UK Rank #48 In-site school
Herschel Grammar School
Slough
Ofsted: Outstanding Mixed
Consortium guide
Slough 11 Plus
The Slough Consortium 11 Plus is the shared entrance route for Slough's four grammar schools. It uses GL Assessment papers, so one exam route can keep several local schools in play, but each school still applies its own admissions policy, places and distance considerations. The route is useful because it separates the common test from the school-by-school questions families often have about eligibility, travel, faith context, demand and final offers.
4 schools GL Assessment 20 downloads
6 key dates
01 / Route overview
What this route covers
The Slough Consortium route is a compact shared route for four grammar schools: Herschel Grammar School, Langley Grammar School, St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School and Upton Court Grammar School. The schools sit close enough together to be discussed as one route, but they are not four versions of the same school.
The shared test is provided by GL Assessment and covers English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. A single Slough test result can be used across the consortium schools, which is the main reason families research the route as one system. The exam answers the academic eligibility question, but it does not decide the whole admissions outcome by itself.
Slough becomes more interesting after the shared test is understood. St Bernard’s has a Catholic character and admissions context, Langley and Upton Court sit in a different daily travel pattern from central Slough options, and each school has its own published rules for allocating places when demand is high. The route therefore mixes a common assessment with school-level differences that matter quickly.
The obvious questions on this route are practical. Which of the four schools would actually be named on the application? Does the child need a Slough or Langley journey every day? Does the family’s admissions position look different for one school than another? The Slough route page is here to keep the common test and the individual school choices separate.
Schools using this route
These are the schools currently linked to the Slough route.
UK Rank #35 In-site school
Langley Grammar School
Langley, Slough
Ofsted: Outstanding Mixed
UK Rank #37 In-site school
St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School
Slough
Ofsted: Outstanding Mixed
UK Rank #23 In-site school
Upton Court Grammar School
Slough
Ofsted: Outstanding Mixed
02 / Selection test
Exam format and structure
The Slough 11 Plus includes multiple choice papers in English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. They are designed to assess your child’s academic ability and reasoning skills, and compare their results against their cohort of applicants.
Paper structure
Paper 1: Verbal Reasoning and English (GL Assessment)
See the papers and topics below.
Paper 2: Non-verbal Reasoning and Maths (GL Assessment)
See the papers and topics below.
What the test covers
Spelling, grammar
Comprehension skills
Vocabulary knowledge
Problem solving with words and verbal features
Visual-based problem solving
Logic and puzzles using shapes
Algebra manipulation
Data handling
Both papers are sat on the same day with a short break between them. The papers are multiple choice format, set by GL Assessment and will last around an hour each.
03 / Scoring
Pass mark and score guidance
The eligibility score, for consideration, is set at 111 on the standardised scale. Pupils who score above this will be in the top 35% of the cohort. The places are then allocated based off the individual criteria of the schools which may take in to consideration factors such as proximity of home address to the school as well as test score.
04 / Applications
Key dates and how to apply
To register your child for the Slough 11 Plus, complete the online application online. This is required whether you live in Slough or are applying from outside the area.
Key dates
Registration opens
Thursday 1st May 2025
Registration closes
Thursday 5th June 2025
Entrance examination
Saturday 20th September 2025
Results day
Mid October 2025
Secondary school application deadline
Friday 31st October 2025
National offer day
Monday 2nd March 2026
Application steps
Register online
Visit the Slough Council website or individual school’s website and complete the online application form during the registration window. You’ll need to provide your child’s details and the primary school they attend.
Test centre for non-Slough schools
You will be assigned a test centre where your child can sit the Slough 11 Plus in September if they do not attend a Slough primary school.
Keep your confirmation email
After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email which you should keep to refer to it later.
05 / Resources
Practice papers and familiarisation materials
These local PDF copies are useful for format practice and timing; dates, paper formats, and registration details can change, so the current admissions page remains the source to trust.
