Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Grammar Schools' 11+
A single joint entrance test shared by the four BCP grammars (Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls, Parkstone Grammar, Poole Grammar). Pupils sit THREE GL Assessment multiple-choice papers — English, Maths and Verbal Reasoning — in one sitting. There is NO Non-Verbal Reasoning paper.
Exam board
GL Assessment
Test duration
103 min
Papers
3
Year 7 places
726
Across consortium
Applicants per place
5.0×
Typical competition
Test format
GL Assessment format. Qualifying score varies per school.
Selection method used
Subjects tested
- English
- Mathematics
- Reasoning
Competition (latest)
4,964 applicants chasing 726 places · 5.0× per place
Paper-by-paper breakdown
English
45 minutesGL Assessment multiple-choice — comprehension, vocabulary, punctuation.
Mathematics
50 minutesGL Assessment multiple-choice — KS2 curriculum.
Verbal Reasoning
50 minutesGL Assessment multiple-choice.
Annual timeline
Confirm exact dates each year on the council pageRegistration opens
Monday 13 April 2026
Registration deadline
Noon, Friday 4 September 2026
Test window
Saturday 26 September 2026
Results release
Thursday 16 October 2026, 4:00pm
How to prepare
- Drill GL Assessment-style multiple-choice in all three subjects.
- Verbal Reasoning IS tested but Non-Verbal Reasoning is NOT — focus practice accordingly.
- Build stamina for three back-to-back papers in one morning (~2h 25m of testing).
- English includes vocabulary and punctuation — practise these alongside comprehension.
- Register early via schoolforms.uk — a missed deadline forces a late application.
Important to know
- Four schools share one joint test: Bournemouth School (boys), Bournemouth School for Girls, Parkstone Grammar (girls), Poole Grammar (boys).
- Test is THREE papers (English, Maths, VR) — NOT two combined papers.
- There is NO Non-Verbal Reasoning component.
- The test may only be taken once across consortium schools — register with your preferred school.
- Eligibility does NOT guarantee a place — offers determined by CAF and each school's oversubscription criteria.
- Test administered by GL Assessment, not a bespoke per-school paper.
- Christchurch is part of the unitary authority but has no grammar schools of its own.
About the qualifying score: Standardised scores are used by each school's oversubscription policy. The specific threshold is not publicly disclosed. Always check the latest threshold on the council's admissions arrangements before applying.
Official links
Sources used on this page
- bournemouth-school.org/admissions-2/joining-year-7-in-september
- parkstone.poole.sch.uk/information/admissions
- Parkstone Grammar Admissions Policy 2026 (PDF)
Where to go next
- Each school sets its own qualifying score and oversubscription rules — open a school page above for the per-school detail.
- Use the Chances Calculator with your postcode to see your likelihood at every school in this consortium.
- Council and school admissions pages are the authoritative source for registration deadlines and test dates.