Applying to Boston Grammar School for September 2028? This guide covers the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11+, the qualifying score, how the 120 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.
Boston Grammar School 11+ at a glance
School type: boys' grammar school (mixed sixth form)
Number of places in Year 7: 120 (2027-entry figure — Boston Grammar School confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
Qualifying score: No fixed pass mark. Boston Grammar School's admissions policy for 2027 entry says the test results are put in rank order to select approximately the top 25% of the local cohort.
Source: Boston Grammar School Admissions Policy (for 2027), dated July 2025. Last checked October 2026.
Key dates for September 2028 entry
Boston Grammar School confirms its exact dates in the spring before each cycle. The months shown follow the 2027-entry timetable, when most boys sat the two tests at their primary school on two Fridays in September 2026 and the school posted outcomes in early October. Boston Grammar School hasn't published a registration window for 2028 entry, and its 2027-entry window isn't on its website, so we haven't estimated one. We'll update this page as soon as the school publishes its 2028-entry dates.
Key dates for Boston Grammar School 11+ entry in September 2028, with expected windows where the school has not yet confirmed exact dates.
Date
What happens
To be confirmed
Test registration — Boston Grammar School hasn't published this for 2028 entry
September 2027
Verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning tests, usually on two Fridays at primary schools
Early October 2027
Outcomes expected by post
Sunday 31 October 2027
Deadline to apply for secondary school places through your home local authority. This date falls on a Sunday.
Wednesday 1 March 2028
National offer day for secondary school places
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Boston Grammar School is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.
You register with Boston Grammar School: return the postal registration form, register online through the school's website, or collect a form at the open evening.
Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Boston Grammar 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?
Lincolnshire's grammar schools share one 11+, run by the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The tests are produced and marked by GL Assessment. Every consortium school uses the same tests, so your child sits them once and the result counts for any of the schools.
There are two tests, sat a week apart in September of Year 6: verbal reasoning first, then non-verbal and spatial reasoning. All questions are multiple choice, and your child marks answers in pencil on a separate answer sheet. The non-verbal test is taken one section at a time, following the invigilator's instructions.
Each test has a maximum standardised score of 141, so the highest possible combined score is 282.
Most boys sit the tests in their own primary school on two Fridays in September. A small number from outside the area take them on Saturday mornings at Boston Grammar School instead.
How are places allocated at Boston Grammar School?
If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 120 Year 7 places, Boston Grammar 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.
Boston Grammar School oversubscription criteria in priority order, from the 2027/28 admissions policy.
Priority
Who it covers
First
Boys who reach the required standard and have an education, health and care plan (EHCP) naming the school
1
Looked after and previously looked after children
2
Boys registered for Pupil Premium (free school meals at any point in the last six years)
3
Boys with a brother or sister already at the school when they join
4
Other boys, by straight-line distance from home to school, closest first
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Every applicant must reach the required standard in the 11+. The school says that, so far, it has been able to offer a place to every child who reached that standard. If twins (or two siblings in the same year group) apply for the last place and both reach the standard, the school can go one over its admission number.
Does Boston Grammar School have a catchment area?
Boston Grammar School doesn't use a catchment area in its oversubscription criteria. After the priority groups, places go by straight-line distance from home to school.
Boys living closest to the school, measured in a straight line by Lincolnshire County Council, are offered places first. If the criteria can't separate applicants, a lottery is drawn by an independent person who doesn't work for the school or the council's children's services.
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 Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11 plus 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.
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.
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.
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Take control of your child’s 11+ preparation.
Not sure if your child is on track for the grammar school 11+? You don’t need to guess what to cover or whether they’re ready. Atom shows you exactly what to practise each week and how they’re performing, so you can stay ahead of the process without the stress.
