Grammar/ Selective Schools

Grammar schools are selective schools. Some schools are selective, but do not officially call themselves grammar schools. They have an entrance test, often still called the 11 plus exam, which selects the most academic students. There are relatively few of them across the country.

There are a very few schools in the country that are partially selective. They are either specialist schools who select 10% of their cohort according to aptitude in their specialism, or they are grammar/ selective schools who have a selective stream and a non-selective stream. At the time of writing, only 35 schools in England are in the partially selective category.

  • Most counties or boroughs do not have grammar schools.
  • Grammar schools are usually hugely oversubscribed, and therefore can choose not simply those students who pass their selective test, but those who do best in it.
  • If your child is highly academic, likely to be successful in the test and to thrive in an intellectually challenging environment, then it is worth considering a grammar school.
  • If your child is highly academic, then grammar schools can be very exciting and inspiring places to be.
  • Unsurprisingly, grammar schools have a very good success rate of students going on to university, especially Oxbridge.
  • Grammar schools are usually not local schools, because they take from a large catchment area.
  • Grammar schools usually do very well in terms of attainment, but not always in terms of progress.
  • Grammar schools are not necessarilyl ‘better’ than comprehensive schools.
  • If you want to educate your child in how to socialise with a comprehensive cross section of society, than grammar schools would not necessarily be your first choice.

Further Information

Admissions

Your LEA or neighbouring LEA Admissions sections will be able to tell you about grammar/selective  schools in your area.

Summary



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