Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ guide

Atom Learning is partnered with Bishop Wordsworth's School. You can read more about our partnership here.

Applying to Bishop Wordsworth's School for September 2028? This guide covers the Bishop Wordsworth's School entrance test, the qualifying score, how the 160 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.

Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ at a glance

• School type: boys' grammar school
• Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire
• Admissions contact: admissions@bishopwordsworths.org.uk
• Number of places in Year 7: 160 (2027-entry figure — Bishop Wordsworth's School confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published in the spring before entry.)
• Qualifying score: no fixed pass mark. The qualifying standard is set each year by reference to the scores of the boys who sit the test, and from September 2026 it is 10% lower for boys eligible for Pupil Premium, with 10 places reserved for them
• 11+ test: Bishop Wordsworth's School entrance test, set by Quest Assessments
• Catchment or priority area: yes — a designated area (see the school's map)

Sources: Bishop Wordsworth's School Year 7 admissions page and admissions FAQs, and the school's Admissions Policy 2027-28 (approved 30 January 2026). Last checked October 2026.

Key dates for September 2028 entry

Registration runs from Monday 22 March 2027 to Friday 2 July 2027, the test is on Saturday 25 September 2027, and result letters follow in mid-October 2027.

How to apply to Bishop Wordsworth's School

Bishop Wordsworth's School is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.

You apply for your son to sit the test directly with the school, using its online application form. You can also get a paper form from the Admissions Office if you need one.

Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Bishop Wordsworth's School on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.

Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.

What will my child be tested on?

The school sets its own entrance test, the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Assessment, and its test provider is Quest Assessments. Quest Assessments is part of Atom Learning.

Your son sits two papers in the same session, both in the same session with a short supervised break between them. Each paper lasts 45 minutes, plus time for instructions. A recording plays before, during, and after each paper, telling him what to do and how much time he has; if he can't hear it or has a question, he raises his hand, and an invigilator will help.

He receives a question booklet and a separate answer sheet for each subject, and may also receive a reading booklet. Every question is multiple choice, usually with five options (A, B, C, D or E).

Quest publishes free familiarisation materials for English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, each with sample questions and a practice answer sheet.

Answer sheets are read by Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) — your son draws a clear horizontal line through the box next to his chosen answer, rather than writing anything out — and marks are then standardised by age in years and months to produce a final score. The familiarisation booklets include a practice OMR sheet, which candidates are expected to work through so the format is familiar on the day.

The timetable, candidate declaration form and gate allocation are available two weeks before the test.

If more boys apply to sit the test than there is room for, the 480 boys who live closest to the school's Exeter Street gate are prioritised for a test place.

The table below summarises the assessment.

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How are places allocated at Bishop Wordsworth's School?

If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 160 Year 7 places, Bishop Wordsworth's School offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027/28. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.

These criteria only apply to boys who reach the qualifying standard, and only if there are more qualifying boys than places.

Does Bishop Wordsworth's School have a catchment area?

Yes. Bishop Wordsworth's School gives priority to boys whose permanent home is in its designated area. The area is defined by a map on the school's website rather than a list of places, so check your address against the school's map.

Within any criterion, boys living closest to the school's Exeter Street gate, measured in a straight line from home, are offered places first. If two boys live the same distance away, places are decided by drawing lots.

If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?

A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.

How can I help my child prepare for the test?

The Bishop Wordsworth's School entrance test can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's how you can help your child prepare for test day.

If your son is eligible for Pupil Premium, he can get Atom Home for free. Bishop Wordsworth's School and Quest offer free access to Atom Home for all Pupil Premium eligible candidates, so that every child can prepare with the same materials regardless of their family's circumstances. Request it through Quest's parent guidance page for the Bishop Wordsworth's assessment, linked from the school's Year 7 admissions page.

Stay on track with a clear plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.

A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.

Atom's exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child's target schools and exam dates, and we'll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they'll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.

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

Build smart exam technique

As your child's knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.

Atom's 11+ practice papers are built to match the format, timing and question styles of real 11+ exams. They're also unlimited – you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.

We've made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child's standardised age score (SAS), where they're doing well, and what they should focus on next. You'll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.

Encourage regular reading

Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.

Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.

Over time, regular reading will:

• broaden their vocabulary
• improve comprehension and inference
• build confidence in tackling unseen texts

And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.

Looking for inspiration? Explore Atom's free reading and writing starter kit for helpful suggestions of age-appropriate books your child can read!

Celebrate progress, not just scores

When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.

Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they're moving in. You can see where they're on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.

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