Lincolnshire / Lincolnshire 11+
South End, Boston, PE21 6JY
The Boston Grammar School
1
A selective boys grammar school in Boston, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 874 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Boston, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 874 pupils on roll. Families looking at Boston, Lincolnshire will usually see The Boston Grammar School as a selective option for boys aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 874 pupils on roll and 120 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 120 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at -0.43 and Attainment 8 at 51.3. 62.2% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 15.1% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 55% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as 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. The Boston Grammar School is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
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.
Lincolnshire's qualifying standard applies first, followed by the oversubscription order: looked-after children, pupil premium, siblings, then straight-line distance.
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 straight-line distance to the school, with a lottery only if the distance tie cannot be separated.
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.
This school uses the shared Lincolnshire consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Lincolnshire guidePaper 1
VR
Paper 1
Verbal Reasoning paper sat on 11 or 12 September 2026.
Paper 2
NVR
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, Science and Creative writing 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
Creative writing
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
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% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 95% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 2% |
Latest inspection: 6 October 2021
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
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
Best Grammar Schools in Lincolnshire
Compare the best grammar schools in Lincolnshire for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Lincolnshire sits within the Lincolnshire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
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 Lincolnshire
Compare the best grammar schools in Lincolnshire for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Lincolnshire sits within the Lincolnshire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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 realistic shortlist options.
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
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.