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Dorset Grammar School Directory

Dorset Grammar Schools
Complete 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
Bournemouth Poole
11 Plus › Grammar Schools › Dorset
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.

Students studying for the Dorset 11 Plus exam
UK grammar school students in classroom Young students preparing for 11 Plus exams
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
Bournemouth School
Boys GL Assessment

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.

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AddressEast Way, Bournemouth, BH8 9PY
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Year 7 Places~150 places
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TestDorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Bournemouth School for Girls
Girls GL Assessment

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.

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AddressCastle Gate Close, Castle Lane West, Bournemouth, BH8 9UJ
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Year 7 Places~180 places
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TestDorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Poole
Poole Grammar School
Boys GL Assessment

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.

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AddressGravel Hill, Poole, BH17 9JU
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Year 7 Places~180 places
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TestDorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Parkstone Grammar School
Girls GL Assessment

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.

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AddressSopers Lane, Poole, BH17 7EP
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Year 7 Places~192 places
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TestDorset Consortium (Maths, English, VR)
Eleven Ace Tutoring

Preparing for the Dorset 11+?

Eleven Ace offers personalised 1:1 live online tuition, small 4-student batch classes, and realistic mock exams — all designed specifically for the Dorset Grammar School Consortium test.

Mathematics Tuition English Comprehension Tuition Verbal Reasoning Tuition 11+ Mock Exams 1:1 Online Tuition 4-Student Batch Classes
FAQs

Dorset 11 Plus Questions

What subjects does the Dorset 11+ test cover?
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.
What score do children need to pass the Dorset 11+?
There is no single fixed pass mark. Scores are age-standardised and all children's results are ranked from highest to lowest. Each school sets its own qualifying score based on the number of places available and the performance of the cohort. As a general guide, a standardised score of approximately 110+ in each paper (top 25%) is typically indicative of grammar school suitability. Qualifying scores vary between schools and years.
When is the Dorset 11+ test taken?
The test is sat on a single Saturday in mid-September of Year 6, with all three papers taken on the same day. Registration typically opens in late April and closes in early September. Results are sent to parents in mid-October, before the Common Application Form deadline of 31 October. National Offer Day is in early March the following year.
Can my child apply to all four Dorset grammar schools with one test?
Yes. All four schools operate as the Dorset Grammar School Consortium and share a single GL Assessment entrance test. Your child sits the exam once and the results are shared across all four schools. You can register via any of the four schools' websites. You must also submit a Common Application Form to your home local authority naming your preferred schools by 31 October.
Are there grammar schools outside Bournemouth and Poole in Dorset?
No. All four Dorset grammar schools are located within the BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) unitary authority area. There are no grammar schools in Christchurch or anywhere else in the wider Dorset Council area. However, the test is open to all children regardless of where they live — oversubscription criteria may favour those living closer to the school.
What happens if more children qualify than there are places?
If the number of children achieving the qualifying score exceeds available places, oversubscription criteria apply. First priority goes to looked-after and previously looked-after children who qualify. Then, children are ranked by their 11+ score from highest to lowest. If two or more children have the same score, priority is given based on how close they live to the school, measured by straight-line distance.

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