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Wiltshire Grammar School Directory

Wiltshire Grammar Schools
Complete 11 Plus Guide.

Complete guide to Wiltshire's 2 selective grammar schools in Salisbury. School details, 11 Plus test information, addresses, qualifying scores, and preparation advice for both schools.

2
Grammar Schools
320
Year 7 Places
1
Location
GL
Assessment
Salisbury
11 Plus › Grammar Schools › Wiltshire
About the Wiltshire 11+

Two Schools in Historic Salisbury

Wiltshire has just 2 grammar schools — one for boys and one for girls — both located in Salisbury. They operate as a pair using GL Assessment but with slightly different exam formats. Both schools test on the same Saturday in late September of Year 6.

Bishop Wordsworth's tests English/VR and Maths/NVR across 2 papers, while South Wilts tests Maths, English, and Verbal Reasoning across 3 papers. There is no fixed pass mark — qualifying typically requires around 70–74% of the overall standardised score. Both schools have co-educational sixth forms and together offer 320 Year 7 places.

Students studying for the Wiltshire 11 Plus exam
UK grammar school students in classroom Young students preparing for 11 Plus exams
School Directory

All Wiltshire Grammar Schools

Both selective grammar schools in Wiltshire, located in Salisbury. Includes addresses, Year 7 intake numbers, exam formats, and key information for 11 Plus families.

Salisbury
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
Boys Church of England GL Assessment

Founded in 1890 by Bishop John Wordsworth of Salisbury, originally opening with just 45 boys in the Bishop's Palace. Situated within the grounds of Salisbury Cathedral Close — one of the most historically distinguished school settings in England. Church of England voluntary-aided school. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Co-educational sixth form since 2020. Year 7 pupils come from over 45 different feeder schools. 10 places reserved for Pupil Premium pupils (qualifying standard is 3% lower).

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Address11 The Close, Salisbury, SP1 2ED
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Year 7 Places~160 places
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Test2 papers (English/VR + Maths/NVR)
South Wilts Grammar School
Girls GL Assessment

Founded on 14 September 1927, opening with 207 girls and 13 teachers who had transferred from Bishop Wordsworth's when it became boys-only. Located approximately one mile north of Salisbury city centre. Holds specialist status in Mathematics and Computing since 2003. Awarded the International School Award in 2010. Co-educational sixth form since 2020. Strong debating tradition competing in Oxford and Cambridge Schools' Debating Competitions. Pass mark historically around 71% with 53–58% of candidates achieving it.

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AddressStratford Road, Salisbury, SP1 3JJ
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Year 7 Places~160 places
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Test3 papers (Maths, English, VR)
Eleven Ace Tutoring

Preparing for the Wiltshire 11+?

Eleven Ace offers personalised 1:1 live online tuition, small 4-student batch classes, and realistic mock exams — designed for both Bishop Wordsworth's and South Wilts Grammar School entrance tests.

English Comprehension Tuition Mathematics Tuition Verbal Reasoning Tuition Non-Verbal Reasoning Tuition 11+ Mock Exams 1:1 Online Tuition
FAQs

Wiltshire 11 Plus Questions

What subjects do the Wiltshire 11+ tests cover?
Both schools use GL Assessment but with different formats. Bishop Wordsworth's has 2 papers: Paper 1 covers Comprehension, Grammar, and Verbal Reasoning; Paper 2 covers Non-Verbal Reasoning and Mathematics. South Wilts has 3 papers: Mathematics, English (reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation, grammar), and Verbal Reasoning. All papers are multiple choice and age-standardised.
What score do children need to pass the Wiltshire 11+?
There is no fixed published pass mark — it varies each year depending on the number and quality of applicants. The qualifying standard typically falls between 70% and 74% of the overall standardised score. For South Wilts, the pass mark has historically been around 71%, with between 53% and 58% of candidates achieving it. Bishop Wordsworth's sets the qualifying standard 3% lower for Pupil Premium-eligible boys.
When is the Wiltshire 11+ test taken?
Both schools test on the same Saturday in late September of Year 6. Results are sent to parents in mid-October, before the Common Application Form deadline of 31 October. Registration for Bishop Wordsworth's opens in April with a late June deadline. Registration for South Wilts opens in June and closes in early September. National Offer Day is in March the following year.
Are there grammar schools anywhere else in Wiltshire besides Salisbury?
No. Salisbury is the only location for selective state grammar education in Wiltshire. There are no grammar schools in Swindon, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Devizes, Warminster, or any other Wiltshire town. The two Salisbury grammar schools draw pupils from a wide geographic area — Bishop Wordsworth's receives pupils from over 45 different feeder schools.
Is Bishop Wordsworth's a faith school?
Yes. Bishop Wordsworth's is a voluntary-aided Church of England grammar school, founded by Bishop John Wordsworth of Salisbury in 1890. It is situated within the grounds of Salisbury Cathedral Close. However, while it has a Church of England ethos, academic selection is based on the 11+ test performance. South Wilts Grammar School is not a faith school.
What happens if more children qualify than there are places?
If more children achieve the qualifying standard than there are places, oversubscription criteria apply. Priority generally goes to: looked-after and previously looked-after children, then Pupil Premium/Service Premium children, then children in the designated catchment area, siblings of current pupils, and finally distance from the school. Bishop Wordsworth's reserves 10 places specifically for Pupil Premium pupils.

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