School applications follow different routes. Use the bookmarks below to understand grammar tests, independent-school applications, state-school choices and primary admissions.
Grammar and selective schools
Start here if your child will sit an 11+ or school selection test. The test, qualifying score and registration process vary by council and school.
Understand the route first
Before you do any practice, confirm exactly how the school selects pupils. Different schools use different tests and rules, and the route can vary by area.
Preparation should be targeted
A selective route should not turn family life upside down. The goal is steady, targeted preparation that supports the child without making the process feel overwhelming.
- Check the syllabus or test style before buying materials.
- Create a timetable that is short and sustainable.
- Leave space for rest and other school choices.
Keep the wider journey in view
A grammar school should be one option in a wider plan, not the only plan. If the test does not work out, you still want the rest of the journey to feel solid and manageable.
Grammar schools by area
England has 163 state grammar schools across 35 local-authority areas. The cards below group the places parents commonly search, but every school still has its own admissions policy, registration window and oversubscription rules.
Berkshire
Reading (2) and Slough (4)
These schools use different admissions arrangements, so check the relevant consortium or school process.
Slough Borough Council Eligibility score: 111 (2026 entry) Click to close
- Entrance test
- Slough Consortium 11+ — GL Assessment
- Score guidance
- Eligibility score: 111 (2026 entry)
English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. A score of 111 makes a child eligible for consideration; it does not guarantee a place.
Slough Council admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.Reading Borough Council No single Berkshire pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- Reading School and Kendrick School run school-specific selection
- Score guidance
- No single Berkshire pass mark
Use each school’s current admissions policy and test-registration page; do not use the Slough score for Reading schools.
Reading admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire local authority
A highly selective area using the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test.
Buckinghamshire Council Qualifying score: 121 Click to close
- Entrance test
- Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test — GL Assessment
- Score guidance
- Qualifying score: 121
The test covers verbal, mathematical and non-verbal skills. Once qualified, a higher score does not give extra priority; school oversubscription rules decide offers.
Buckinghamshire test results → Official information opens in a new tab.Surrey
Surrey County Council
Surrey has no state grammar schools. Nearby Sutton and Kingston are London boroughs, not Surrey.
Surrey County Council No Surrey grammar pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- No county grammar-school test
- Score guidance
- No Surrey grammar pass mark
Families often mean nearby Sutton or Kingston, but these are separate London borough admission systems.
Surrey admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.London Borough of Sutton No single published council pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- Shared Selective Eligibility Test, followed by school second-stage tests
- Score guidance
- No single published council pass mark
Passing the shared first stage normally makes a child eligible for the relevant next-stage test; each grammar school applies its own final standard and policy.
Sutton selective tests → Official information opens in a new tab.Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames No Kingston-wide pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- Tiffin schools use their own selection arrangements
- Score guidance
- No Kingston-wide pass mark
Check the current Tiffin School or Tiffin Girls’ School admissions policy directly.
Kingston admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.North London
Barnet (3) and Enfield (1)
This parent-friendly grouping does not include partially selective schools.
Barnet and Enfield No North London-wide pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- Individual-school entrance tests
- Score guidance
- No North London-wide pass mark
QE Boys, Henrietta Barnett, St Michael’s and The Latymer publish separate test stages, standards and priority rules.
Barnet admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.Kent and Medway
Kent (32) and Medway (6)
The largest concentration in England. Kent and Medway operate separate testing arrangements.
Kent County Council 2025 assessment: 332 total, with at least 108 in each paper Click to close
- Entrance test
- Kent Test — English, maths and reasoning
- Score guidance
- 2025 assessment: 332 total, with at least 108 in each paper
The threshold changes by test year. The 2026 threshold will be published with the October 2026 results.
Kent Test results → Official information opens in a new tab.Medway Council 2025 minimum score: 481 Click to close
- Entrance test
- Medway Test — GL Assessment
- Score guidance
- 2025 minimum score: 481
English and maths are weighted twice and reasoning once. The minimum is set each year; passing does not guarantee an offer.
Medway Test → Official information opens in a new tab.Essex and Southend
Essex (1) and Southend-on-Sea (4)
Confirm the current consortium or individual-school test route before registering.
