Gloucestershire 11+ Grammar Schools Guide
Gloucestershire has seven grammar schools across Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud. The grammar schools administer the entrance test, while the county coordinates the later secondary-school application process.
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How this regional 11+ system works
Gloucestershire has seven grammar schools across Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud. The grammar schools administer the entrance test, while the county coordinates the later secondary-school application process.
Use this flagship page to understand the regional structure, then verify the current entry-year policy with the relevant local authority, consortium and individual grammar school. Registration windows, test providers, score-sharing arrangements, priority areas and oversubscription rules can change.
Four things parents need to understand
Seven grammar schools
The county lists seven grammar schools across Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud.
Schools administer the test
Registration and test administration are handled by the grammar schools rather than the council admissions team.
Score sharing is important
Families select which grammar schools should receive the child’s result.
A qualifying rank is not an offer
The grammar school must also be listed on the secondary-school application.
Step-by-step grammar-school admissions process
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Select target grammar schools | Choose schools based on fit, travel and admissions policy. |
| Register for the entrance test | Use the grammar schools’ current registration portal within the published window. |
| Choose score sharing | Ensure the relevant schools can consider the test result. |
| Prepare using the current format | Use official familiarisation information before commercial resources. |
| List the school on the CAF | A qualifying rank cannot produce an offer if the school is omitted from the application. |
What the 11+ may assess
Verbal skills
Vocabulary and reasoning where included in the current specification.
Mathematical skills
Arithmetic and problem solving.
Non-verbal skills
Visual and pattern reasoning where included.
Timed application
Accurate pacing and sustained performance across the entrance test.
Official familiarisation material should be the starting point. Third-party practice is most useful when its question types, timing, response format and difficulty resemble the current test. Scores from unrelated publishers should not be treated as interchangeable predictions.
Grammar schools and selective routes covered
- Pate’s Grammar School
- Denmark Road High School
- Ribston Hall High School
- Sir Thomas Rich’s School
- The Crypt School
- Marling School
- Stroud High School
Retain a separate school-specific SET page when it has substantial unique value: current admissions-policy detail, distinct test stages, catchment analysis, travel guidance, school-specific search demand or a strong existing ranking. Thin school summaries should be merged into this regional flagship.
How to prepare effectively
1. Diagnose
Identify strengths and gaps in the exact subjects required by the target test. Record the reason for errors, not just the score.
2. Teach
Repair curriculum, vocabulary and reasoning gaps explicitly before relying on repeated papers.
3. Practise
Use short targeted sets, then mix skills so the child must recognise the appropriate method independently.
4. Time and rehearse
Introduce timing after accuracy is secure. Progress towards realistic papers, answer-sheet practice and full-session stamina.
Scores, qualifying standards and offers
A qualifying score, standardised score, rank and effective allocation score can mean different things. A child may be academically eligible but still not receive an offer because the school is oversubscribed.
Historical scores can help parents understand competitiveness, but they should not be presented as guaranteed future thresholds. Applicant numbers, age standardisation, priority categories, address rules and school capacity can all change the final allocation picture.
Common mistakes
- Thinking the council administers the test itself.
- Failing to share the score with all relevant grammar schools.
- Treating qualifying rank as an automatic offer.
- Forgetting to list the grammar school on the common application form.
- Using old test details without checking the current school consortium guidance.
Official information and related SET guides
Official admissions sources
Gloucestershire grammar schoolsGloucestershire school admissions
Related School Entrance Tests guides
11+ Year 4 Preparation11+ Year 5 Preparation11+ Year 6 Final Preparation11+ Practice Tests11+ Exam Timelines11+ Syllabus Guide
Gloucestershire 11+ Grammar Schools Guide FAQs
How many grammar schools are in Gloucestershire?
The county lists seven grammar schools.
Who runs the entrance test?
The grammar schools themselves administer registration and testing.
Does a qualifying rank guarantee a place?
No. Families must also apply for the school and satisfy its admissions policy.
Can one test result be shared?
The coordinated process allows parents to specify the grammar schools with which the score should be shared.
Where should practice begin?
Start with the current official familiarisation materials.
Can I appeal if my child is not offered a place?
Parents have appeal rights after refusal; the relevant school can provide the grammar-school appeal process.
Build the plan around the actual admissions policy
Confirm the current test, school criteria and application stages first. Then build the relevant knowledge and reasoning skills, use practice diagnostically and add realistic timed rehearsal only when accuracy is secure.
Editorial framework updated August 2026. Verify all dates and admission arrangements for the relevant entry year directly with the authority, consortium and school.
11+ Preparation by School Year
Preparation should change as children move through primary
school. Use these guides to match the amount and type of
practice to the child’s stage.
11+ Year 3 Preparation
Develop reading, vocabulary, mathematics and
reasoning foundations without intensive test pressure.
11+ Year 4 Preparation
Introduce structured preparation and the main
11+ question types before the core preparation year.
11+ Year 5 Preparation
Use a structured revision timetable covering
syllabus completion, timing and mock tests.
11+ Year 6 Preparation
Consolidate performance with final revision,
exam-month preparation and test-day planning.
Explore 11+ grammar schools
11+ Grammar School Guides by Region
Grammar-school admissions vary considerably across England.
Select your region below for guidance on local 11+ tests,
grammar schools, admissions policies, preparation,
qualifying scores and school applications.
Birmingham & West Midlands
Birmingham and West Midlands grammar schools,
entrance testing and regional selective admissions.
View Birmingham & West Midlands 11+ guide →
Warwickshire
Warwickshire grammar schools, priority areas and
West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test guidance.
View Warwickshire 11+ guide →
Liverpool & Wirral
Wirral grammar schools, local assessment arrangements
and selective routes around Liverpool.
View Liverpool & Wirral 11+ guide →
Manchester & Trafford
Trafford grammar schools and the different selective
admissions routes around Greater Manchester.
View Manchester & Trafford 11+ guide →
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire grammar schools, entrance testing,
qualifying ranks and applications.
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire grammar schools, local 11+ testing
and school-specific admissions arrangements.
View Lincolnshire 11+ guide →
Devon
Compare selective routes around Plymouth, Torbay
and Colyton.
View Devon 11+ grammar schools guide →
Bournemouth & Poole
Grammar-school admissions serving Bournemouth,
Poole and the wider Dorset area.
View Bournemouth & Poole 11+ guide →
Yorkshire & North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire grammar schools and other
school-specific selective routes across Yorkshire.
View Yorkshire 11+ grammar schools guide →
Medway
Medway Test preparation and grammar-school admissions,
separate from the Kent Test system.
Bexley
Bexley Selection Test guidance and admissions
to Bexley’s four grammar schools.
Sutton
Sutton Selective Eligibility Test, grammar-school
second stages and admissions.
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire grammar schools and the
Secondary Transfer Test admissions system.
Kent
Kent Test guidance, grammar assessment and
individual grammar-school admissions criteria.
View Kent 11+ guide →
Essex
CSSE entrance testing and grammar-school admissions
across Essex and Southend.
Berkshire
Compare Slough Consortium, Reading School and
Kendrick School selective admissions.
Hertfordshire
South West Herts and other selective-school
admissions arrangements across Hertfordshire.
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