Open catchment

[SecondaryGrammar]

Hello, my DD is in Year 5, and wanted some advice please. Are there any Grammar schools which don't have catchment requirements in areas such as Sutton or Bucks or Berkshire and can moved after knowing the common entrance test marks? Thank you.

There are grammar schools without catchment such as QE Boys.
You'd have to check on the school websites for other areas definitely not Bucks, though. You have to move by either April 1st (some schools) or September 1st before taking the test.

In Sutton I there are places for in catchment and out of catchment, so this is possible. It does mean there is a higher cut off score as it is more competitive than if you lived nearby.

Bexley grammar schools have no distance ranking for those applicants who meet the 'top 180' score in the exam.

Pates Grammar School in Cheltenham offers on score and the other Gloucestershire grammar schools (all the same exam) have score order places, although Denmark Road High School introduced priority for girls living in local postcodes for 2025 entry.

Consultations for changes to admissions policies for all schools for entry in 2026 (current year 5) must be published for 6+ weeks between 1st October and 31st January, so you should check with all school regarding proposed changes, not just how they admit currently. The trend for grammar schools is to increase priority for local and / or disadvantaged groups.

It's probably a silly question to ask where you actually want to live (obviously being in a house on a street in e.g. Sidcup will have a lot of similarities with the same arrangement in e.g. Longlevens, but there will be differences in e.g. local transport provision etc), or where you might need to be for work?