Essex County Council and Southend-on-Sea City Council No single guaranteed-offer score Click to close
- Entrance test
- CSSE 11+ for participating grammar schools
- Score guidance
- No single guaranteed-offer score
CSSE supplies a standardised score; each school’s admissions policy and oversubscription rules determine offers.
CSSE examination → Official information opens in a new tab.Devon
Devon (1), Plymouth (3) and Torbay (3)
The schools are spread across different admission authorities rather than one county-wide system.
Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council No Devon-wide pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- Consortium or school-specific 11+ tests
- Score guidance
- No Devon-wide pass mark
Colyton, Plymouth and Torbay schools do not form one county test system. Check the named school’s policy and registration form.
Devon admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.Dorset area
Bournemouth (2) and Poole (2)
These locations now sit within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, so use current council guidance.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council No council-wide guaranteed-offer score Click to close
- Entrance test
- Grammar-school entrance testing arranged by the schools
- Score guidance
- No council-wide guaranteed-offer score
Bournemouth and Poole grammar schools publish their own qualifying standard and oversubscription arrangements each year.
BCP admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.West Midlands
Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Warwickshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Telford & Wrekin
This is a wider regional grouping; there is no single West Midlands grammar-school test.
Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Warwickshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Telford & Wrekin No one regional pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- West Midlands Grammar Schools test for participating schools; some routes differ
- Score guidance
- No one regional pass mark
Scores are standardised, but eligibility, priority areas and offer scores vary by school. Always read the individual admissions policy.
West Midlands Grammar Schools → Official information opens in a new tab.East Midlands
Lincolnshire
The count reflects Lincolnshire grammar schools; confirm the test route for each school.
Lincolnshire County Council Qualifying standard commonly 220 aggregate Click to close
- Entrance test
- Lincolnshire Consortium 11+ — verbal and non-verbal reasoning
- Score guidance
- Qualifying standard commonly 220 aggregate
Qualification is not an offer. Individual grammar schools apply their own oversubscription criteria and some schools manage testing separately.
Lincolnshire admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.Greater Manchester
Trafford
Manchester city itself has no state grammar schools; the selective concentration is in Trafford.
Trafford Council No Trafford-wide pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- School and consortium entrance tests
- Score guidance
- No Trafford-wide pass mark
The Trafford grammar schools publish different qualifying scores and ranking rules; register with the relevant school or consortium.
Trafford admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.Lancashire
Lancashire local authority
Check each school or consortium because test and priority arrangements can differ.
Lancashire County Council No Lancashire-wide pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- School or local consortium 11+ tests
- Score guidance
- No Lancashire-wide pass mark
Clitheroe, Lancaster and Bacup grammar routes can differ. Use each school’s determined admissions policy for the entry year.
Lancashire admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.Yorkshire
North Yorkshire (3), Calderdale (2) and Kirklees (1)
This broad regional total combines several separate admission authorities.
North Yorkshire Council, Calderdale Council and Kirklees Council No Yorkshire-wide pass mark Click to close
- Entrance test
- Separate local or school selection tests
- Score guidance
- No Yorkshire-wide pass mark
Ripon/Skipton, the Calderdale grammars and Heckmondwike use different admissions arrangements and qualifying standards.
North Yorkshire admissions → Official information opens in a new tab.11+ results, selection reviews and appeals
Follow the steps in order. A selection review and a school admission appeal are not the same process.
Step 1 Use the result when completing the CAF Click to close
Most 11+ results are released in early or mid-October, before the national secondary-school application deadline of 31 October. Exact test and result dates are local: for example, Warwickshire has scheduled its 2027-entry result for 16 October 2026.
If you may request a local review or later appeal, name the grammar school on the CAF. Also include realistic non-grammar choices. A test pass does not guarantee a place, and leaving a school off the CAF normally means there is no refusal of that preference to appeal.
Step 2 If your child does not reach the qualifying score Click to close
Check the admissions policy immediately. Some areas offer a selection review before places are allocated; others do not. Where one exists, the deadline can be very short. A review usually needs strong academic evidence and, where relevant, evidence of exceptional circumstances that affected the test. It is not a second test and does not guarantee a place.
