Dorset Grammar School Directory
Dorset Grammar SchoolsComplete 11 Plus Guide.
Complete list of all 4 grammar schools in the Dorset Consortium across Bournemouth and Poole. School details, 11 Plus test information, addresses, entry requirements, and preparation advice.
4
Grammar Schools
702
Year 7 Places
2
Districts
GL
Assessment
About the Dorset 11+
One Consortium, One Test
Dorset has 4 grammar schools — 2 boys' and 2 girls' — all located within the BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) unitary authority area. They operate as the Dorset Grammar School Consortium, sharing a single entrance examination. One registration and one test covers applications to all four schools.
The 11+ uses GL Assessment with three multiple-choice papers covering Mathematics, English, and Verbal Reasoning. Scores are age-standardised and there is no fixed pass mark — each school sets its own qualifying score based on the ranked cohort. All tests are sat on a single Saturday in mid-September of Year 6.
Exam Board
GL Assessment
- 4 Grammar Schools
- 702 Year 7 Places
- 2 Districts
2027 entry · verified August 2026
Dorset Consortium key dates
Dorset's four grammar schools share one exam through the Dorset Consortium — one registration covers all four. The consortium runs a notably long registration window, from April to early September.
Schools
4
One shared exam across the consortium.
Registration
Apr – early Sept
A long window that closes shortly before the test itself.
Test
Late Sept
Confirm the exact date on the consortium's own page before relying on it.
School Directory
All Dorset Grammar Schools
Every selective grammar school in Dorset, grouped by area. Includes addresses, Year 7 intake numbers, and key information for 11 Plus families.
Bournemouth
2 SchoolsBournemouth School
The oldest of the four Dorset grammars, founded in 1901 as "Bournemouth Secondary and Technical School." Moved to its current East Way site in 1939. Received an Outstanding Ofsted rating across all categories in February 2024. Notable facilities include the Sir David English Sports Centre. Has a Combined Cadet Force and is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2026. Co-educational sixth form.
- Address
- East Way, Bournemouth, BH8 9PY
- Year 7 Places
- ~150 places
- Test
- Dorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Bournemouth School for Girls
Opened in 1918 with 160 pupils and moved to the current Castle Gate Close site in 1961. Holds Humanities specialist status since 2005. Approximately 1,200 students including 300 in sixth form. Notable for its handbell team (who have performed at the Royal Albert Hall) and its Combined Cadet Force shared with Bournemouth School. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Co-educational sixth form.
- Address
- Castle Gate Close, Castle Lane West, Bournemouth, BH8 9UJ
- Year 7 Places
- ~180 places
- Test
- Dorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Poole
2 SchoolsPoole Grammar School
The present school dates from 1904 though an earlier Poole Grammar was built by Thomas Robarts, Mayor of Poole, in 1628. The current campus was ceremonially opened by Princess Margaret in 1966. Holds Mathematics and Computing specialist status with an additional specialism in Cognition added in 2006. Initially co-educational, it became boys-only in the late 1930s. Co-educational sixth form.
- Address
- Gravel Hill, Poole, BH17 9JU
- Year 7 Places
- ~180 places
- Test
- Dorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Parkstone Grammar School
Founded in 1905 as a co-educational school at Ashley Cross in Parkstone. Originally independent, it was taken over by Dorset Council in 1935. Boys transferred to Poole Grammar in the late 1930s and the school became girls-only. Holds Science specialist status (since 2003) and Languages specialist status (since 2008). Approximately 1,300 pupils with over 350 in sixth form. The largest PAN of the four Dorset grammars at 192 places. Co-educational sixth form.
- Address
- Sopers Lane, Poole, BH17 7EP
- Year 7 Places
- ~192 places
- Test
- Dorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Eleven Ace Tutoring
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FAQs
Dorset 11 Plus Questions
The Dorset Grammar School Consortium test consists of three multiple-choice papers set by GL Assessment: Mathematics (50 minutes, KS2 curriculum content), English (45 minutes, comprehension, vocabulary, and punctuation), and Verbal Reasoning (45–50 minutes, assessing academic potential with an integral practice element). All three papers are sat on a single Saturday in mid-September of Year 6.
Practise on GL-format mock papers
Dorset children sit GL papers, so our GL bundle is a direct match: ten full mocks, timed to the real exam, each marked with a report on where the gaps are.
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