Grammar schools in the UK — every region, every test, every guide

Find a grammar school, understand the 11+, and prepare for entry in 2026 or 2027.
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Last updated: May 2026 · Sources: DfE 2024-25 performance tables, local authority admissions arrangements 2026-27
163
Grammar schools in England
5
Children competing for every place (UK avg)
28000
Y7 grammar places per year
130000
Applicants each year
163 grammar schools in England
5 children competing for every place (UK average)
28,000 Y7 grammar places per year
130,000 applicants each year

Where to start

Grammar school admissions cover a lot of ground. We've grouped everything on this page into five steps so it's easier to follow. Start at the top, or skip to the bit you need.
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Research

What is the 11+?

The 11+ is the entrance exam for grammar schools, sat in Year 6. It tests maths, English, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Each region runs its own version, so the format depends on where you live.
Read the full guide ->

How do grammar school admissions work?

Children sit the 11+ and need to reach their region's pass mark. Places are offered by priority, taking in things like catchment and siblings. You apply through your local authority in the autumn of Year 6.
Read the full guide ->

Top 50 grammar schools by Attainment 8 (2024-25)

These rankings use Attainment 8 — the average GCSE score across 8 subjects (max ~90) — from the DfE 2024-25 performance tables. We’ve used Attainment 8 rather than Progress 8 because the DfE paused Progress 8 reporting post-COVID and has not resumed it for 2024-25. Rankings answer one question: how high pupils score at GCSE. They don’t account for catchment, entrance test difficulty, or fit. The national grammar school average is 72.1.
See admissions competitiveness -->
31
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
Cheshire
Boys
78.5
View -->
32
The Judd School
Kent
Boys
78.4
View -->
33
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School
Greater London
Girls
77.8
View -->
34
Wallington County Grammar School
Surrey
Boys
77.7
View -->
35
Langley Grammar School
Berkshire
Co-ed
77.6
View -->
36
Westcliff High School for Boys
Essex
Boys
77.6
View -->
37
St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School
Berkshire
Co-ed
77.3
View -->
38
Tonbridge Grammar School
Kent
Girls
77.2
View -->
39
Sir Thomas Rich's School
Gloucester
Boys
77.2
View -->
40
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
Birmingham
Co-ed
77.1
View -->

Grammar schools by region in England

We’ve built comprehensive guides for all 163 grammar schools in England. Each guide covers admissions arrangements, test format, catchment area, SAS cut-off scores, application deadlines, and pass rates. Use the search below to find your school, or browse the full list.
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School name

Region
Read the full guide ->

Every grammar school in England — A–Z guides

We’ve built comprehensive guides for all 163 grammar schools in England. Each guide covers admissions arrangements, test format, catchment area, SAS cut-off scores, application deadlines, and pass rates. Use the search below to find your school, or browse the full list.
Text Link ->

School name

Region
Read the full guide ->

Prepare

What is the 11+?

The 11+ is the entrance exam for grammar schools, sat in Year 6. It tests maths, English, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Each region runs its own version, so the format depends on where you live.
Read the full guide ->

How do grammar school admissions work?

Children sit the 11+ and need to reach their region's pass mark. Places are offered by priority, taking in things like catchment and siblings. You apply through your local authority in the autumn of Year 6.
Read the full guide ->

Test providers worth knowing at 11+

Not sure which test your child sits? The 11+ isn't one exam — a few providers create the tests, and your region or school decides which one. Here's who they are.
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Quest Assessment

A newer provider growing across the grammar sector, and also used by many independent schools. The exam is paper-based and multiple-choice, with each school choosing which subjects to test.
Read the full guide ->

GL Assessment 11+

The most widely used 11+ provider, covering the majority of grammar regions. Many areas run their own version built on GL papers, including the Kent Test and the Buckinghamshire transfer test. Tests English, maths, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Read the Quest guide-->

CAT4

A cognitive ability test rather than a grammar entrance exam. Schools mostly use it after a child has started, to set classes and spot potential. You may see it mentioned, but it isn't something to prepare for at 11+
Read the CAT4 guide ->

ISEB Common pre test

An online, adaptive test for independent senior schools, not state grammars. Schools use it as an early screen before their own exams and interviews. Worth recognising the name, but it likely won't apply if you're aiming for a state grammar.
Read the ISEB guide ->

CEM

Once a major 11+ provider, CEM stopped producing grammar school tests in 2023, and former CEM areas have moved to GL or others. You may still find CEM practice books, but it's no longer the test your child will sit.
Read the CEM guide ->

Free baseline tests

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Exam day

What is the 11+?