Buckinghamshire operates a Selection Review for children who did not automatically qualify. Bexley’s review is requested through the child’s headteacher and asks why the score did not reflect ability and what exceptional circumstances affected the test. Always use the current local timetable, not a previous year’s dates.
Step 3 When you can lodge an admission appeal Click to close
You appeal after the admission authority refuses a place—not simply because the 11+ score was lower than expected. The refusal letter issued on or after National Offer Day explains who handles the appeal and the deadline. Admission authorities must allow at least 20 school days to submit it.
- Child did not qualify: provide strong evidence that your child meets the required academic standard and explain any relevant circumstances affecting the test.
- Selection review was unsuccessful: in areas such as Buckinghamshire, the appeal panel first considers whether that review was fair, consistent and objective.
- Child qualified but the school was full: explain why the disadvantage to your child from not attending that particular school outweighs the school’s case that another pupil would cause prejudice.
- Admission rules were applied incorrectly: identify the error and show that your child would otherwise have been offered a place.
- Academic: recent school reports, attainment or assessment data, predicted performance and a teacher or headteacher statement showing grammar-school ability.
- Health or medical: evidence from an appropriate professional explaining the condition, when it affected the child and its likely effect on the test or application.
- Special educational needs: evidence of the child’s needs, agreed reasonable adjustments, whether those adjustments were provided during the test, and why the particular school would meet those needs.
- Exceptional circumstances: evidence of bereavement, serious family disruption, illness during the test or another significant event, including its timing and effect.
- Why this particular school: specific educational, medical or social reasons supported by evidence—not only that it is a grammar school or has strong results.
Important: medical, special-needs or exceptional-circumstance evidence does not by itself prove grammar-school ability. For a child who did not qualify, connect it to strong academic evidence: what happened, when it happened, how it affected the test and why the result may not show the child’s normal standard. An EHCP placement dispute follows the separate SEND Tribunal process.
An appeal can address qualification, but it is also an appeal for a place at one named school. Even if academic suitability is accepted, the panel may still decide that the school cannot admit another pupil.
Step 4 Deadlines, waiting lists and the offered place Click to close
National Offer Day is 1 March, or the next working day. Appeal deadlines and hearing dates then vary by admission authority. As a current example, Buckinghamshire’s deadline for refusals issued on 2 March 2026 was 27 March, with on-time secondary appeals heard from May to July.
Accepting the offered school normally protects your child’s place while you join waiting lists or appeal; it does not usually cancel the appeal. Check the refusal letter and local instructions before declining anything. Waiting lists and appeals are separate, so follow both processes if you want both.
Dates and review rules differ by council and school. Check the current admissions policy, result letter and refusal letter for the exact process that applies to your child.
Independent-school route
Independent schools
Start with the five steps below. Open only the topic you need—there is no need to read everything at once.
Typical 11+ requirements
Independent schools commonly use a combination of English, maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal or spatial reasoning, creative writing, problem solving and a confidential report from the child’s current school.
Example: City of London School tests English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, puzzles, creative comprehension and creative writing. It also considers an interview and a current-school report.
City of London School 11+ process →Interviews
Interviews are normally for shortlisted candidates. Schools may ask about reading, interests, school life, problem solving and why the child wants to attend. Some add a group activity or taster lesson.
- Encourage natural conversation rather than rehearsed speeches.
- Help your child discuss a book, hobby or idea they genuinely enjoy.
- Check whether parents are also interviewed for a bursary assessment.
Westminster uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test and interviews selected candidates. Highgate’s second stage includes a group interview and taster lessons.
Fees and the real annual cost
As a broad planning range, many day schools charge around £15,000–£30,000 a year, while some London senior and boarding schools approach or exceed £45,000–£50,000.
- Ask whether fees include VAT, meals, devices and compulsory activities.
- Add registration fees, deposits, uniform, transport, trips and music lessons.
- Check fee increases and withdrawal-notice terms before accepting.
The Independent Schools Council reported an average day-school fee of £5,985 per term in its 2025 census. Since January 2025, charged private-school education and boarding are subject to 20% VAT.
