Liverpool / Liverpool 11+
Church Road, Wavertree, L15 9EE
The Blue Coat School
1
A selective co-educational grammar school in Liverpool, Merseyside, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,248 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective co-educational grammar school in Liverpool, Merseyside, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,248 pupils on roll. The Blue Coat School serves boys and girls aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,248 pupils on roll and 180 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes Individual, with 180 places available in Year 7 and roughly 5.6 applicants per place in the latest stored admissions picture. It is not defined by a tight formal catchment in the same way some selective schools are, although distance and oversubscription rules can still become relevant later in the process.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.77 and Attainment 8 at 80.1. 98.9% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 58.2% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 78% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Science labs, Library, Sixth form centre. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Taken together, those features make The Blue Coat School the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Liverpool and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Liverpool and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Liverpool and England.
Blue Coat is score-led rather than catchment-led. Up to 27 places are reserved for the highest-scoring applicants eligible for free school meals who reach the eligible score, and the remaining places go by rank order.
Highest-scoring free school meal applicants
Up to 27 places are reserved for applicants eligible for free school meals who reach the eligible score and rank highest by test performance.
Highest-scoring remaining applicants
The remaining places are offered to other applicants in rank order by the published total test score.
Tie-break and statutory priority
Where scores are tied, the age-weighted, non-rounded total score is used, with the statutory priority required for looked-after children, previously looked-after children and EHCP naming.
All entrance testing is online at the school. Phase 1 runs across 2 to 4 July 2026, around 600 pupils progress to phase 2, and shortlisted families receive phase 2 arrangements on 11 September 2026.
Paper 1
English, Maths, Other
Phase 1
Online test covering Reading, Spelling, General Mathematics, Mental Arithmetic and Developed Ability.
Paper 2
VR, Maths, NVR
Phase 2
Online test covering verbal ability, numerical ability and non-verbal ability for shortlisted candidates.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Online test covering verbal ability, numerical ability and non-verbal ability for shortlisted candidates.
Non-verbal reasoning
Online test covering verbal ability, numerical ability and non-verbal ability for shortlisted candidates.
Science
Creative writing
Applications open
26 March 2026
Applications close
24 April 2026
Phase 1 test sessions
2 to 4 July 2026
Phase 1 results
15 July 2026
Phase 2 arrangements issued
11 September 2026
Phase 2 test
19 September 2026
Phase 2 results
16 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Appeals deadline
31 March 2027
Apply between 26 March and 24 April 2026
Use the school's online admissions platform from 3.30pm on 26 March 2026 and submit the form by 4pm on 24 April 2026.
Open Year 7 guidanceSit the phase 1 online test
All applicants take phase 1 on 2, 3 or 4 July 2026, covering reading, spelling, general mathematics, mental arithmetic and developed ability.
View phase 1 datesComplete phase 2 if shortlisted
Around 600 applicants progress to phase 2, which takes place on 19 September 2026 after arrangements are issued on 11 September.
View phase 2 detailsWait for results and local authority offers
Phase 2 results are released on 16 October 2026 and local authority offers follow on 1 March 2027.
Open timetableLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 79.7 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 79.3 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 80.1 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 79.5 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A average (49.4 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | A- average (47.4 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A- average (45.2 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | A- average (47.3 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 99% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 9 November 2022
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Liverpool
Compare the best grammar schools in Liverpool for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. In Liverpool, catchment, competition for places, and each school's own admissions rules matter more than a single shared test route.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Liverpool
Compare the best grammar schools in Liverpool for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. In Liverpool, catchment, competition for places, and each school's own admissions rules matter more than a single shared test route.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Blue Coat School currently uses Individual.
1. Apply between 26 March and 24 April 2026: Use the school's online admissions platform from 3.30pm on 26 March 2026 and submit the form by 4pm on 24 April 2026. 2. Sit the phase 1 online test: All applicants take phase 1 on 2, 3 or 4 July 2026, covering reading, spelling, general mathematics, mental arithmetic and developed ability. 3. Complete phase 2 if shortlisted: Around 600 applicants progress to phase 2, which takes place on 19 September 2026 after arrangements are issued on 11 September. 4. Wait for results and local authority offers: Phase 2 results are released on 16 October 2026 and local authority offers follow on 1 March 2027.
Applications open: 26 March 2026. Applications close: 24 April 2026. Phase 1 test sessions: 2 to 4 July 2026. Phase 1 results: 15 July 2026. Phase 2 arrangements issued: 11 September 2026. Phase 2 test: 19 September 2026. Phase 2 results: 16 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027. Appeals deadline: 31 March 2027
Blue Coat School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 9 November 2022.