The 11+ is the entrance exam for grammar schools, sat in Year 6. It tests maths, English, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Each region runs its own version, so the format depends on where you live.
Read the full guide ->

How do grammar school admissions work?

Children sit the 11+ and need to reach their region's pass mark. Places are offered by priority, taking in things like catchment and siblings. You apply through your local authority in the autumn of Year 6.
Read the full guide ->

Results

What is the 11+?

The 11+ is the entrance exam for grammar schools, sat in Year 6. It tests maths, English, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Each region runs its own version, so the format depends on where you live.
Read the full guide ->

How do grammar school admissions work?

Children sit the 11+ and need to reach their region's pass mark. Places are offered by priority, taking in things like catchment and siblings. You apply through your local authority in the autumn of Year 6.
Read the full guide ->

Offer

What is the 11+?

The 11+ is the entrance exam for grammar schools, sat in Year 6. It tests maths, English, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Each region runs its own version, so the format depends on where you live.
Read the full guide ->

How do grammar school admissions work?

Children sit the 11+ and need to reach their region's pass mark. Places are offered by priority, taking in things like catchment and siblings. You apply through your local authority in the autumn of Year 6.
Read the full guide ->

Atom helps you get into top grammar schools, no tutor required

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a grammar school and how does it work?
What is a grammar school and how does it work?
What is the 11+ and how is it different from SATs?
Do grammar schools have catchment areas?
When do you apply for grammar school in Year 5 or 6?
Which regions in England still have grammar schools?
Are grammar schools free to attend?
Can my child take more than one 11+ test?
What's the difference between the 11+ and a CAT4 test?
How competitive are grammar schools?
What SAS score do you need to pass the 11+?
Can you appeal a grammar school rejection?
Do I need a tutor for the 11+?
What's the difference between a grammar school and a private school?
Is Atom private tuition?

11+ Glossary

11+
The competitive entrance exam used by grammar schools in England, sat in September of Year 6.
Attainment 8
The average GCSE score across 8 subjects (max ~90), used by the DfE to measure school outcomes.
CAT4
A cognitive abilities test used by many secondary schools to set or stream pupils after admission.
Catchment area
A defined geographical area around a school, used as a tiebreaker when more children pass the 11+ than there are places.
CEM Select
A cognitive abilities test used by many secondary schools to set or stream pupils after admission.
Consortium
A group of grammar schools that share a single 11+ test (e.g. Sutton SET, Trafford Consortium, Slough Consortium).
CSE
The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex, which administers the Essex 11+.
DfE
The Department for Education.
GL Assessment
An 11+ test format used by grammar schools in several regions.
GIAS
Get Information About Schools, the DfE’s school directory.
ISEB Common Pre-Test
An online adaptive test used by many independent schools as part of Year 7 entrance.
National Offer Day
1 March, when secondary school places are confirmed.
OMR
Optical Mark Recognition. The answer-sheet format used by paper 11+ tests where children draw a line through their chosen answer.
Oversubscription criteria
The rules a school uses to allocate places when more children apply than there are spaces.
Progress 8
A DfE measure of pupil progress from KS2 to KS4. Paused since COVID and not resumed for 2024–25.
Pupil Premium
Extra funding from the government for state schools to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupil-Premium-eligible families can access Atom Home free of charge.
Quest (Quest Admissions)
An exam provider used by 130+ UK independent schools and a growing number of grammar schools.
SAS
Standardised age score. The score format most 11+ tests use, typically between 69 and 141. Adjusts a child’s raw mark for age.
Super-selective
A grammar school that admits purely on test score, with no catchment requirement (e.g. Henrietta Barnett, Queen Elizabeth’s Boys Barnet).

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