Maths
Non-Verbal Reasoning
PaperNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths Practice Paper 1
Mark schemeNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths Practice Paper 1
PaperNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths Test Booklet
Mark schemeNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths Test Booklet
PaperNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 1
Mark schemeNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 1
PaperNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 2
PaperNon-Verbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 3
English
Verbal Reasoning
PaperVerbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Paper 1
Mark schemeVerbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Paper 1
PaperVerbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Paper 2
PaperVerbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Paper 3
PaperVerbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Verbal Skills Paper
Mark schemeVerbal Reasoning
GL Assessment Verbal Skills Paper
06 / Linked schools
Schools on this route
These are the schools currently mapped to the Slough route in Grammar School Hub.
Search workspace
Search and filter schools
Search by school or area, then narrow the shortlist by school type, Ofsted, or test pattern where it helps.
Compare up to 4 schools
4 schools
No schools selected to compare yet.
UK Rank #23
Upton Court Grammar School
Slough / Berkshire
Ofsted: OutstandingMixed
- Assessment
- GL Assessment
- Competition
- Very High
- Attainment 8
- 79.8
- Grade 5+ Eng & maths
- 99.4%
UK Rank #37
St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School
Slough / Berkshire
Ofsted: OutstandingMixed
- Assessment
- GL Assessment
- Competition
- High
- Attainment 8
- 77.3
- Grade 5+ Eng & maths
- 99.4%
UK Rank #35
Langley Grammar School
Langley / Slough
Ofsted: OutstandingMixed
- Assessment
- GL Assessment
- Competition
- High
- Attainment 8
- 77.6
- Grade 5+ Eng & maths
- 100.0%
UK Rank #48
Herschel Grammar School
Slough / Berkshire
Ofsted: OutstandingMixed
- Assessment
- GL Assessment
- Competition
- Very High
- Attainment 8
- 75.8
- Grade 5+ Eng & maths
- 99.3%
07 / Shortlisting
Admissions points to compare school by school
Once the route itself is clear, treat the linked schools as separate choices. This is usually where travel, oversubscription rules, and school fit start to matter most.
Slough usually becomes clearer when parents stop treating the route as four versions of the same school. The strongest shortlist comes from comparing admissions rules, school feel, and travel properly once the shared test has done its job.
Check these before you rank schools
- Whether a Slough or Langley journey still feels reasonable every day
- How faith-based admissions at St Bernard's compare with the other schools on the route
- Which school environment fits best once you look beyond the shared test
- How oversubscription rules affect the meaning of a qualifying score at each school
08 / Preparation
How to prepare for this route
Supporting your child’s preparation for the Slough 11 Plus makes a huge difference. Here are some practical steps you can take to help them succeed:
Start Early
Begin preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5 to give them ample time to confidently build the skills they need.
Use Practice Papers
Work through Slough 11 Plus-style test papers in simulated test conditions. This helps your child get accustomed to the format and practices exam technique.
Focus on Weak Areas
Track your child’s progress to identify the areas and topics they find the most difficult to succeed in.
Encourage Daily Reading
Reading regularly strengthens their vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills, which help out with the the English and reasoning papers.
Try Online Tools
Use online platforms that offer Slough 11 Plus test papers specific practice questions and personal feedback to help make revision more engaging and effective.
Keeping preparation consistent, structured, and positive can help your child feel confident and ready for the test on the day.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which four schools use the Slough Consortium 11 Plus?
The Slough route brings together Herschel Grammar, Langley Grammar, St Bernard's Catholic Grammar and Upton Court Grammar. One shared test sits behind a compact four-school local group.
Can a Slough qualifying result lead to different outcomes at the four schools?
Yes. Herschel, Langley, St Bernard's and Upton Court can use the shared academic result inside different admissions policies, including faith context, distance and oversubscription rules.
Do the four Slough schools use the shared result in the same way?
The shared Slough test result is the common academic signal, but Herschel, Langley, St Bernard's and Upton Court each apply their own admissions policy. Faith context, distance, demand and school preferences can make the same result behave differently.
Who usually manages registration or applications for Slough?
The live process usually sits with the Slough consortium and the relevant local authority process. The official pages remain the source of truth for registration windows, test venues, access arrangements and final admissions instructions for the relevant year.