Parkstone Grammar School 11 plus: 2024 entry guide

Are you considering Parkstone Grammar School for your daughter? We've collated all the information you need to know about 2024 entry to Year 7. Keep reading to learn about key dates, the admissions process, and how to excel in the 11 plus exam.

About Parkstone Grammar School

Parkstone Grammar School was founded in Poole in 1905 and provides a grammar school education to girls aged 11 to 18. Ofsted, who rated the school 'outstanding', said that the school offers a "stimulating, friendly community in which all students are valued and may thrive intellectually, emotionally and physically".

Girls at Parkstone are encouraged to succeed in their subjects, but also to enjoy the wide range of co-curricular opportunities on offer, including music, theatre, public speaking and charity. The sixth form collaborates with the local boys' grammar, Poole Grammar School, enabling pupils to choose from an extensive A level curriculum.

• Address: Parkstone Grammar School, Sopers Lane, Poole, Dorset BH17 7EP

• Local authority: Dorset Council

• School type: girls' grammar

• Headteacher: David Hallsworth

• Number of pupils: 1,300+

• National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 133

• A level results: 76.2% A*–B

• GCSE results: 62.4% A*/A/9/8/7

Key info for Year 7 admissions

• Admissions contact: [email protected], 01202 605605

• Number of places in Year 7: 192

• Open event: 11th July 2023

• 11 plus registration opens: 17th April 2023

• 11 plus registration closes: 8th September 2023

• Exam date: 23rd September 2023

• Exam type: Dorset Consortium – GL Assessment

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

• National school offer day: 1st March 2024

How to apply to Parkstone Grammar School

1. Register for the 11 plus

Before registering, speak to your child’s teacher to see if the 11 plus and grammar school is right for them. The 11 plus exam is a challenging exam, designed to select the children working within the top 25% of their year group.

You will need to complete a test registration form to register your daughter for the 11 plus test. This will be available to complete on the school website from 9am on 17th April, and will close on 8th September 2023.

2. Apply for school places

You will receive your daughter's results in the 11 plus in a letter posted by the school on 13th October 2023. You can use the results to decide which schools to include on your local authority secondary application form. You must complete the form for your home local authority:

• Dorset residents: Dorset Council

• Hampshire residents: Hampshire County Council

• Wiltshire residents: Wiltshire Council

If your daughter has met the score necessary to be eligible for a place at Parkstone Grammar School, you will be able to name the school as a preference on the form. However, make sure to check the school's oversubscription criteria first; in the likely event that more children achieve the qualifying score than there are places available, the school will need to apply oversubscription criteria to prioritise places.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023.

What is the pass mark for Parkstone Grammar School?

Your daughter's raw scores for the three papers will be standardised according to her age in years and months. This is to ensure that children born later in the school year aren't disadvantaged by being younger. The scores will then be shared with the other three schools in the Dorset Consortium.

All candidates' marks will then be ranked in order of success. There is no set pass mark, as the qualifying standard will be determined by the number of children who have taken the test, and how well the particular cohort has performed.

Achieving the qualifying score doesn't guarantee a place at the school of your choice, as schools are oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admission policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area.

Parkstone Grammar School admissions criteria

Oversubscription criteria

The planned admission number (PAN) for Year 7 is 192. If more children reach the standardised pass mark than there are places available, places are allocated in this order:

1. Girls who are classed as 'Looked After' or 'Previously Looked After'

2. Girls who live within the school catchment area and entitled to Pupil Premium

3. Girls who live within the school catchment area

4. Girls who do not live within the school catchment area, but are entitled to Pupil Premium

5. All other girls living outside the school catchment area, ranked in order of test scores

In the event of a tie for the 192nd place, the school will offer the place to the girl who lives closest to Parkstone Grammar School. This distance is measured using the shortest, safest and most practical walking route using the centre line of public roads and footpaths.

Catchment area

The catchment area for Parkstone Grammar School covers the historic Borough of Poole and the following Poole postcodes:

• BH12, BH13, BH14, BH15, BH16, BH17 and BH18

• BH21 3

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 Nucleus 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.