Gloucestershire grammar schools 11 plus guide

What is the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test?

The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test is an 11 plus exam used by the seven grammar schools in Gloucestershire. If you’re interested in more than one grammar school in Gloucestershire, your child will only have to take the exam once.

The Gloucestershire 11 plus takes place in September in Year 6. Children who were born between 1st September 2014 and 31st August 2015 will take the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test in mid-September 2025 for Year 7 entry in September 2026.

The test is designed to be challenging. Grammar schools use the 11 plus to select children working in the top ability range in their year group. Children who are within the top 25% of their year group are normally well-suited for grammar school.

What's on the Gloucestershire 11 plus?

The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test consists of two papers provided by GL Assessment. Most grammar schools in the UK use 11 plus papers provided by GL Assessment.

Each test lasts around one hour. This includes time for instructions, some worked (unmarked) example questions, and the real test questions. Your child will take both tests in September if they’re applying for entry in 2026. There is a short break between the two papers.

One paper assesses verbal skills. This includes reading comprehension, vocabulary and verbal reasoning. The other paper assesses non-verbal reasoning and maths skills. All of the questions in both papers are multiple-choice.

Verbal paper

In the verbal skills paper, your child will have questions on reading comprehension, vocabulary, and verbal reasoning. Verbal reasoning is not taught at primary school, so your child might be unfamiliar with these types of questions. It assesses how well they can apply logic and solve problems with written information, such as words, letters, symbols and numbers.

The questions in this paper will require your child to:

• process verbal information

• spot similarities and differences between words

• use logical thinking to solve problems

• identify patterns

• understand rules, such as word choice and grammar

• answer questions to show their understanding of a text

• use accurate capital letters, punctuation and spelling

Non-verbal and maths paper

In the non-verbal and maths skills paper, your child will be tested on their knowledge of the Key Stage 2 maths curriculum. They will also be assessed on their non-verbal reasoning ability, which is not a subject taught at school. This tests how well they can apply logic and solve problems with visual information, such as shapes, diagrams and pictures.

Your child will need to:

• process graphic information

• follow visual patterns and rules

• apply the maths skills they have learned at school

• use spatial awareness

• use logical thinking to solve problems

• use quick mental arithmetic

• understand shapes, space and measures

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

There is no single pass mark for the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test. All children’s standardised scores are placed in rank order, and each school will decide on a ‘qualifying standard’. ‘Looked after children’ and ‘previously looked after children’, along with children who are eligible for Pupil Premium, tend to be prioritised for places and might need to achieve a slightly lower qualifying score to get offered a place at a Gloucestershire grammar school.

Every grammar school has different admissions criteria. We’ve included the admissions criteria for each Gloucestershire grammar school below:

• Denmark Road High School

• Marling School

• Pate’s Grammar School

• Ribston Hall High School

• Sir Thomas Rich’s School

• Stroud High School

• The Crypt School

How to apply to Gloucestershire grammar schools

If you're considering a grammar school in Gloucestershire for your child, it's a good idea to speak to your child's teacher first.

Grammar schools are academically-selective and select children working towards the top of their year group. Your child's teacher will be able to indicate whether they think your child will be able to keep up with the pace in a grammar school.

1. Register for the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test

If you would like your child to be considered for a place at one of the seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools, you’ll need to register them to take the local 11 plus.

Registration for the 2024 exam opens in May 2025 on the participating schools’ websites. You’ll need to complete your child’s application before late June 2025.

2. Apply for school places

Your child’s test results will be sent to you in mid-October 2025. You’ll find out if your child has achieved the minimum score necessary for admission to the school.

You can use these results to decide which schools to name on your secondary school common application form. Before listing a school on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2025.

3. National school offer day

In March 2026, you will find out which school your child has been allocated a place at. They will be allocated a place at your highest-preferred school for which they meet the entry criteria and which has places available.

If no places are available at your preferred schools, they will be offered a place at another school in your area. You can appeal via an independent panel. Information about how to appeal will be sent to you by your local authority along with your school offer on National Offers Day.