Best Gloucestershire Grammar Schools 2026/27

This page features seven schools in the county: Pate's Grammar School and Cheltenham Bournside School in Cheltenham; Stroud High School and Marling School in Stroud; and Denmark Road High School, The Crypt School and Sir Thomas Rich's School in Gloucester. Most admit selectively through the shared Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Entrance Test.

Gloucestershire's grammar schools use a single shared exam, the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Entrance Test, run by a consortium of the county's grammars rather than separate tests for each school. Your child sits one test on one day and you ask for the result to be shared with each consortium school you want to apply to, so there is no need to sit multiple exams.

There is no fixed pass mark. Test scores are standardised according to each child's age, and schools rank qualifying pupils, with places then allocated in rank order, so meeting the standard does not guarantee a place. As a rough guide, children scoring consistently around 75 to 80 per cent or more in GL-style practice papers are usually on track, while Pate's, the most competitive, typically needs around 85 per cent or higher.

For September 2027 entry, registration opens at 12 noon on Monday 18 May 2026 and closes at 12 noon on Friday 26 June 2026, and the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Entrance Test is sat on Saturday 12 September 2026. Results are issued in mid-October, and Gloucestershire County Council's Common Application Form must be returned by 31 October 2026.

You register online through any of the consortium grammar schools' websites during the registration window (18 May to 26 June 2026 for September 2027 entry). You only register once, choosing where your child sits the test and ticking which schools you want the result shared with. Separately, you must also complete the County Council's Common Application Form by 31 October 2026 to be offered a place.

Gloucestershire's grammar schools do not operate strict catchment areas, so children from outside the county can and do apply successfully. However, most schools now include local-priority rules in their admissions criteria, meaning that when there are more qualifying applicants than places, those living closest to the school are prioritised. Always check the individual school's admissions policy for its exact tie-breakers.

There is a mix. Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham Bournside School and The Crypt School are co-educational. Stroud High School and Denmark Road High School are girls' grammar schools, while Marling School and Sir Thomas Rich's School are boys' grammar schools (both with mixed sixth forms).

Pate's Grammar School in Cheltenham is widely regarded as the strongest, rated Outstanding by Ofsted and consistently ranked among the top state secondary schools in England, which also makes it the most competitive to get into. Stroud High School (Outstanding) is a leading girls' grammar, and Gloucester's grammars including The Crypt School, Sir Thomas Rich's School and Denmark Road High School also achieve strong results, so the right choice depends on location, single-sex or mixed preference and your child's strengths.

Yes. All the grammar schools on this page offer sixth-form provision for ages 16 to 18. The single-sex grammars, Marling School and Sir Thomas Rich's (boys) and Stroud High and Denmark Road (girls), run mixed sixth forms, so students can apply across schools at 16 even where Year 7 entry is single-sex.

Build strong English and maths foundations early, then practise the GL-style question types used in the entrance test, including comprehension, vocabulary, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal reasoning, under timed conditions. Working through full practice papers helps with pacing and exam technique. Prep4All's Gloucestershire 11+ practice papers are designed around this format so your child can rehearse realistic questions and build confidence ahead of the September test.