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There are a number of different options for you to consider for your child when they finish primary school and move on to the next stage of their education. One of these options is grammar school. Grammar schools can be competitive and demanding, but provide an academically fulfilling experience for the students who thrive there.
Our grammar school guide will help shed light on what grammar schools are and their admissions process. We will also highlight their many benefits and potential challenges, and much more besides.
What are grammar schools?
Grammar schools are state-funded, like comprehensive schools. However, unlike comprehensive schools, they are academically selective and typically enrol students based on their performance in entrance exams, commonly known as the 11 plus exam, or 11+. They make up a very small percentage of schools in England: only 5.3 percent of all state secondary students were enrolled in grammar schools in 2022. They are also geographically quite spread out, and only 35 local authorities in the country have any grammar schools at all.
Modern grammar schools were first introduced alongside secondary moderns and technical schools by Rab Butler with the 1994 Education Act. The idea was for all students to take an exam at the end of primary school. The most academically proficient would be selected for grammar schools, those most adept at scientific and mechanical subjects would be enrolled in technical schools, and everyone else would receive a more general education at the “secondary moderns”.
However, few technical schools were opened and the “tripartite system” became one of only two tiers in practice. Most grammar schools were gradually phased out in favour of comprehensive schools over the following decades, resulting in a ban on new grammar schools in 1998. Nonetheless, 163 grammar schools have retained their status and are educating pupils today.
Grammar school curriculum
Grammar schools generally follow the national curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4, like the majority of other state schools. Most grammar school students will take GCSEs and then A levels.
Although grammar schools have the same focus as other schools on core subjects that they must teach, like English, maths, and science, they also offer a wide range of specialist subjects that students can opt for to enrich their learning experience.
These can include subjects such as computing and computer science, art, drama and music, a range of modern languages, history, geography, religious studies and philosophy, business studies and economics, PE, Latin and classical civilisation, DT and product design, and even some others. You can check what subjects are offered for Key Stage 3, GCSE and beyond on each school’s website.
Benefits of grammar schools
Grammar schools are famous for their high academic expectations and focus on educational achievement, although like most schools they offer a range of subjects and enrichment activities. If your child has particular interests or hobbies, many schools offer optional subjects to help nurture these interests, such as music, drama, and languages, as outlined above.
Acceptance into a grammar school is based on a pupil’s performance in entrance exams like the 11 plus, so any child regardless of background has a chance of getting in if they score well enough.
They can provide a fantastic learning experience and opportunities for any hard working child to grow among like-minded studious peers. On average, grammar school students are likely to earn top results in their GCSEs. They are also very likely to attend university, with a 96 percent university acceptance rate. In addition, they are more likely to be accepted into highly selective universities, such as Russell Group universities including Oxbridge or other competitive institutions like St Andrews University.
Challenges and considerations
Most grammar schools are concentrated in the South East and South West of England, with other regions only having a few schools or none at all. Additionally, many grammar schools only allow students within a specified catchment area to apply. If you are interested in a school further away from where you live, be sure to check their catchment areas or look for schools that allow applications from outside their local authority.
Parents who are keen to enrol their children into a grammar school should explore a range of schools, and not solely focus on a selective school as the ‘be all and end all’. Grammar schools are not the right fit for every pupil. Thousands of comprehensive schools and academies provide a fantastic education to millions of pupils across the country, so be sure to consider all available options.
One of the biggest challenges for students to attend grammar school is the highly competitive nature of admissions. In some cases this could put pressure on young children and negatively impact their self-esteem if they fail to earn a place. It is important for candidates to be mentally prepared without being overly pressured by parents and teachers. Keeping your child positively motivated is key when preparing for grammar school entrance exams.
Preparing for the actual tests themselves can also take a lot of work if you want to give your child the best chance possible. You will need to make a preparation plan in the months leading up to the exams and provide practice questions and tests for them to complete. You may need to help them when they are stuck.
