic ability across reasoning, maths, and English. Grammar schools offer places to children performing towards the top end of the national ability range for their age group.

What's in the Gloucestershire 11+ exam?

The test consists of two multiple-choice papers, each lasting around one hour, with a short break in between.

Paper 1: Verbal skills

This paper assesses:

• Reading comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Verbal reasoning

Verbal reasoning isn’t usually taught directly at primary school. It focuses on logical thinking with written information, such as identifying patterns between words, letters and symbols.

Your child will use skills such as:

• extracting meaning from texts
• spotting word relationships
• applying logic to written problems
• identifying patterns and rules in language

Paper 2: Non-verbal reasoning and maths

This paper combines:

• Key Stage 2 maths content
• Non-verbal reasoning

Non-verbal reasoning focuses on visual problem-solving using shapes, diagrams and patterns.

Your child may need to:

• recognise and complete visual patterns
• apply mental maths strategies
• use spatial awareness
• solve logic problems using images and shapes
• interpret diagrams and sequences

How is the Gloucestershire 11+ exam scored?

After the test, answer sheets are marked using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) technology.

Scores are then age-standardised, which means younger children aren’t disadvantaged.

Your child’s results will be sent to you in mid-October 2026. If they meet the qualifying standard for your target school, you can then apply for that school through your common application form (CAF).

What's the pass mark for the Gloucestershire 11 plus?

There’s no single fixed pass mark. Instead:

• All children’s age-standardised scores are ranked.
• Each school sets its own qualifying score.

Some priority groups (including Looked After Children and children eligible for Pupil Premium) may qualify with a lower score.

Each grammar school also applies its own admissions criteria when allocating places.

How to apply for Gloucestershire grammar schools

1. Register for the Gloucestershire 11+

To be considered for a place, you must register your child to take the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test.

• Registration opens: Monday 18th May 2026
• Registration closes: Friday 26th June 2026

2. Apply for school places

Test results are sent in mid-October 2026.

If your child meets the qualifying standard for a school, you can list it on your secondary school common application form, which must be submitted to your local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Before listing a school, check the admissions policy to make sure your child meets all criteria.

3. National Offer Day

On Monday 1st March 2027, you’ll be informed which secondary school your child has been allocated.

If your preferred school isn’t offered, your child will receive another local school place, and you’ll be given information about how to appeal.

How can I help my child prepare for the Gloucestershire 11 plus?

The Gloucestershire 11+ can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn’t have to be stressful.

Here are some practical ways to support your child in a calm, structured way.

Stay on track with a clear Gloucestershire 11+ revision plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation isn’t motivation – it’s knowing what to work on, when, and how to stay consistent without it taking over family life.

A clear plan helps your child build skills in the right order and avoid last-minute cramming.

With Atom’s Exam Plan, you enter your child’s exam date and target schools, and Atom builds a personalised weekly plan based on the key skills they’ll be tested on. It adapts as they improve and shows them exactly what to focus on each week.

That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path to exam day.

Build 11+ exam technique with realistic practice papers

Once your child feels secure with the main topics, paper practice tests help them feel more confident with the exam format.

Atom’s 11+ practice papers are designed to reflect real test conditions. Parents simply photograph their child’s answer sheets and upload them to Atom for instant marking.

You’ll get:

• a Standardised Age Score (SAS)
• clear insight into strengths and areas for improvement
• a comparison with other children applying to the same schools

The papers are unlimited, meaning your child can practise again and again with new questions each time.

Encourage regular reading for 11+ English success

Strong reading skills underpin almost every part of the 11+.

Encourage your child to read for 10–15 minutes a day, focusing on variety – fiction, non-fiction, different genres and authors.

This helps build:

• vocabulary
• comprehension and inference
• confidence with unfamiliar texts

If you’re looking for ideas, Atom’s recommended reading lists for Years 3–6 include a wide range of age-appropriate books.

Celebrate progress, not just 11+ scores

When you’re supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they’re moving in the right direction.

Atom’s progress tracking gives you a clear, simple view of how your child is doing across topics and how their performance is developing over time.

That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady and focus on consistent improvement – not just one-off test results.