A selective co-educational grammar school in Bourne, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,740 pupils on roll.
Bourne Grammar School
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At a glance
Bourne Grammar School is a large co-educational selective grammar on South Road in Bourne, Lincolnshire. It serves ages 11 to 18, has a recorded Christian character, and has about 1,740 pupils on roll. The school presents itself as an ambitious but practical grammar-school community, organised around the ideas of the best atmosphere, best support and best results, with high standards, personal growth and a love of learning treated as part of the same offer.
The academic character is broad rather than narrowly exam-led. Bourne's sixth form lists 25 A-level subjects, and the school describes a broad, challenging curriculum intended to prepare students for future study and work. Pastoral care is visible in the sixth-form material too, where students follow a bespoke programme of study with year-level support and a dedicated Head of Sixth Form team.
School life has a strong performance, sport and competition thread. The official website highlights choir and orchestral work, chess success at national-final level, a house maths challenge and history fieldwork, alongside orchestra, Duke of Edinburgh and sport. That mix gives Bourne a recognisable tone: academic achievement is central, but participation, responsibility and community contribution are repeatedly foregrounded.
Year 7 entry is through the Lincolnshire grammar-school testing route, with 240 places published for 2027 entry. Candidates sit a verbal reasoning paper and a non-verbal and spatial reasoning paper on adjacent Saturdays; a combined standardised score of 220 or above is the qualifying standard, identifying the top 25% by academic ability in the selective areas of Lincolnshire. The policy then applies its oversubscription rules, including looked-after, sibling, staff, pupil-premium/service-family, 15-mile high-score and distance categories. Ofsted judged the school Good in October 2022, with Outstanding judgements for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and sixth form; GOV.UK shows +0.68 Progress 8, 97.5% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 23% 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 1,740 pupils; 1,733 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 67.4% | White | 1,173 |
| Indian | 8% | Asian | 139 |
| Any other mixed background | 7.9% | Mixed | 137 |
| Any other White background | 5.5% | White | 96 |
| Pakistani | 3% | Asian | 52 |
| Any other Asian background | 1.7% | Asian | 30 |
| African | 1.3% | Black | 22 |
| Any other Black background | 0.9% | Black | 15 |
| Any other ethnic group | 0.9% | Other | 15 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.8% | Mixed | 14 |
| White and Asian | 0.7% | Mixed | 12 |
| White and Black African | 0.6% | Mixed | 10 |
| Irish | 0.5% | White | 9 |
| Chinese | 0.5% | Asian | 8 |
| Unclassified | 0.4% | Unclassified | 7 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.1% | Asian | 1 |
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.
Shared exam route
Bourne 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
Verbal reasoning test
The first Bourne Grammar test is a multiple-choice verbal reasoning paper.
Paper 2
Non-verbal reasoning
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 and Science 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
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, From 12 noon
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 | 99% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 97% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 12 October 2022
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
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 15 Lincolnshire grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Lincolnshire route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
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.
Best Grammar Schools in Lincolnshire
Compare 15 Lincolnshire grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Lincolnshire route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
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
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, From 12 noon. 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.