Cumbria Grammar School Directory
Cumbria Grammar SchoolsComplete 11 Plus Guide.
Complete guide to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith — the only selective grammar school in Cumbria and the northernmost grammar school in England. School details, the FSCE 11 Plus test, address, and preparation advice.
1
Grammar School
160
Year 7 Places
3
Test Papers
FSCE
Test Provider
About the Cumbria 11+
England's Northernmost Grammar
Cumbria has just one selective grammar school — Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS) in Penrith, founded in 1564 by Royal Charter of Elizabeth I. It is the northernmost grammar school in England and the only selective state school in the former county of Cumbria (now Westmorland and Furness Council area).
Despite their names, Appleby Grammar School and Kirkby Stephen Grammar School are comprehensive (non-selective) schools that became non-selective in 1959. There are no grammar schools in Carlisle, Kendal, Barrow-in-Furness, or any other Cumbrian town.
The entrance test has recently switched from GL Assessment to the FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) provider. The new test covers a broader range of subjects from the KS2 curriculum with three papers: Adventure, Beacon, and Compass. The FSCE deliberately avoids publishing past papers and changes its format annually to reduce the advantage of intensive tutoring.
Exam Board
FSCE Test Provider
- 1 Grammar School
- 160 Year 7 Places
- 3 Test Papers
2027 entry · verified August 2026
Cumbria key dates
Cumbria has a single selective school, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith, which runs its own entrance test and admissions process.
Test date
17 Sept 2026
Thursday, at the school.
Registration
Via the school
QEGS Penrith administers its own registration — apply directly to the school.
Apply by
31 Oct 2026
National deadline for the Common Application Form.
School Directory
Cumbria's Grammar School
The only selective grammar school in Cumbria, with detailed admissions information for 11 Plus families.
Penrith
1 SchoolQueen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS)
Founded in 1564 by Royal Charter, QEGS Penrith is a co-educational grammar school and part of the Changing Lives Learning Trust. It offers 160 Year 7 places through the FSCE entrance test with three papers: Adventure, Beacon, and Compass — covering a broad range of KS2 curriculum subjects including English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, and more. Oversubscription criteria prioritise looked-after children, siblings, then up to 10 Pupil Premium places. 32 places (20%) are awarded purely by ranked test score regardless of address. Remaining places go to catchment area residents by score, then all other qualifying applicants by distance. A defined catchment area centred on Penrith applies.
- Address
- Ullswater Road, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7EG
- Year 7 Places
- 160 places (incl. 10 PP + 32 score-based)
- Test
- 3 FSCE papers — Adventure, Beacon & Compass
New Test Format
The FSCE Three-Paper Test
QEGS has switched from GL Assessment to FSCE for 2027 entry onwards. The new test covers a broader range of KS2 subjects and is designed to reduce the advantage of intensive tutoring.
Adventure
Paper 1
Multiple-choice & written responses. Pre-recorded voice instructions guide students.
Beacon
Paper 2
Multiple-choice & written responses. Covers broad KS2 curriculum content.
Compass
Paper 3
Multiple-choice & written responses. No VR/NVR — focuses on curriculum knowledge.
Eleven Ace Tutoring
Preparing for the Cumbria 11+?
Eleven Ace offers personalised 1:1 live online tuition, small 4-student batch classes, and realistic mock exams — covering English, Mathematics, and the broader KS2 subjects tested in the QEGS Penrith FSCE entrance exam.
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FAQs
Cumbria 11 Plus Questions
There is only one selective grammar school in Cumbria — Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS) in Penrith, offering 160 Year 7 places. It is the northernmost grammar school in England. Despite their names, Appleby Grammar School and Kirkby Stephen Grammar School are comprehensive (non-selective) schools that dropped selection in 1959. There are no grammar schools in Carlisle, Kendal, Barrow-in-Furness, or anywhere else in Cumbria.
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