Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Entrance Test
Gloucestershire's seven grammar schools share a SINGLE joint entrance test administered by the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Consortium. Two ~60-minute multiple-choice papers cover English, vocabulary, verbal reasoning, maths, non-verbal and spatial reasoning. The consortium has announced a switch from GL Assessment to FSCE starting with September 2028 entry — September 2027 entry still uses GL.
Exam board
GL Assessment (currently); moving to FSCE from September 2028 entry
Test duration
60 min
Papers
2
Year 7 places
1,030
Across consortium
Applicants per place
5.0×
Typical competition
Test format
Each school sets its own test. No common consortium exam.
Selection methods used
Subjects tested
- English
- Mathematics
- Reasoning
Competition (latest)
7,972 applicants chasing 1,030 places · 5.0× per place
Paper-by-paper breakdown
Paper 1 — English Comprehension, Vocabulary & Verbal Reasoning
≈ 60 minutesMultiple choice.
Paper 2 — Mathematics & Non-Verbal Reasoning (incl. Spatial Reasoning)
≈ 60 minutesMultiple choice.
Annual timeline
Confirm exact dates each year on the council pageRegistration opens
Noon, 18 May 2026
Registration deadline
Noon, 26 June 2026
Test window
Saturday 12 September 2026
Results release
October 2026 (communicated by individual schools)
How to prepare
- Familiarise with GL Assessment multiple-choice format across all five strands.
- Practise both verbal and non-verbal reasoning — both are tested.
- Build timed-paper stamina (~60 min per session).
- Work through KS2 maths thoroughly including spatial reasoning.
- Use the schools' published familiarisation materials.
Important to know
- Seven schools share one joint test: Pate's (Cheltenham), Denmark Road, Ribston Hall, Sir Thomas Rich's, The Crypt (Gloucester), Marling, Stroud High (Stroud).
- Qualifying in the test is NOT an offer — parents must still list the school(s) on the secondary CAF by 31 October.
- Registration is via the grammar schools' own webpages, not through the council.
- Test provider changing to FSCE from September 2028 entry (announced April 2026); September 2027 entry still uses GL Assessment.
- Single-sex schools: Denmark Road, Ribston Hall (girls); Sir Thomas Rich's, Marling (boys, 11–16). Mixed: Pate's, The Crypt, Stroud High (girls 11–16, mixed 6th form).
About the qualifying score: Standardised qualifying threshold exists but is not publicly published; schools notify families individually after marking. Always check the latest threshold on the council's admissions arrangements before applying.
Official links
Sources used on this page
- gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions/grammar-schools
- 11plusdaily.co.uk — Gloucestershire FSCE change announcement (April 2026)
Schools using this test(7)
Denmark Road High School
Gloucestershire · girls
Marling School
Gloucestershire · boys
Pate's Grammar School
Gloucestershire · mixed
Ribston Hall High School
Gloucestershire · girls
Sir Thomas Rich's School
Gloucestershire · boys
Stroud High School
Gloucestershire · girls
The Crypt School
Gloucestershire · mixed
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.