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Herschel Grammar School 11 plus: 2024 entry guide

By Atom | Mar 7, 2023, 4:18 PM

Herschel Grammar School, Slough (Berkshire)

Are you considering Herschel Grammar School for your child? We've collated everything you need to know about entry in 2024. Keep reading to find out about key dates, how to register, what's tested on the Slough 11 plus and how to help your child excel.

About Herschel Grammar School

Herschel Grammar School is a selective state school for boys and girls, founded in 1952 in Slough, Berkshire. It has consistently been awarded ‘outstanding’ Ofsted ratings, citing “pupils’ behaviour and attitude to learning” as real strengths.

The curriculum at Herschel Grammar School is characterised by a depth of knowledge and understanding, equipping students with the skills to learn independently. There is a range of traditional and contemporary subjects available, including business, computer science, food preparation and nutrition, government and politics, media studies, and psychology.

Pupils at Herschel Grammar School are encouraged to take responsibility for their own behaviour and develop strong emotional intelligence and empathy. As a result, students leave as responsible and active citizens ready for the next stage of their lives, be it university or the workplace.

  • Address: Herschel Grammar School, Northampton Avenue, Slough, Berkshire SL1 3BW

  • Local authority: Slough Borough Council

  • School type: mixed grammar

  • Headteacher: Joanne Rockall

  • Number of pupils: 1,000+

  • National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 106

  • A level results: 72% A*–B

  • GCSE results: 79% A*/A/9/8/7

Key info for Year 7 admissions

  • Admissions contact: [email protected], 01753 520950

  • Number of places in Year 7: 150

  • Information evening: Tuesday 25th April 2023

  • 11 plus registration opens: Thursday 27th April 2023

  • 11 plus registration closes: Monday 12th June 2023 at 10am

  • 11 plus exam date: Saturday 16th September 2023

  • 11 plus exam type: Slough Consortium 11 plus – GL Assessment

  • Common application form (CAF) deadline: 31st October 2023

  • National school offer day: 1st March 2024

Herschel Grammar School term dates

The term dates at Herschel Grammar School for 2023–2024 are:

  • Autumn term: 5th September – 15th December 2023

  • Half term: 23rd–27th October 2023

  • Spring term: 2nd January – 28th March 2024

  • Half term: 12th–16th February 2024

  • Summer term: 15th April – 19th July 2024

  • Half term: 27th–31st May 2024

How to apply to Herschel Grammar School

1. Register for the Slough Consortium 11 plus

Herschel Grammar School is a member of the Slough Consortium, along with three other grammar schools in the Slough area. If your child is applying for any of the grammar schools within the Consortium, they will only need to take the 11 plus exam once.

You will need to register your child to take the Slough Consortium 11 plus test through the portal, accessed via any of the grammar school websites within the consortium. Registration will be open from Thursday 27th April 2023 to 10am on Monday 12th June 2023.

2. Apply for a school place

You will receive your child's results in the Slough 11 plus in mid-October 2023. If your child has achieved the pass mark, they will be eligible for a grammar school place. You can then name Herschel Grammar School as one of your preferred schools on your common application form.

Before listing the school as a preference on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible. Passing the 11 plus will not be a guarantee of a place as more children reach the qualifying standard each year than there are places available.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023. The form must be completed for your home local authority – i.e. if Slough Borough Council is your local authority, you will need to complete the common application form on the Slough Council website. If you live in a different local authority, make sure to apply through the relevant website for that council.

What's on the Slough 11 plus?

Children applying for a place in Year 7 at Herschel Grammar School will take the Slough 11 plus test on Saturday 16th September 2023.

The Slough 11 plus consists of two multiple-choice papers, both created by GL Assessment. Questions assess a range of topics across four subjects:

  • English

  • Maths

  • Verbal reasoning

  • Non-verbal reasoning

Find out more in our comprehensive guide to the Slough Consortium 11 plus and access free resources to help your child prepare.

