Gloucestershire eleven plus

[notanothernvr]

Hello - quite specific but seeking some advice about the Gloucestershire grammar system. I have twins in Year 5 and we currently live abroad. We will be returning to the UK in July 2027 and they will be starting Secondary in September 2027. We are teachers so pretty flexible about where we work - our determining factor will be the right secondary school for the kids. With that in mind, we've been preparing them for the eleven plus as Gloucestershire is near my parents and we love the area. We would fly them back to take the eleven plus in September (Gloucester grammars are non-catchment so we could apply from abroad), then see how they do and if they do well and qualify we would move there for Year 7.
The questions I have are: how super selective are the Gloucester grammars? My ideal would be Stroud High School for my girls - but if they're only taking the top one or two from a Primary class, I don't think both would get in. Both twins are bright, but one is more naturally academic and the other needs to put more effort in. She's greater depth in most areas, but not all, and her spelling is weak. We're working on it and she's enjoying the prep (mostly) so I don't think it's hopeless, but don't want to go through it all for nothing. Which is the 'easiest' grammar school to aim for in Gloucestershire? Are all the kids who pass exceptional?

Hi there! I’m in Gloucestershire and was a school governor for 5+ years.

My DC are both SEN so about the furthest thing you can get from academic excellence! So unfortunately I don’t know in detail how selective the schools are but I do know some of our pupils who passed the entrance exams - they weren’t anything special imo. Bright enough but certainly not outstanding.

I don’t think they went to Stroud though, they were more local to Gloucester.

I don’t know if that helps at all? Sorry I can’t be more specific.

Take a look on the Gloucester section of the 11 plus forum. There is loads of info there:
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewforum.php?f=16

I believe Ribston is the 'easiest' girls' grammar in that it generally offers further down the rankings than the other schools. Crypt has been the easiest mixed grammar in recent years, although I believe a higher rank was required last year than in previous years.

I don't believe all the kids who pass are exceptional. Take a look at the GCSE results for a couple of the schools - it's not all 8-9s, by any means.

Ribston is the easiest by quite a long way. A friend of mine has a DD there and while she complains about it a lot, her DD got great GCSEs (must better than expected) and better than many other friends, despite it being the only Grammar she qualified for.
Crypt was easier a few years ago but harder now as I think it was becoming much more of a genuinely mixed school.
I think Pates and Tommy's (boys) kids are really bright, the others I think there is more wriggle room.

Gloucester grammars are non-catchment

@notanothernvr you might want to take a more detailed look at the determined admissions policies for each of the schools. The admissions policies for 2027 entry should be up in a couple of weeks' time, if they are not already.

Thanks all, that's really helpful information. @MarchingFrogs I am aware some of the grammars have catchments and am reading any updated admissions policies carefully. The two we are most interested in (Ribston and SHS) don't currently have catchments as I understand. The admissions team at the council have confirmed we can apply from abroad and were very useful.

My child is at a grammar in Gloucestershire but Year 9 so sat a few years ago. He is a bright child but not 'exceptional'. There are definitely lots of exceptional children there. My son did not have any private tutoring but did an online course over the easter holidays to prepare him, can't remember the company name but if you google it I'm sure it will come up (they also run mock SATS tests but if you are abroad this wouldn't help but might help you find them through googling).

I wonder if the VAT on private school fees has made it more competitive as some families that might have considered private are now putting their money into tutoring?

Another Gloucestershire resident. I’m a visiting specialist teacher in one of the grammar schools, and a lot of my son’s friends are at various of the grammars (he didn’t want to try as we're in catchment for a very sought after comp)

Most (I know not all - but definitely most) kids are getting test-specific tutoring throughout year 5 at least. The tests cover some maths work that most primary schools won’t have covered by the time of the test, and other types of questions that most yr 5s won’t have come across.

It’s not just about intelligence - I’ll admit that I look at some of the grammar school kids I teach and think, “Really??” 🤔) but it’s about test strategy, speed, and some luck.

