Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School 11+ guide

Atom Learning is partnered with Lancaster Girls' Grammar School. You can read more about our partnership here.

Are you thinking about applying to Lancaster Girls' Grammar School? Find out everything you need to know about the entry process and how to prepare for the 11+ exam.

Key information for Lancaster Girls' Grammar School

• School type: girls' grammar school
• Location: Lancaster, Lancashire
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• Number of places in Year 7: 145
• 11+ exam: FSCE Entrance Test
• Catchment area: yes

Important dates for 2027 entry

• June 2026: test registration opens
• Friday 11th September 2026: test registration closes
• Saturday 26th September 2026: test day
• Saturday 17th October 2026: parents receive test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: deadline to apply for secondary school places
• Monday 1st March 2027: secondary school national offers day

How to apply to Lancaster Girls' Grammar School

Lancaster Girls' Grammar School is selective. This means that your child will need to take the 11+ exam to be eligible for a place.

You must register your child for the test. A link to register will be available on the school’s website during the registration window.

The entrance test will take place on Saturday 26th September 2026. You'll be emailed details about the test location, time, and what your child needs to bring before the exam.

Your child's results will be emailed to you by 17th October 2026. If they meet the qualifying standard for Lancaster Girls' Grammar School, you can apply for a place by naming the school on your common application form. This must be submitted to your local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Important note: passing the test doesn't guarantee that your child will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Grammar schools are often oversubscribed with children who meet the qualifying standard. After the 31st October deadline, schools use admissions criteria to allocate places.

We've outlined the process for Lancaster Girls' Grammar School below.

What will my child be tested on?

Lancaster Girls' Grammar School uses the FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) Entrance Test. FSCE's goal is to make grammar school testing more accessible for all children, regardless of primary school, socio-economic background or disability.

The test consists of two standardised papers, both taken on the same day, covering English and maths only. 

The content is designed to reflect the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to the end of Year 5, so your child will not be tested on anything they haven't already covered at school. The test includes both multiple-choice and written response questions.

How are places allocated at Lancaster Girls' Grammar School?

In mid-October, you'll receive your child's test results. These will confirm whether your child has met the required standard for admission.

If your child's results meet the required standard, you must name Lancaster Girls' Grammar School as a preferred school on your common application form to be considered. This must be submitted to your home local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Places are allocated in a particular order. This is known as ‘Oversubscription Criteria’ and is specific to each grammar school you apply to. Details are available in your target school’s admissions policy.

Does Lancaster Girls' Grammar School have a catchment area?

Yes, Lancaster Girls' Grammar School prioritises children whose home address is within the City of Lancaster boundary at the time of application. You can check whether your address falls within the City of Lancaster on the Lancashire County Council website.

Children living outside the City of Lancaster are still eligible to apply if they meet the qualifying standard, but will be considered after all in-area applicants.

If a tie-break is needed, the child living closest to the school will be prioritised for a place.

How can I help my child prepare for the test?

The Lancaster Girls' Grammar School entrance test 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 exam 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 practice papers are replicas of real entrance 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 exam 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, and build confidence in tackling unseen texts.

Looking for inspiration? Atom's recommended reading lists have suggestions spanning fiction and non-fiction for Years 3–6.

Celebrate progress, not just scores

When you're supporting your child through exam 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.