The grammar school journey, step by step

Everyday foundations

There is no official guidance on when to start preparing. Many families focus on things school already teaches.

• Reading widely, and talking about what you read
• Times tables and mental arithmetic
• Vocabulary and spelling

Is a grammar school right?

Grammar schools select by ability. Think about the daily journey, the pace, and strong local non-selective schools too.

Ask the primary school

Your child’s teachers can give an honest view of whether a selective school suits them.

Find schools near you

Search the map by postcode to see grammar schools nearby and the test area each belongs to.

Check catchments and past cut-offs

Passing does not guarantee a place: many schools then rank by distance or catchment. School pages show what it took to get in.

How many tests?

One for each test area (or school with its own test) you apply to. There is no national 11+.

What the tests are like

Formats vary by area: often multiple-choice English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning; some have written papers or two stages.

One registration per test

Each organiser has its own website, account and window. Late registrations are usually refused.

• Bexley: March
• Buckinghamshire: May to June
• Kent: June to July
• Check each area guide for exact dates

Find your area’s dates

Each area guide lists registration, test and results dates, with sources.

Special educational needs

Ask for access arrangements such as extra time when you register. There is usually an earlier deadline.

Practice material

Most organisers publish free familiarisation material so your child knows what to expect.

Two tests on the same day?

You usually have to choose. Organisers we checked offer another date only for illness or religious reasons, not for clashes.

Out-of-area children

Some areas test children from elsewhere on a different day: Kent and Medway use weekends.

Missed the test?

A child must not be refused a place only because they missed the test. Some organisers run late tests for families who move in.

A pass is not a place

Reaching the qualifying score puts your child in the running. Places then go by each school’s criteria, often distance or score.

Decide your order

Use the results, catchments and past cut-offs to decide which schools to list, and in what order.

One application, not one per test

However many tests you sit, you apply once, to your home council. In London it is made online through eAdmissions.

Name every grammar school you want

A school you do not name cannot offer you a place, even if your child passed its test.

Rank in your real order

Schools do not see where you ranked them. Add a realistic local school as a safety net.

Supplementary forms

Some schools also want their own form. In London it only counts if you also name the school on your council application.

One offer

If none of your schools can offer a place, the council offers another school if one is available.

How places were decided

Each school applies its published criteria: looked-after children first, then criteria such as siblings, catchment, distance and score.

Waiting lists

Kept until at least 31 December, and ranked by the school’s criteria, never by when you joined.

Appeal

You get at least 20 school days to lodge an appeal. For a grammar school, the panel needs evidence your child is of the required standard.

Moving house or a late place?

Places can still come up through waiting lists and in-year applications.