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School profile Record updated 27 October 2026

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 11+

Bournemouth School

East Way, Bournemouth, BH8 9PY

A selective boys grammar school in Bournemouth, Dorset, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,284 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Boys Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form Dorset Consortium 11+
2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #96
Year 7 places
180
Competition ?
1.9 candidates per place (2026 entry)
Ofsted ?
Outstanding
11+ route
Dorset Consortium 11+
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On this page

At a glance

Key facts

2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #96
Sector
Grammar school
Admissions
Boys only
Assessment
Dorset Consortium 11+
Places in Year 7
180
Competition ?
1.9 candidates per place (2026 entry)
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Ofsted ?
Outstanding

Overview

Bournemouth School is a boys' selective grammar for ages 11 to 18, with a roll of about 1,284 and a substantial sixth form. The school sets out a traditional but not narrow grammar-school purpose: strong academic teaching, high expectations, discipline, smart appearance and respect, alongside preparation for higher education, careers and public life.

The academic offer is broad and recognisably all-round. Modern languages, science, computing and sixth-form study sit alongside a busy extra-curricular programme in which sport, music, Combined Cadet Force, Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh are described as mainstays. The school also has the established infrastructure families often look for in an older grammar: a library, design and technology, music provision, examinations support and alumni links.

Admission to Year 7 is through the shared Bournemouth and Poole grammar-school consortium test. Bournemouth School has a published Year 7 intake of 180; after testing, the policy gives priority to eligible looked-after children and Pupil Premium applicants, then uses priority-area, staff-child and score-ranked categories.

The school combines a competitive but readable admissions route with strong published outcomes: Ofsted Outstanding, a positive Progress 8 score, nearly all pupils achieving grade 5+ in English and maths, and a sizeable A level cohort moving on from the sixth form.

Key points
Assessment route
Dorset Consortium 11+: 3 papers, covering English, Maths and Verbal reasoning.
Places and demand
180 places in Year 7 and 1.9 candidates per place (2026 entry)
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Results
92.6% grade 5+ in English and maths and 71.2 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 28.3% AAB or better and 59.6% in higher education.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2025/26 KS4 measures compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Bournemouth School, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M
Attainment 8
71.2
Grade 5+ English and maths
92.6%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Bournemouth School, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and England. 80 66.7 53.3 40 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 25/26

Destinations

Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England.

Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown
Destinations stacked bar comparison Year 11 destinations for Bournemouth School, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and England across education, apprenticeships, employment, and other or unknown destinations. 0 50 100 School Local auth. England

School details
Sector
Grammar school
School type
Academy converter
Application
Local authority CAF
Gender
Boys only
Age range
11-18
Headteacher
Dr Dorian Lewis
Pupil roll
1,320 pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Trust
Bournemouth School
FSM ?
6.7%
EAL ?
13.3%
EHCP ?
0.9%

Facilities

Library Design technology

Extracurriculars

Orchestra Drama Sport

School statistics

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,320 pupils; 1,286 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 64.8% Asian 16.5% Mixed 10.8% Black 1.8% Other 3.4% Unclassified 2.6%

Location and contact

Address

Address
East Way, Bournemouth, Dorset
Postcode
BH8 9PY
Area
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Exam area
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 11+

School leadership

Headteacher
Dr Dorian Lewis

School contact

School email
admissions@bournemouth-school.org
School phone
01202512609

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions Officer
Admissions contact
Mrs V Walker
Admissions email
office@bournemouth-school.org
Admissions phone
01202 512609
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions

Residence and moving rules

2027 entry

For local priority

Address used for allocation
The home supplied when applying; changes after 31 October 2026 do not alter ranking

Applies to: Year 7 applicants, including families moving into the priority area.

Policy wording, evidence and exceptions

Address for local priority

Ranking uses the home address supplied to the local authority at application. Address changes after 31 October 2026 do not change the rank order.

Area
Priority-area postcodes: BH1–BH11, BH12 5 and BH23 1–3.
Evidence required
  • Address verification may include Child Benefit, GP registration, or evidence of home ownership or tenancy.
Home address conditions
The address must be the child’s main or only term-time home. For separated parents, use the address where the boy spends most time during term time.
Official admissions policy

Checked

Year 7 places
180 places
Applications listed
387 applications (2026 entry)
First preferences
238 first preferences (2026 entry)
Competition ?
1.9 candidates per place (2026 entry)
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Pass mark note
Bournemouth School tells parents whether their child is eligible or ineligible after the consortium tests. The school stresses that being eligible does not guarantee a place because the school is usually oversubscribed, and the current public materials do not publish a fixed qualifying score.

The shared Bournemouth and Poole grammar-school consortium test is used with Bournemouth School for Girls, Parkstone Grammar School, and Poole Grammar School. Parents register with one consortium school and the test result is then used to determine eligibility across the consortium.

A postcode-based priority area applies rather than a published map. The current materials list BH1 to BH8, BH9 to BH11, BH12 5, and BH23 1 to BH23 3 as the priority-area postcodes.

Oversubscription and eligibility

  1. 1

    Looked after and previously looked after children

    Eligible looked after and previously looked after children are considered first.

  2. 2

    Pupil Premium applicants

    Eligible applicants under the school's Pupil Premium criterion are ranked next.

  3. 3

    Priority-area applicants

    Remaining eligible applicants living in Bournemouth School's priority area are ranked by total score.

  4. 4

    Children of staff

    The school's policy includes a staff-priority category after the in-area score-based category.

  5. 5

    Other eligible applicants

    Remaining eligible out-of-area applicants are ranked by total score.

