Best Grammar Schools in Lincolnshire 2026/27

This guide covers 12 Lincolnshire grammar schools across Boston, Grantham, Spalding, Sleaford, Bourne, Caistor, Skegness and Horncastle. Lincolnshire retains one of the largest selective systems in England, and most of these schools admit through the shared Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11+ Test.

The Lincolnshire Consortium 11+ is provided by GL Assessment. It consists of two multiple-choice papers - Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning - with no maths or English. Marks are age-standardised, and the qualifying level is a total standardised score of at least 220 across both papers, set to identify roughly the most able 25% of the age group. Achieving 220 makes a child eligible but does not guarantee a place, as each school then applies its own admissions criteria.

For September 2027 entry, consortium registration opens on Friday 9 January 2026 and closes on Tuesday 31 March 2026. Lincolnshire pupils sit the Verbal Reasoning paper on Saturday 12 September 2026 and the Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning paper on Saturday 19 September 2026; out-of-county pupils sit on the preceding Fridays (11 and 18 September 2026). Results are issued in early October 2026. Always confirm exact dates on the consortium or individual school website before registering.

Almost. Eleven of the 12 schools in this guide admit on the shared Lincolnshire Consortium 11+, and a child sits it only once for entry to any of them. Caistor Grammar School is the exception: it is not part of the consortium and runs its own GL-style Verbal Reasoning entrance test on separate dates, though it applies the same total qualifying score of 220.

Lincolnshire grammar schools admit on the 11+ standard first, but if a school is oversubscribed, distance and designated areas can decide places, and free home-to-school transport applies only to eligible children within a school's designated area. Out-of-county children are welcome to register and sit the test, but families arrange their own transport and should check each school's oversubscription rules. Caistor uses a defined catchment of within 6.5 miles of the school. You must also list the school on your home local authority's application form.

The guide includes a mix. Boys' schools are Boston Grammar School, The King's School (Grantham), Spalding Grammar School and Carre's Grammar (Sleaford Joint Sixth Form). Girls' schools are Boston High School, Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School, Spalding High School and Kesteven and Sleaford High School. Co-educational schools are Caistor Grammar School, Bourne Grammar School, Skegness Grammar School and Horncastle Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School.

The best school depends on your child's needs, location and whether you want a single-sex or co-educational school. On Ofsted ratings, Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School and Spalding High School are both rated Outstanding, while the other schools in this guide are rated Good. We recommend comparing the schools on the rankings above alongside catchment, ethos and sixth form provision rather than relying on a single label.

Yes. These are 11-to-18 schools with sixth forms offering A-levels, and several Sleaford and Grantham schools also collaborate on post-16 provision - the boys' grammar in Sleaford is part of the Sleaford Joint Sixth Form. Sixth form entry has its own academic requirements and application process, separate from the Year 7 11+, so check each school's sixth form admissions pages for current criteria.

Because the consortium test covers Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning, the most useful preparation is familiarity with those question types under timed, multiple-choice conditions. Lincolnshire feeder primary schools are given practice papers, and out-of-county families can buy commercial GL-style practice materials. Prep4All's 11+ practice papers let children rehearse Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning in realistic conditions, building accuracy and confidence ahead of the September tests.