A selective boys grammar school in Boston, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 874 pupils on roll.
The Boston Grammar School
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At a glance
The Boston Grammar School is a selective boys' grammar school for ages 11 to 18 in the Lincolnshire market town of Boston, with girls admitted into its co-educational sixth form. Its identity is unusually tied to place and tradition: the school still commemorates the 1554 charter of Philip and Mary, the 1555 land grant that secured a grammar school in Boston, and the Beast Mart tradition linked to the school's historic yard. The modern school is smaller than many grammar schools, with about 874 pupils, which gives the sixth form a visible but not overwhelming place in the community.
The curriculum page sets out a clear intent around care, achievement, respect and excellence. Subject pages cover the full academic range from art, computer science, design and technology, English, humanities, mathematics, modern languages and sciences through to business, economics, psychology, PE and religious education. In the sixth form, BGS currently offers 20 A levels alongside BTEC Sport and Applied Science, with EPQ and Maths in Context as enrichment options.
Boston's wider life is rooted in both old rituals and practical opportunity. Charter Day, Beast Mart and prizegiving connect current pupils with the school's history, while the curriculum material points to learning outside the classroom, careers education, academic support and subject-specific stretch. The sixth-form prospectus describes guest speakers, careers trips and a wider curriculum intended to prepare students for university, apprenticeships or employment.
Year 7 entry sits within the Lincolnshire grammar-school system. The published admission number is 120, and boys sit the Lincolnshire Consortium GL papers in verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning/spatial awareness; the total standardised qualifying score is 220. Qualified applicants are then considered through the school's oversubscription order, including looked-after children, pupil premium, siblings and distance. Published measures show Ofsted Good, -0.43 Progress 8, 79.2% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 15.1% AAB or better at A level.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Lincolnshire and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Lincolnshire and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Lincolnshire and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 874 pupils; 867 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 57.8% | White | 505 |
| Any other White background | 21.7% | White | 190 |
| Any other mixed background | 5.7% | Mixed | 50 |
| Indian | 3.9% | Asian | 34 |
| Any other ethnic group | 2.4% | Other | 21 |
| White and Asian | 2.2% | Mixed | 19 |
| Any other Asian background | 1.5% | Asian | 13 |
| Pakistani | 1% | Asian | 9 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.9% | Mixed | 8 |
| Unclassified | 0.8% | Unclassified | 7 |
| African | 0.6% | Black | 5 |
| Chinese | 0.6% | Asian | 5 |
| Irish | 0.3% | White | 3 |
| White and Black African | 0.3% | Mixed | 3 |
| Any other Black background | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.1% | Asian | 1 |
There is no catchment boundary. Qualified applicants are prioritised by looked-after status, pupil premium eligibility, sibling link, then driving distance from home to school measured by Lincolnshire's admissions software.
Looked after and previously looked after children
Priority first goes to looked after children, previously looked after children, and children previously in state care outside England who now meet the published care-order conditions.
Pupil premium applicants
Qualified applicants eligible for pupil premium are considered before sibling and distance criteria.
Siblings
Qualified applicants with an eligible sibling already at the school are then considered.
Distance
Remaining qualified applicants are ranked by driving distance from home to school using Lincolnshire's computerised measuring software; a lottery is used only if applicants are still tied.
The Lincolnshire consortium route applies. Candidates sit the test once in the academic year, and historically all boys who reached the required standard have been accommodated.
Shared exam route
Boston Grammar School uses the shared Lincolnshire route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all Lincolnshire practice papersGL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 1
GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Paper 1
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 2
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 3
Paper 1
Verbal reasoning
Paper 1
Verbal Reasoning paper sat on 11 or 12 September 2026.
Paper 2
Non-verbal reasoning
Paper 2
Non-Verbal Reasoning and spatial awareness paper sat on 18 or 19 September 2026.
Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English, Maths and Science are not listed in the current published format.
Verbal reasoning
Verbal Reasoning paper sat on 11 or 12 September 2026.
Non-verbal reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning and spatial awareness paper sat on 18 or 19 September 2026.
English
Maths
Science
Registration opens
7 January 2026
PastRegistration closes
31 March 2026
PastFamiliarisation materials deadline
26 June 2026
Verbal Reasoning paper
11 or 12 September 2026
Non-Verbal Reasoning paper
18 or 19 September 2026
The second paper includes spatial awareness.
Results released
9 October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register for the Lincolnshire 11+
Registration opens on 7 January 2026 and closes on 31 March 2026.
Open key datesSit the two September papers
Candidates sit Verbal Reasoning on 11 or 12 September 2026 and Non-Verbal Reasoning on 18 or 19 September 2026.
View test datesCheck whether your child reached the qualifying standard
Results are released on 9 October 2026, using a qualifying level of at least 220 across the two papers.
Open FAQName Boston Grammar on your local authority form
No place can be offered unless the school is named on the Common Application Form, even if your son qualifies.
Open school guidanceLatest 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 | 57 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 49 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 51.3 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 53.1 | 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 | C- average (27.8 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | C average (29.5 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | C- average (26.0 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | C- average (27.2 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 | 98% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 98% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 95% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 2% |
Latest inspection: 6 October 2021
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same Lincolnshire area and similar boys' selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar boys' selective route
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
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Best Grammar Schools in Lincolnshire
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Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing schools by route and journey.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.
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
Boston Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the Lincolnshire 11+: Registration opens on 7 January 2026 and closes on 31 March 2026. 2. Sit the two September papers: Candidates sit Verbal Reasoning on 11 or 12 September 2026 and Non-Verbal Reasoning on 18 or 19 September 2026. 3. Check whether your child reached the qualifying standard: Results are released on 9 October 2026, using a qualifying level of at least 220 across the two papers. 4. Name Boston Grammar on your local authority form: No place can be offered unless the school is named on the Common Application Form, even if your son qualifies.
Registration opens: 7 January 2026. Registration closes: 31 March 2026. Familiarisation materials deadline: 26 June 2026. Verbal Reasoning paper: 11 or 12 September 2026. Non-Verbal Reasoning paper: 18 or 19 September 2026. Results released: 9 October 2026. Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Boston Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 6 October 2021.