If you do go for it, opt into sharing your results with all available schools, and be aware that the competition is getting more & more as lots of previously private school parents are now trying for grammar.

Also bear in mind, that unless your children are in the top 150 (definite Pate’s or any of the others), or don’t reach the pass mark, they’ll be given a ranking - different for each of the schools - and you still won’t know for sure until school allocation day, or later when the waiting lists have shaken down. With the higher rankings you’ll get a fair idea, but the “passed but lower ranking” scores are far less certain.

I’d be looking for an area with good grammar alternatives- of which there are plenty.

Glos grammars are getting harder and harder to get into. With the VAT on school fees the number sitting the test has mushroomed. There are more spaces for girls though. Be careful of putting all your hopes on a selective school. Make sure there's a viable Plan B.

Pates is super selective - you have to get the required mark in all tests (whereas the others take the average).

Your DDs will get ranked by each school that they apply to - top 150 are guaranteed a place, but if you rank below that, it depends how many of the people above take up a place. If you do some digging around you will then find out how far down the rankings each school went to in previous years.

Pates goes down to between 175 and 205 ish - so if your child ranks in the top 200, you have to wait to see on results day (or even up to 31 August) whether they got a place. SHS I think goes down to about 300 or so, Tommy's I think is about the same. The rest go lower... Mind you this was a few years ago.

As you're flexible on location, you may as well put down all the grammar schools in your application to maximise your chances.

For alternatives, there are some good alternatives both in county and on the fringes. There are bus routes to all the grammar schools from other counties - eg. into Worcestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire etc. If I had the money and the freedom on location, i'd move to within catchment of Balcarras (Cheltenham) or Malmesbury so that I had a brilliant alternative.

Yes being in the catchment of an outstanding non selective would be great, but as well be arriving the summer before a September start there won’t be two places opening up in year seven in any great schools - it would be a place of joining a very long waiting list I imagine!

It's top 5% get places usually. I was recently told SHS was 150 places to 1200 applicants. There's also very little Sen provision at the Stroud schools. In particular the girls school can be a hot house and does not suit all. It's 60% non local. Malmesbury is outstanding but enormous. KLB is the school id go for but the catchment is about to shrink (eg previous uley would be fine but may not be now due to new builds). Many parents are actively choosing not to send local kids to the Stroud grammars because it is too much pressure. Thomas Keble had a good rep and is very very middle class now. Deer parks facilities are v good, apparently good for Sen and catchment is very big - up to Minch. Stonehouse, archway and Swr have very similar results. Honestly - we have just moved and I'm slightly horrified by the grammar pressure and snobbery. We shall be going for comp and tutoring and I think she'll do just as well and have better mental health.

I am local and if you have girls and want all girl school then your choices are Denmark Road ,Ribston and Stroud High. If you are prepared to go coed then Pates and Crypt go into the mix. As others have said Pates is the superselective requiring a pass in all area of the test. Denmark is harder to get into than Ribston if you want a Goucester school.Not quite sure where Stroud comes , but an educated guess would say somewhere between the other 2 girls schools. You choose any school to sit the exam but then you can ask to share the result with the other schools .On exam results day at the end of October, if your children get the basic 'pass' marking then you will be given their ranking for each school you chose to share result with . That will give you a few days to decide what order to put your preferences on the Secondary school application list.

It's not as brutal as the London schools but it is still harder to get a place than previously. The catchment area that some of the schools have introduced has come about in part due to resentment on the part of Gloucestershire residents that increasing numbers of children were travelling daily from Swindon, Bristol etc to take up places and this is seen as depriving Gloucestershire children of a place at a Gloucestershire school. I personally think there is a balance to be struck but on my commute in Gloucester I have seen absolutely knackered looking kids lugging musical instruments to Gloucester rail station and personally I would not want that life for my family members.

FWIW I don't think any of the grammars are a hothouse if you have a bright child. If they need to be tutored to get through the test, then yes, they're going to struggle. If they don't need to be tutored then they will be absolutely fine.

