Lincolnshire / Lincolnshire 11+
South Road, Bourne, PE10 9JE
Bourne Grammar School
1
A selective co-educational grammar school in Bourne, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,740 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective co-educational grammar school in Bourne, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,740 pupils on roll. Families looking at Bourne, Lincolnshire will usually see Bourne Grammar School as a selective option for boys and girls aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,740 pupils on roll and 240 Year 7 places. The school also has a Christian character, which can matter for families thinking about ethos as well as academic fit.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 240 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 0.68 and Attainment 8 at 68.1. 94.2% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 23% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 73% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Performing arts spaces. The wider offer currently includes Duke of Edinburgh, Sport. 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. Bourne 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.
Bourne Grammar School's current admissions materials say there is no guaranteed catchment area or safe distance for a Year 7 offer because each cohort differs. Qualified applicants are considered through the school's published oversubscription order rather than a fixed catchment map.
There is no defined Year 7 catchment area and no guaranteed safe distance. Geography still matters through the 24 high-scoring places reserved within 15 miles and the final straight-line distance criterion.
Looked after and previously looked after children
Priority goes first to looked after and previously looked after children, including children previously in state care outside England who were later adopted, provided they have reached the qualifying standard.
Siblings on roll
Qualified applicants with a sibling already on roll at Bourne Grammar School are ranked next.
Children of staff
Qualified children of staff are prioritised under the school's staff criterion.
Pupil Premium and service-family places
35 places are reserved for qualified applicants eligible for Pupil Premium or the listed armed-forces criteria, with priority within this group given to those living closest to the school.
15-mile high-score places
After criteria 1 to 4, the next 24 places go to the highest-ranking qualified applicants by standardised score who live within 15 miles of the school.
Remaining places by straight-line distance
Any remaining qualified applicants are ranked by straight-line distance from home to the school, with those living nearest given priority.
GL verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning materials are used for familiarisation, and families are told to ignore 11+ English and Maths papers because they are not part of the Bourne test.
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
Verbal reasoning test
The first Bourne Grammar test is a multiple-choice verbal reasoning paper.
Paper 2
NVR
Non-verbal and spatial reasoning test
The second Bourne Grammar test is a multiple-choice non-verbal and spatial reasoning paper taken one week later.
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
The first Bourne Grammar test is a multiple-choice verbal reasoning paper.
Non-verbal reasoning
The second Bourne Grammar test is a multiple-choice non-verbal and spatial reasoning paper taken one week later.
English
Maths
Science
Creative writing
11+ registration closes
30 June 2026
Familiarisation session
5 September 2026
Formal testing invitations emailed
Week commencing 1 September 2026
Verbal reasoning test at partner primaries
11 September 2026
Verbal reasoning test at Bourne Grammar School
12 September 2026
Non-verbal and spatial reasoning test at partner primaries
18 September 2026
Non-verbal and spatial reasoning test at Bourne Grammar School
19 September 2026
Results emailed
9 October 2026
Year 7 application deadline
31 October 2026
Offer day
1 March 2027
Register for the 11+ test
Complete Bourne Grammar School's online registration form by midnight on 30 June 2026.
Register for the 11+Prepare for the two test dates
The Year 7 admissions test has a verbal reasoning paper and a non-verbal and spatial reasoning paper on adjacent Saturdays. Both papers must be taken for a valid full score.
Open testing bookletApply for the Year 7 place through your home local authority
Registration for testing does not apply for a school place. Submit your secondary application by 31 October 2026 through your home local authority.
Open Lincolnshire application routeUse the appeals route after allocations if needed
If Bourne Grammar School is one of your listed preferences and no place is offered on 1 March 2027, you can use the published appeal route.
Open appeals routeLatest 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 | 71.8 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 68.7 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 68.1 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 68.6 | 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 | B+ average (43.2 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (39.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (38.6 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (39.4 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 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 96% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 12 October 2022
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with 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.
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 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
Bourne Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the 11+ test: Complete Bourne Grammar School's online registration form by midnight on 30 June 2026. 2. Prepare for the two test dates: The Year 7 admissions test has a verbal reasoning paper and a non-verbal and spatial reasoning paper on adjacent Saturdays. Both papers must be taken for a valid full score. 3. Apply for the Year 7 place through your home local authority: Registration for testing does not apply for a school place. Submit your secondary application by 31 October 2026 through your home local authority. 4. Use the appeals route after allocations if needed: If Bourne Grammar School is one of your listed preferences and no place is offered on 1 March 2027, you can use the published appeal route.
11+ registration closes: 30 June 2026. Familiarisation session: 5 September 2026. Formal testing invitations emailed: Week commencing 1 September 2026. Verbal reasoning test at partner primaries: 11 September 2026. Verbal reasoning test at Bourne Grammar School: 12 September 2026. Non-verbal and spatial reasoning test at partner primaries: 18 September 2026. Non-verbal and spatial reasoning test at Bourne Grammar School: 19 September 2026. Results emailed: 9 October 2026. Year 7 application deadline: 31 October 2026. Offer day: 1 March 2027
Bourne Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 12 October 2022.