Information booklet

Open Evening presentation

2026 entry

Information booklet

Year 7 prospectus

2026 entry

Allocation profile

BCP secondary allocation summary 2026

2026 entry

Exam and test format
September 2027 entry

Three multiple-choice papers: English, maths and verbal reasoning.

Test provider
GL Assessment
Format
Multiple choice
Scores
Age-standardised

Papers and timings

  • English Multiple choice
  • Mathematics Multiple choice
  • Verbal reasoning Multiple choice

What the test includes

  • English
  • Maths
  • Verbal reasoning
Official test guidance
Changes for 2028 entry
2028 entry · Quest Assessments

Quest Assessments replaces GL Assessment for the September 2027 tests.

Official 2028 guidance ↗

Official exam resources

Past papers and practice materials

No released past entrance-test papers are currently verified here. The resources below are labelled by type.

Dorset test guide

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders
Find open days and plan a visit

  1. Registration opens

    13 April 2026

    Past

  2. Open evening

    9 July 2026

    Past

  3. Registration closes

    4 September 2026, 12 noon

    Past

  4. Access arrangements deadline

    7 September 2026, 12 noon

    Past

  5. Test information sent to parents

    18 September 2026, By 4.00pm

    Past

  6. Entrance tests

    26 September 2026

    Past

  7. Results emailed

    16 October 2026, 4.00pm

    Past

  8. Local-authority application deadline

    31 October 2026

    Past

  9. Late testing registration closes

    29 January 2027, 12 noon

  10. Late testing

    23 February 2027

  11. Offer day

    1 March 2027

  12. Late-test access arrangements deadline

    29 January 2027, 12 noon

  13. Address assessment date

    The home supplied when applying; changes after 31 October 2026 do not alter ranking

How to apply

  1. 1

    Register for the consortium test

    Complete the online Year 7 2027 test registration form between 13 April 2026 and 12 noon on 4 September 2026.

    Register for testing
  2. 2

    Submit any access-arrangements request

    If your child needs access arrangements, submit the form by 12 noon on 7 September 2026.

    Open access arrangements
  3. 3

    Sit the entrance tests and await the result

    One consortium test date applies for the four grammar schools. The entrance tests are on 26 September 2026 and results are emailed on 16 October 2026.

    Open Year 7 admissions page
  4. 4

    Apply through your home local authority

    After the result is released, submit your school preferences through your home local authority by 31 October 2026.

    Open BCP admissions

Official admissions documents

Information booklet

Open Evening presentation

2026 entry

Information booklet

Year 7 prospectus

2026 entry

Results

Inspection
View report
Outstanding

Latest inspection: 28 February 2024

Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding

Quick summary

  • Overall effectiveness: Bournemouth School was graded Outstanding. Pupils flourish, achieve highly and live up to expectations of hard work and respect, while exemplary conduct, meaningful leadership roles and a rich extra-curricular programme shape the wider school experience.
  • Quality of education: The curriculum is ambitious and cumulative, with many pupils following English Baccalaureate subjects and sixth-form programmes tailored to need. Teachers use strong subject knowledge, vocabulary teaching, assessment and review to close gaps and deepen understanding.
  • Behaviour and attitudes: Pupils' conduct was described as exemplary. They are polite, considerate, cooperative and behave with integrity. Captains and prefects take their responsibilities seriously, contributing positively to school life and modelling expectations for others.
  • Personal development: The wider offer has high uptake and includes Duke of Edinburgh, Combined Cadet Force, sport, orchestra, barbershop and rock bands. These opportunities make a strong contribution to pupils' confidence, interests and personal development.
  • Leadership and management: Leaders keep the curriculum under close review and make changes where pupils have knowledge gaps. The report also highlights consistent expectations, effective assessment and safeguarding judged effective at the inspection.
  • Sixth form provision: Sixth form was graded Outstanding. Study programmes are ambitious and tailored to students' needs, starting points are assessed carefully, and challenging academic texts help students extend subject knowledge before their next steps.

Similar schools and comparisons

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Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.

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Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.

Shortlist comparisons

Compare Bournemouth School with Poole Grammar School Compare Bournemouth School with Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School

Explore this school in context

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Related pages and guides

Area and ranking pages

Best Grammar Schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Compare 4 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Dorset route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.

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.

Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Which entrance tests does Bournemouth School use?

For September 2027 entry, Bournemouth School uses Dorset Consortium 11+. Check the named test and any alternative or later-stage requirements in the admissions policy.

How do I apply to Bournemouth School?

1. Register for the consortium test: Complete the online Year 7 2027 test registration form between 13 April 2026 and 12 noon on 4 September 2026. 2. Submit any access-arrangements request: If your child needs access arrangements, submit the form by 12 noon on 7 September 2026. 3. Sit the entrance tests and await the result: One consortium test date applies for the four grammar schools. The entrance tests are on 26 September 2026 and results are emailed on 16 October 2026. 4. Apply through your home local authority: After the result is released, submit your school preferences through your home local authority by 31 October 2026.

When are the key dates for Bournemouth School?

Registration opens: 13 April 2026. Open evening: 9 July 2026. Registration closes: 4 September 2026, 12 noon. Access arrangements deadline: 7 September 2026, 12 noon. Test information sent to parents: 18 September 2026, By 4.00pm. Entrance tests: 26 September 2026. Results emailed: 16 October 2026, 4.00pm. Local-authority application deadline: 31 October 2026. Late testing registration closes: 29 January 2027, 12 noon. Late testing: 23 February 2027. Offer day: 1 March 2027. Late-test access arrangements deadline: 29 January 2027, 12 noon. Address assessment date: The home supplied when applying; changes after 31 October 2026 do not alter ranking

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Bournemouth School?

Bournemouth School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 28 February 2024.