Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Alford 11+ guide

Applying to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford for September 2028? This guide covers the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11+, the qualifying score, how the 84 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford 11+ at a glance

• School type: co-educational grammar school
• Location: Alford, Lincolnshire
• Admissions contact: reception@queenelizabeths.co.uk
• Number of places in Year 7: 84 (2027-entry figure — Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
• Qualifying score: a combined standardised score of at least 220 across the two tests (out of a maximum of 282), for 2027 entry
• 11+ test: Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11+ (two multiple-choice tests: verbal reasoning, and non-verbal and spatial reasoning)

Source: Queen Elizabeth's Grammar, Alford Admissions Arrangements for September 2027. Last checked October 2026.

Key dates for September 2028 entry

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford confirms its exact dates in the spring before each cycle. The windows below follow the 2027-entry timetable: registration ran from January 2026, when primary schools gave out the forms to Friday 20 March 2026, the test took place on two days in September 2026, a week apart (the consortium's main test dates were Saturday 12 and Saturday 19 September) and results were due mid-October 2026. We'll update this page as soon as the school publishes its 2028-entry dates.

How to apply to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.

If you live in the school's designated transport area, your child's primary school gives out the registration form in January and you return it to the primary school. If you live outside the area, you can request a form from the school by emailing a.duff@queenelizabeths.co.uk.

Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.

Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.

What will my child be tested on?

Lincolnshire's grammar schools share one 11+, run by the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The tests are produced and marked by GL Assessment. Every consortium school uses the same tests, so your child sits them once and the result counts for any of the schools.

There are two tests, sat a week apart in September of Year 6: verbal reasoning first, then non-verbal and spatial reasoning. All questions are multiple choice, and your child marks answers in pencil on a separate answer sheet. The non-verbal test is taken one section at a time, following the invigilator's instructions.

Each test has a maximum standardised score of 141, so the highest possible combined score is 282.

Primary schools in the school's designated transport area usually run the tests for their own pupils. Children who can't sit them at their primary school can take them at their nearest grammar school or at Queen Elizabeth's.

How are places allocated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford?

If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 84 Year 7 places, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027 entry. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.

Every category only includes children who reach the required score of 220.

Does Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford have a catchment area?

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford gives priority to children living in its designated free transport area, which the school describes as its traditional catchment area. The area is shown on a map on the school's admissions page. Children who live outside it but attend a primary school inside it come next.

Within each category, the child living closest to the school in a straight line is offered a place first. Lincolnshire County Council measures the distance to three decimal places, and if two children still can't be separated, an independent person makes a random allocation.

If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?

A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.

How can I help my child prepare for the test?

The Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11 plus 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 11+ 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 11+ practice papers are built to match the format, timing and question styles of real 11+ 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 11+ 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
• build confidence in tackling unseen texts

And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.

Looking for inspiration? Explore Atom's free reading and writing starter kit for helpful suggestions of age-appropriate books your child can read!

Celebrate progress, not just scores