Slough Consortium 11 plus guide

What is the pass mark for Herschel Grammar School?

Your child's answer booklets will be marked by computer and their 'raw' scores will be provided. These raw scores are then standardised to even out any age disadvantage for children born later in the year. A total score is calculated for each child, and these are ranked in order. All marking and standardisation are carried out by GL Assessment.

Children will need a standardised mark of 111 to be eligible for a grammar school in Slough. This represents approximately the top 35% of the cohort.

However, achieving a particular score won't guarantee a place at a grammar school, as schools are usually oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admission policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area. We've included the admission criteria for Herschel Grammar School below.

Herschel Grammar School admission criteria

There are 150 places available in Year 7 at Herschel Grammar School. Children who have qualified for entry and have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming Herschel Grammar School will be allocated a place as a priority, and the number of places reduced accordingly.

If there are more children who have qualified for Herschel Grammar School than the school has places available, places will be allocated in the following order:

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children

  2. Children living within the school catchment area

  3. Up to a further 10 places will be offered to eligible children who live within 10 miles of the school and qualify for pupil premium

  4. Children of staff working at Herschel Grammar School

  5. All remaining places will be allocated according to children's rank order of performance in the 11 plus exam

Herschel Grammar School catchment area

The catchment area for Herschel Grammar School is defined as the area spanning 4 miles from the school address in any direction. A map indicating this 4-mile radius is available in the school admission policy.

How to help your child prepare for the 11 plus

Here are our top tips on how to best prepare your child for the Slough 11 plus.

Cover all the content

The Slough 11 plus assesses a large breadth and depth of learning objectives across the Key Stage 2 national curriculum and beyond.

We recommend that your child starts revising content at least one year before the test. Setting aside study periods using a 'little and often' approach will give them time to build the skills and knowledge they need. When preparing, avoid falling into the trap of over-focusing on either the topics your child enjoys or the topics they find hardest.

Atom Home is an 11 plus online course that tailors your child's personalised learning journey to cover all elements of the Slough 11 plus at the right pace for them.

No surprises

Your child will encounter lots of unfamiliar types of questions in the 11 plus exam. Building exam technique with 11 plus test papers will help your child to feel fully confident with the styles of questions they'll encounter in the exam, reducing the potential for stress on the day.

Celebrate their progress

Setting regular goals and celebrating achievements will help keep motivation high. Atom Home offers data-driven insights into your child’s progress towards mastering the 11 plus curriculum, making it easy to see where they need to focus next.

Test your knowledge

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Personalised 11 plus prep for your child

Wondering how to make sure your child covers the depth and breadth of the entire 11 plus curriculum, stays on track with their progress, and gets help when they're stuck? Online learning is a particularly efficient, cost-effective (and fun) way to do this!

Atom Home is the award-winning online 11 plus practice platform that gives your child everything they need to prepare for grammar school exams.

Children work independently through over 90,000 interactive practice questions in English, maths and reasoning. Teacher-created helpsheets and videos help them discover new concepts and consolidate their learning.

Atom's algorithm keeps children on their ideal learning path, tailored to their unique learning style and pace to keep them challenged and motivated.

Slough 11 plus practice papers

Atom Home gives children access to online 11 plus practice papers. Our online tests are designed to mirror the format and style of the real Slough 11 plus, so your child will go into the exam knowing exactly what to expect.

And what's more, everything is automatically marked for you.

Try Atom Home free for 5 days

Begin your child's journey to Herschel Grammar School today. Use the full features of Atom Home free for 5 days – cancel anytime.

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Personalised 11 plus support for you

We know how keen you are for your child to do well in the 11 plus, to give them every chance of securing a place at their school of choice. Our dedicated team of Education Experts are on hand to support you and your family every step of the way:

Ask us anything

We're happy to help with any questions you may have about admissions processes and helping your child prepare for entry to Slough grammar schools.

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