Yorkshire grammar schools 11 plus guide

Thinking about a grammar school in Yorkshire for your child? This guide walks you through how the system works, key dates for entry, and how to support your child through the 11+.

In this guide, you'll find:

• How the Yorkshire grammar school system works
• Key 11+ dates and deadlines for 2027 entry
• Which schools use the 11+ in Yorkshire
• What your child will be tested on
• How the exam is scored and how places are allocated
• Practical ways to support your child's 11+ preparation

Yorkshire grammar schools

There are six grammar schools in Yorkshire, grouped across North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire:

North Yorkshire

• Ermysted's Grammar School (boys)
• Ripon Grammar School (boys and girls)
• Skipton Girls' High School (girls)

West Yorkshire

• Heckmondwike Grammar School (boys and girls)
• North Halifax Grammar School (boys and girls)
• The Crossley Heath School (boys and girls)

Each school has its own entrance exam and registration process. Some schools share an exam with a neighbouring school, but you will still need to register separately for each school you apply to.

Key dates for 2027 entry

North Yorkshire

• Monday 13th April 2026: Ermysted's Grammar School test registration opens
• Friday 1st May 2026: Skipton Girls' High School test registration opens
• Wednesday 19th August 2026: Skipton Girls' High School test registration closes (midnight)
• Monday 31st August 2026: Ermysted's Grammar School test registration closes
• Saturday 26th September 2026: Ermysted's Grammar School test day
• Saturday 26th September 2026: Skipton Girls' High School test day (9.30am–approximately 12.15pm)
• Week commencing Monday 12th October 2026: parents receive Ermysted's Grammar School test results
• By Monday 19th October 2026: parents receive Skipton Girls' High School test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: deadline to apply for secondary school places
• Monday 1st March 2027: secondary school national offers day

Ripon Grammar School key dates for 2027 entry will be published by 30th April 2026. In the meantime, visit the North Yorkshire selective schools admissions page for the latest information.

West Yorkshire

• Friday 20th March 2026: North Halifax Grammar School and The Crossley Heath School test registration opens
• Monday 11th May 2026: Heckmondwike Grammar School test registration opens
• Monday 22nd June 2026: Heckmondwike Grammar School test registration closes
• Friday 26th June 2026: North Halifax Grammar School and The Crossley Heath School test registration closes
• Monday 14th September 2026: Heckmondwike Grammar School test day
• Saturday 19th September 2026: North Halifax Grammar School and The Crossley Heath School admissions test
• Friday 26th September 2026: The Crossley Heath School supplementary test (alternative date)
• Friday 16th October 2026: parents receive North Halifax Grammar School and The Crossley Heath School test results
• Saturday 17th October 2026: parents receive Heckmondwike Grammar School test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: deadline to apply for secondary school places
• Monday 1st March 2027: secondary school national offers day

Dates may be subject to change. Always check with your target school for the latest information.

What is the Yorkshire 11+?

The 11+ is an academic entrance test used by grammar schools to assess children for Year 7 entry. Children who pass the test or meet a qualifying standard are eligible to apply for a place.

The test is taken in September of Year 6. Children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 will sit the 11+ in September 2026 for entry to Year 7 in September 2027.

What's on the 11 plus in Yorkshire?

There is no single shared 11+ exam across Yorkshire. The six grammar schools use their own entrance exams, except for Ermysted’s Grammar School and Skipton Girls’ High School, which use the same exam. 

Five of the six schools use papers provided by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise).

• Ermysted’s Grammar School: FSCE 11+ papers in English and maths
• Heckmondwike Grammar School: FSCE 11+ papers in English, maths and creative writing
• North Halifax Grammar School: FSCE 11+ papers in English, maths and creative writing
• Ripon Grammar School: GL Assessment 11+ papers in verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
• Skipton Girls’ High School: FSCE 11 plus papers in English, maths and creative writing
• The Crossley Heath School: FSCE 11 plus papers in English, maths and creative writing

How is the Yorkshire 11+ 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.

Your child's raw scores are then age-standardised, which means younger children are not disadvantaged. The standardised age score (SAS) is the final score schools use to rank candidates.

For schools that include a creative writing component, only children who achieve an eligible score in the English and maths papers will have their creative writing paper marked. Results are sent to parents in mid-to-late October 2026.

What's the pass mark for the Yorkshire 11+?

There is no single fixed pass mark across the Yorkshire grammar schools. Each school places all children's age-standardised scores in rank order and sets its own qualifying standard. 

Grammar schools in Yorkshire are competitive and frequently oversubscribed, so passing the test does not guarantee a place. Where a school receives more applications than places available, it will allocate places using its oversubscription criteria.

We always recommend reviewing your target school's admissions policy carefully before applying, as each school applies its own criteria when allocating places.

How to apply to grammar schools in Yorkshire

If you're considering a grammar school in Yorkshire 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 can indicate whether they think your child will be able to keep up with the pace at a grammar school.

1. Register for the 11+

Each school has its own registration process and deadline. Registration forms are available on each school's website. Make sure to register separately for each school you are applying to, even where two schools share the same test.

Key registration opening dates for 2027 entry:

• Ermysted's Grammar School: registration opens Monday 13th April 2026
• Skipton Girls' High School: registration opens Friday 1st May 2026
• Ripon Grammar School: registration dates to be confirmed
• North Halifax Grammar School and The Crossley Heath School: registration opens Friday 20th March 2026
• Heckmondwike Grammar School: registration opens Monday 11th May 2026

2. Apply for school places

Results are sent to parents in mid-to-late October 2026. If your child meets the qualifying standard for a school, you can list it on your secondary school common application form (CAF), which must be submitted to your home local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Before listing a school on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible.

3. National school offers day

On Monday 1st March 2027, you'll be informed which secondary school your child has been allocated.

If your preferred school isn't offered, your child will receive another local school place, and you'll be given information about how to appeal.

How can I help my child prepare for the Yorkshire 11+?

The Yorkshire 11+ can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be stressful.

Here are some practical ways to support your child in a calm, structured way.

Stay on track with a clear Yorkshire 11+ revision plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation isn't motivation – it's knowing what to work on, when, and how to stay consistent without it taking over family life.

A clear plan helps your child build skills in the right order and avoid last-minute cramming.

With Atom's Exam Plan, you enter your child's exam date and target schools, and Atom builds a personalised weekly plan based on the key skills they'll be tested on. It adapts as they improve and shows them exactly what to focus on each week.

That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path to exam day.

Build 11+ exam technique with realistic practice papers

Once your child feels secure with the main topics, paper practice tests help them feel more confident with the exam format.

Atom's 11+ practice papers are designed to reflect real test conditions. Parents simply photograph their child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom for instant marking.

You'll get:

• a Standardised Age Score (SAS)
• clear insight into strengths and areas for improvement
• a comparison with other children applying to the same schools

The papers are unlimited, meaning your child can practise again and again with new questions each time.

Encourage regular reading for 11+ English success

Strong reading skills underpin almost every part of the 11+.

Encourage your child to read for 10–15 minutes a day, focusing on variety – fiction, non-fiction, different genres and authors.

This helps build:

• vocabulary
• comprehension and inference
• confidence with unfamiliar texts

If you're looking for ideas, Atom's recommended reading lists for Years 3–6 include a wide range of age-appropriate books.

Celebrate progress, not just 11+ scores

When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction.

Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple view of how your child is doing across topics and how their performance is developing over time.

That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady and focus on consistent improvement – not just one-off test results.