Lancashire grammar schools 11 plus guide

What is the 11 plus?

The 11 plus is an academic entrance exam used by grammar schools in England. Schools use the results of the test to decide which children to offer places to in Year 7.

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 working at least within the top 25% of their year group – normally ‘exceeding expectations’ in Key Stage 2 English, maths and science – are usually well-suited for grammar school.

The exam takes place in September in Year 6. Children who were born between 1st September 2014 and 31st August 2015 will take the entrance test in September 2025 for Year 7 entry in September 2026.

How is the 11 plus scored?

After the test, your child’s answer sheets are marked using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR). This technology picks up the marks your child has made to indicate which answers they think are correct. Your child receives a mark for every correct answer.

These marks are then age-standardised. Age-standardisation is a common practice in 11 plus scoring and ensures younger children aren’t disadvantaged.

Standardised age scores for each paper normally range from 60 at the lowest end, to 142 at the highest end.

• A single standardised score of 80 or below represents the bottom 10% of the year group

• A single standardised score of 100 represents the average score for the child's year group

• A single standardised score of 120 or above represents the top 10% of children in that year group

The highest standardised age score a child can achieve for a single paper is usually 142. This score would place them within the top 1% of children taking the test.

You’ll receive your child’s results in mid-October. If your child meets your target school’s qualifying standard, you can then apply for a place for that school on your common application form (CAF).

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

There is no single pass mark for the Lancashire 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 Lancashire grammar school.

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

• Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School

• Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

• Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School

• Lancaster Royal Grammar School

How to apply to Lancashire grammar schools

If you're considering a grammar school in Lancashire 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 Lancashire 11 plus

If you would like your child to be considered for a place at one of the four Lancashire Grammar Schools, you’ll need to register them to take the school’s entrance test.

Registration will be available on your target school’s website. In Lancashire, the registration window is usually open from May/June in Year 5 to early September in Year 6.

2. Apply for school places

Your child’s test results will be sent to you in mid-October. You’ll find out if your child has met the qualifying standard to be eligible for a place at your target school(s).

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

On 2nd 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.