Heckmondwike Grammar School 11+ guide

Please note: the 11+ exam provider used by Heckmondwike Grammar School may be changing the structure and content of the test from September 2025.

For specific information about the entrance exam, we recommend checking the school website for more information.

Thinking about applying to Heckmondwike Grammar School? Find out everything you need to know about admissions in 2025–2026 and how to prepare your child for success in the 11 plus entrance exam.

Key information for Heckmondwike Grammar School

• Address: Heckmondwike Grammar School, High Street, Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, WF16 0AH
• Number of pupils: 1,500+
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• Number of places in Year 7: 210
• 11+ exam: Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE)
• Catchment area: yes

Dates for your diary

• Monday 12th May 2025: Heckmondwike Grammar School entrance exam registration opens
• Monday 23rd June 2025: Heckmondwike Grammar School entrance exam registration closes
• Monday 15th September 2025: Heckmondwike Grammar School 11+ entrance exam
• Thursday 16th October 2025: parents receive Heckmondwike Grammar School exam results
• Friday 31st October 2025: secondary school applications close at 5pm
• Monday 2nd March 2026: secondary school national offers day

About Heckmondwike Grammar School

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a grammar school for boys and girls in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. It aims to uphold the traditions, values and high expectations of a grammar school within an innovative framework.

Students at Heckmondwike achieve excellent exam results. In 2023, these results placed the school second out of all state schools in the north. Most students leave the school for higher education, with the vast majority pursuing degrees in the sciences.

Beyond the classroom, students enjoy a range of extracurricular activities. This includes district, county and national sports competitions, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, music and drama performances, and trips overseas.

How to apply to Heckmondwike Grammar School

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a selective state school. This means that your child will need to take the 11 plus exam to be eligible for a place in Year 7.

Registration for the Heckmondwike entrance exam opens Monday 12th May 2025 and closes on Monday 23rd June 2025. Registration is via the school website.

The entrance exam will take place on Monday 15th September 2025, and you should receive information about your child’s result by 16th October. If your child has met the qualifying standard, they’ll be eligible for a place at the school.

To apply to Heckmondwike Grammar School, you’ll need to name the school as one of your preferred schools on the secondary school common application form. This will be available on your home council website from early September and must be submitted by 31st October 2025.

Remember – passing the 11 plus doesn’t guarantee that your child will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Many grammar schools are often oversubscribed with qualified children. Schools and their admissions authorities work through admissions criteria to prioritise children for places. We’ve included the admissions criteria for Heckmondwike Grammar School below.

What subjects are on the Heckmondwike entrance exam?

Heckmondwike Grammar School has changed its entrance exam for 2024 onwards. The new supplier is Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE).

FSCE 11 plus exams test three subjects:

1. English comprehension: your child will be tested on reading comprehension, vocabulary and spelling
2. Maths: your child will be assessed on Key Stage 2 maths topics taught up to the end of Year 5
3. Creative writing: your child will need to write a piece of original writing in response to a prompt

How does place allocation work at Heckmondwike Grammar School?

There is no fixed pass mark for the Heckmondwike Grammar School entrance test. The school looks to select children who are working in the top 25% ability range. This means that the required standard is based on the general performance of the year group.

Every year, more children who have met the required standard apply for Heckmondwike Grammar School than there are places available. When this happens, the school uses oversubscription criteria to prioritise places. First, children who have met the required standard and who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school are given places. Remaining places are allocated in this order:

1. Looked after and previously looked after children
2. Children eligible for the pupil premium
3. Children who live in the catchment area
4. Children who have siblings at Heckmondwike Grammar School, and who will still be on the school roll at the time of entry
5. Children of parents employed by Heckmondwike Grammar School for at least two years
6. Children who have achieved a grade 2 or above in music

If there are any places remaining, these are offered to children based on their overall score in the entrance exam.

Does Heckmondwike Grammar School have a catchment area?

Heckmondwike Grammar School does have a catchment area. This area mainly covers Heckmondwike and Liversedge, but stretches out to include Roberttown in the east. A catchment area map is available on the school website.

While children who live in the catchment area are prioritised for places at Heckmondwike Grammar School, over 90% of children in Year 7 live beyond the catchment area. Many coach companies now operate services to the school from the surrounding area.

Atom’s top tips for 11 plus preparation

The 11 plus is designed to select the most academically able children in the area. Here are our top tips to help you and your child feel confident for exam day!

Bitesize learning

It’s important to build a good knowledge base before the 11 plus. Using a ‘little and often’ approach when learning is key – our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. For children aged 10–11, child psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20–30 minutes.

Atom Home makes learning a more enjoyable process for your child. They'll explore exciting worlds full of interactive questions, earning coins to spend in the Atom shop. Atom adapts to your child, showing them questions at just the right level of difficulty to keep them motivated.

Read widely

Verbal reasoning tests your child’s ability to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to help your child build these skills.

Encourage them to read books from different genres and by a diverse range of authors. Increasing the variety of your child’s reading will help them understand different styles, tones and purposes. Meanwhile, reading a little every day will help widen their vocabulary, sharpen their analytical thinking, and enhance their imagination.

Refine exam technique

When your child feels confident with the topics they’ve learnt in Year 5, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.

Practice tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and build confidence working under test conditions. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning and highlight knowledge gaps for further improvement.

With Atom Home, you'll unlock practice tests for the Heckmondwike Grammar School entrance exam. Enjoy automatic marking and progress tracking with the online tests, and help your child get familiar with the real exam experience with printable practice papers.

Celebrate progress

Setting regular, achievable goals and celebrating your child’s progress – no matter how big or small – will help keep their motivation high.

Make sure to encourage a growth mindset. This means celebrating effort, as well as achievement! When your child makes mistakes or struggles to understand a particular topic, help them understand that they’ll improve through practice. Regular praise will help your child improve their resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.