By tutoring, I mean tan external tutor starting sometime in year 4. Every child taking the test does, I think, need to have some experience of the format, the style of questions and the timing required to complete all the questions etc, but there are several online providers and a few small group sessions should be enough (we used www.cotswoldeducation.co.uk for six small group sessions online). They also provided excellent advice on the process and with some follow up help (free if you'd done a course) when the results came out.

That’s who we used too and my son is coping fine at STRS, definitely no hothousing but we also didn’t tutor either. I’ll say he’s probably academically about 1/3 of the way down his year. He’s well rounded, happy and independent. He has homework but not mountains. Couldn’t ask for more really.

Thank you @WhatWouldGinDo and @eish that is reassuring to hear! My girls are quite different but both bright and hardworking. We're doing CGP at home and they're quite enjoying it which to me is an indicator that they'll enjoy the stretch and challenge. Certainly worth a try anyway.

You will need proof of residency and a UK address before being giving a place. Schools also have other criteria, stated in their admission policies. SHS has pupils coming in from Bristol and Swindon, so they are getting more competitive. On top of that, following a recent private school closure, there will be students from the private sector opting for places. Many local students opt for the comprehensives until 16, then apply to the Grammars for sixth form.

Thanks @cityanalyst678 . I don't think I do need proof of residency or a UK address before being given a place. Others have given the admissions criteria for applying from abroad above, and Gloucestershire County Council have confirmed with me personally it's totally fine to apply from abroad. Yes I had wondered about VAT making it more competetive.

A little late commenting, but local and thought I'd give my opinions.

SHS is lovely. I would most definitely consider above either of the other local girl's grammar schools. Crypt is worth looking at if you prefer co-ed.

However, don't dismiss the non- selective schools. There are some really good schools here too. We knew our eldest DD would do well regardless of the school, so decided against grammar for her. As a result, her A Level offer at university was reduced from A* A A to A A B as she'd 'excelled at a school with lower average grades'. This certainly helped to reduce her exam stress levels.

As you will be moving here so close to the start date, I would suggest putting your parents address down as a temporary residence and apply on time using that. Be very open about moving etc. Otherwise, you will be left with the schools nobody else wanted and you may still not have an updated address to appeal from in time. The appeals process here is quite stressful with the good schools being very oversubscribed: A friend applied on time, lived within catchment, had an older child at the school already, and still had to wait almost 2 years for a place to become available for her younger child after appealing. She eventually joined at the end of year 8. Until then, she attended a rather awful school miles away from where they live.
Good luck.

I would be very wary of using an address that is not yours currently and is not owned by you, occupation of which to be taken over when you return to this country, as your address for school application purposes.

Ask the LA about its Address of Convenience protocol.

Thanks @SunshineDream1ng can I ask which comp you are talking about that you would reccomend? As @MarchingFrogs says I’m nervous of playing by the rules when it comes to applications. The admissions team at county were clear I could apply from abroad but obviously this will rule out any good comps as we would (rightly) lose out to applicants in catchment.

Balcarras, Cotswold and Farmor’s are three of the good comprehensive schools in the county. There are others. It all depends on where you are actually going to be based. Be very wary about not being accurate on your CAF.

The admissions team at county were clear I could apply from abroad but obviously this will rule out any good comps as we would (rightly) lose out to applicants in catchment.

Obviously, applying from abroad, you would only get an offer which is based on distance for a school on your CAF which is undersubscribed (in which case, you couldn't not be offered a place). And for all oversubscribed 'distance' preferences, you would be pretty much at the bottom of the waiting list. But once you have a verified local address, this will change.

In our LA, if you had moved to a local address after the CAF or subsequent change of address deadline, but before national offer day, your new address would take effect wrt waiting list ranking straight away after the initial offers. However, this may not be the same everywhere (iirc, some LAs don't sort out later movers in straightaway).

This might be useful for you as some of the grammars last rankings offered are listed https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/exopgjs5/secondary-school-2026-intake-allocation-summary.pdf