Some children are tutored, though this is not the best option for everybody. Tutoring can also be very expensive if undertaken for several months or years. More cost effective revision practice includes online tools such as Bond Online Premium, which has a growing bank of over 8,000 questions in all four 11 plus subjects. Powered by advanced AI technology, Bond Online Premium also provides real time progress updates on how your child is doing, and detailed data insights to help you support your child through the process.
Grammar school admission process
Once you have considered whether grammar school is right for your child, you need to decide on which school or schools you are going to apply to. There are many factors to consider when preparing your shortlist, such as the school’s location and commute, the subjects and enrichment opportunities they offer, and feedback from current and former parents and students. Attend an open day to gauge a feel for the school’s environment and culture, along with understanding if it is a good fit for your aspirations for your child and their goals for the future.
When making your shortlist, it is also important to check the school’s entrance criteria, including their catchment area and exam requirements. In terms of catchment area specifications, some schools require applicants to live within a catchment boundary, others will have a number of places available for applicants living outside it, and some will have no rules on the catchment area at all.
Exam arrangements also vary from school to school. You may need to register for the 11 plus. Your child may only have to take one set of tests for the schools you are applying for, but some schools set their own exams too, so it is best to check with the schools directly. Pay close attention to the registration deadline, results date, and the testing venue allocated to your child. For an in-depth look into how to prepare your child for the 11 plus exams, read our 11 plus preparation guide.
Once your child has received their results, they will know if they have met the required standard for your shortlisted school or schools. The next step is to apply for a place. You can submit your application on your local authority’s website, but some schools have additional forms to submit directly too. Check with your chosen school or schools to ensure you have the correct, up-to-date information for their admissions process.
Entrance exams
Entrance exams like the 11 plus are an important part of the admissions process to grammar schools. Some schools may also offer other additional assessments like music or sports aptitude, which may be relevant for your child. Most schools and local authorities typically administer the 11 plus or similar entrance exams at the beginning of Year 6, your child’s final year of primary school. This will give your child ample time to start building up the necessary skills in Year 4 before focusing on exam prep in Year 5.
The 11 plus comprises a series of tests that may include some or all of the following subjects: English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. Some schools or local authorities will test all four, others may only test some of them. Check with your selected schools for which subjects they require your child to sit so they can prepare adequately.
The English and maths exams will test your child’s knowledge of topics they’ve learnt in class. However, verbal and non-verbal reasoning are not subjects taught at school and might require some additional preparation before the exam. More information on the subjects covered in the 11 plus exam and how to prepare can be found here.
Pass marks for the 11 plus differ between grammar schools, with some schools being more competitive and therefore requiring a higher pass mark than others. It’s always a good idea to check the school’s website, along with reading other parents’ experiences on forums or online groups, to find out more about your chosen school’s entrance exams and pass marks.
Exam support and preparation
Our 11 plus exam preparation guide contains lots of information on where to start, how to structure your child’s revision, and the best methods to prepare.
Many pupils start practising for the 11 plus in Year 5, but some begin their preparations by building and practising key skills before then. At the start of the year, create a test preparation plan for your child to go through tricky topics in English and maths, as well as to familiarise them with verbal and non-verbal reasoning. To do so, work with your child to understand the areas they excel in and where they might need extra support. Your child should be able to cover all the topics in their revision plan within 30 minute study sessions each week, increasing this as you get closer to exams.
In the lead up to the exam, many parents use practice books and past papers to prepare their children for the 11 plus. Some also opt for hiring tutors for one-to-one support, though tutoring might not be for everyone. Find out what works best for your child and weave this into their revision plan accordingly.
You can also use online platforms like Bond Online Premium, which provides AI-powered test practice with thousands of questions written by Bond, the leading provider of 11 plus test practice resources. The platform instantly picks up on your child’s strengths and areas for improvement as they work through topics on the platform. It also tracks your child’s activity, and uses AI to make smart recommendations of what to revise next based on their performance.
To find out more about grammar schools and the 11 plus, visit our FAQs. If you’d like more information on Bond Online Premium and how it can help boost your child’s abilities in the 11 plus, learn more on our website or register for an introductory webinar.