Bursaries: help based on family finances
A bursary is means-tested and can reduce part or all of the fees. Apply when registering, meet the separate deadline and expect to provide evidence of income, savings, investments, property and outgoings. The child must still meet the school’s admission standard, and the school may use an assessor, parent interview or home visit.
Scholarships: awards for achievement
Scholarships recognise academic, music, sport, art or drama performance. They may require an audition, portfolio or separate assessment. The fee reduction can be small, so families needing substantial help should also apply for a bursary.
Westminster’s bursaries are means-tested, while its scholarships are competitive and not linked to parental income.
Westminster bursary and scholarship guidance →Independent schools manage their own admissions. You apply to the school directly rather than through your council’s Common Application Form.
What parents usually need to do
- Register separately with every school you want to consider.
- Check the school’s entrance-test, interview and reference requirements.
- Apply for bursaries or scholarships by their separate deadlines.
- Confirm fees, deposits, notice periods and what the fees include.
State-school route
State schools
State-funded schools include community schools, academies, free schools, faith schools and grammar schools. Each school has published admission criteria that decide who has priority when it is oversubscribed.
Check each school before choosing it
- Read the current admission policy and oversubscription criteria.
- Check distance, catchment, sibling, faith, test and pupil-premium rules.
- Use previous cut-off distances only as a guide, never a guarantee.
- Check whether the school requires a separate test or supplementary form.
Common Application Form
How to complete the CAF
Apply through the council where your child lives, even if a chosen state school is in another council area. Open each step below before submitting the form.
What equal preference means
Every preference is assessed against that school’s admission rules without using its position on your form. A school cannot reduce your priority because you listed it second or third.
Then your order matters: if more than one school can offer your child a place, the council offers the one you ranked highest. You receive one state-school offer.
Read the statutory School Admissions Code →Build a wider, realistic list
Use every preference your council allows. Include ambitious choices, but also include schools where your child appears to have a realistic chance under the published criteria and which your family would genuinely accept.
- Check the school’s latest policy, not reputation alone.
- Compare your address and circumstances with the actual priority rules.
- Include at least one realistic option; naming only one school does not improve your chance there.
- Do not list a school you would refuse, because it could become your official offer.
Put schools in your true order
Place the school you most want first, your next genuine choice second, and continue in that order. Do not try to predict which school will accept you and do not move a safer school above the one you actually prefer.
Grammar-school question: put a higher-performing grammar school above another school only if it is truly your preferred school. Exam results do not create extra CAF priority. Your child must first qualify and then meet that grammar school’s oversubscription rules.
GOV.UK: how to apply →Complete every required form
Submit the CAF to your home council by its deadline. Some faith, grammar and other schools also require a supplementary information form, test registration or evidence sent separately. A supplementary form does not replace the CAF.
- Secondary applications normally close on 31 October.
- Primary applications normally close on 15 January.
- Save the confirmation, preference order and every document submitted.
- Check earlier test-registration and supplementary-form deadlines.
Who decides and when offers arrive
Schools or councils rank applications under the relevant admission criteria. Councils exchange results where necessary, but your home local authority makes the single official offer—including for a school in another local-authority area.
National Offer Day: secondary offers are sent on 1 March and primary offers on 16 April, or the next working day when the date falls on a weekend or bank holiday. Follow the offer letter’s acceptance deadline.
If none of your preferred schools can offer a place, your home council must offer another school place, usually at the nearest school with space. The offer letter should explain waiting-list and appeal options.
Reception route
Primary-school applications
Reception applications also go to your home local authority. Nursery attendance does not normally guarantee a Reception place at the linked school.
What to check
- Confirm the correct school year from your child’s date of birth.
- Compare distance, sibling, faith and priority-area criteria.
- Complete any school supplementary form as well as the council application.
- Apply on time even if you are moving home or waiting for evidence.
- Check whether the school uses a local 11+, selective test or its own entrance exam.
- Find the registration date and any pass score or ranking information available.
- Work out how the test fits with your child’s other school choices.
- Keep a note of preparation deadlines so you do not miss a date.
Keep the journey moving by comparing schools, checking deadlines and saving the guide that matches your route.
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