The Complete Guide to Grammar Schools

Grammar schools are state-funded secondary schools that admit pupils on academic ability, tested by an exam taken in the autumn of Year 6 - the 11+. There are about 163 grammars left in England, mostly clustered in a handful of local authorities. This guide covers what they are, how the 11+ works, and what realistic preparation looks like.

What grammar schools actually are

Grammar schools are part of the state system - they don’t charge fees. What sets them apart is selective entry: places are allocated on the basis of an exam, not on distance or sibling priority alone.

The 1944 Education Act once funded grammars across England. Since 1965 most areas have moved to comprehensive systems, but grammars survived in specific authorities. Today the largest concentrations are:

• Buckinghamshire - 13 grammars; the entire county is selective
• Kent - 32 grammars
• Lincolnshire - 15 grammars
• Trafford - 7 grammars
• Sutton, Kingston, Bromley, Barnet - several outstanding London grammars
• Birmingham (the King Edward’s foundation), Reading, Stratford-upon-Avon and a few others

Why parents consider them

The simplest answer: academic outcomes. Most grammars sit at the top of the GCSE and A-Level league tables. The combination of a selective intake and (often) strong teaching produces consistently high results.

Real example

Wilson's School

Wallington, Sutton

Wilson’s School in Sutton - a boys’ grammar consistently among the top state schools in England.

Attainment 8 (2024/25)

86.7

View school

Real example

Tiffin School

Kingston upon Thames

Tiffin School in Kingston - a boys’ grammar with strong Progress 8, showing pupils outperform expectations even relative to their own high starting point.

Progress 8 (2023/24)

0.86

View school

That said, grammar outcomes are partly about who they admit, not just what they teach - which is why Progress 8 matters when comparing them to high-performing comprehensives.

The 11+ exam

Children sit the 11+ in September of Year 6 - early in the autumn term, when they are 10 or 11. The exam is administered by the local authority or by a consortium of grammar schools.

Most 11+ tests now come from a single publisher, with a few consortia running their own papers:

• GL Assessment - the dominant 11+ provider, used by Buckinghamshire, Kent, Lincolnshire and most London grammars. CEM, the other historic publisher, withdrew from secondary 11+ testing in 2023, so GL now covers the great majority of areas.
• Consortium tests - some areas set their own papers, such as CSSE in Essex and Southend, and the Sutton (SET) consortium.

Most 11+ exams cover four areas in some combination:

1. English / Comprehension
2. Maths
3. Verbal Reasoning (word puzzles, logic)
4. Non-Verbal Reasoning (shape and pattern puzzles)

How pass marks work

Raw scores are standardised so a typical performance equals a score of 100. The standardisation accounts for the child’s age in months (younger children get a small adjustment) and for the difficulty of that year’s paper.

Typical pass marks:

• 111 - the qualifying score in many areas (Buckinghamshire, Trafford, parts of Lincolnshire). Above this, you are eligible for any grammar place.
• 121+ - the kind of score you typically need for the most competitive London grammars (Wilson’s, Tiffin, Henrietta Barnett, etc.) where places are ranked by score.

In areas like Buckinghamshire, almost every child is tested by default and any qualifying score gives access to a grammar place. In most other areas you opt in by registering for the exam separately - often by the end of June. At super-selective schools (e.g. Sutton, Kingston and Barnet grammars) there is no fixed pass mark: places go to the highest scorers first, so the effective cut-off is much higher.

The full timeline

For a child starting Year 6 in September 2026:

• Spring of Year 4 - decide whether to prepare for the 11+. Earlier starts give more time without pressure; later starts (Year 5) are usually fine for most able children.
• Autumn of Year 5 - if you’re going to use a tutor, start the conversation. Most reputable tutors book up early.
• End of June, Year 5 / start of Year 6 - register for the 11+ in your local authority or consortium. This is a hard deadline - miss it and your child cannot sit the exam that year.
• September of Year 6 - exam day(s).
• October - results released.
• 31 October - secondary application deadline.
• 1 March - National Offer Day for secondaries.

What preparation looks like

There is a wide range of practice intensity. A few honest observations:

• Most children benefit from familiarisation - knowing the format reduces test-day anxiety and unlocks a child’s actual ability.
• Heavy tutoring helps less than parents fear / hope. Studies consistently show that 12 - 18 months of moderate practice closes most of the tutoring gap; intense long-term tutoring buys only a few additional standardised points on average.
• The exam favours fluent reading and quick maths recall. Both can be developed by everyday reading and mental-arithmetic habits.

Common preparation routes:

• Self-study with practice books (Bond, CGP, Schofield & Sims) - free or low-cost, requires parent involvement.
• Online platforms (Atom Learning, 11+ Tutor, CGP Online) - adaptive practice, useful for tracking progress.
• Group classes - mid-cost, social, helpful for children who benefit from peer pacing.
• 1-on-1 tutoring - highest cost, biggest variation in quality.

Backup plans matter

In the most competitive areas, well over half the children who sit the 11+ won’t get a grammar place. Always have:

• A strong comprehensive as a realistic alternative on your CAF.
• A clear conversation with your child before the exam: a result isn’t the measure of them, and a comprehensive isn’t a consolation prize.

Try it on FavSchools

Find grammars and comprehensives near you

Filter for selective schools to see the full set of grammars in your area, then look at high-performing comprehensives nearby.

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Where to next

• Read Catchment Areas Explained to understand how non-selective places are allocated.
• Read Understanding GCSE Results to compare grammar outcomes with high-Progress comprehensives in your area.

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Compare grammars head-to-head

Line up two or three grammars on Attainment 8, Progress 8, EBacc and Ofsted in one view.

Open compare