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School profile Record updated 27 October 2026

Slough Slough 11+

Herschel Grammar School

Northampton Avenue, Slough, SL1 3BW

A selective co-educational grammar school in Slough, Berkshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,056 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Co-ed Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form Slough Consortium 11+
2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #46
Year 7 places
150
Competition ?
High (estimated)
Ofsted ?
Outstanding
11+ route
Slough Consortium 11+
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On this page

At a glance

Key facts

2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #46
Sector
Grammar school
Admissions
Mixed
Assessment
Slough Consortium 11+
Places in Year 7
150
Competition ?
High (estimated)
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Ofsted ?
Outstanding

Overview

Herschel Grammar School is a co-educational selective school serving Slough and the surrounding area, with about 1,056 pupils aged 11 to 18. The school is part of The Schelwood Trust and presents itself as a warm, vibrant grammar built around high academic standards, mutual trust and the development of each pupil.

Its values are unusually simple and memorable: responsibility, success and care. They sit behind a curriculum that reaches across art and design, computing, drama, economics, languages, science, politics, EPQ and sixth-form study. The wider school life includes a library, house system, eco work, school council, wellbeing support, careers, magistrates mock trials, podcasts and themed weeks such as Culture Week and Empathy Week.

Year 7 admission is through the Slough Consortium 11+ assessment, with GL papers covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics. The published admission number is 150 and the qualifying standard is 111; after priority groups, most places are linked to eligible applicants within four miles of the school, with remaining places ranked by score.

Herschel's current outcome record is strong: Ofsted Outstanding in 2024, a positive Progress 8 score, very high GCSE English and maths outcomes and a substantial A level AAB measure. Its co-ed intake and four-mile rule make it a particularly local Slough grammar, not just a score-ranked option.

Key points
Assessment route
Slough Consortium 11+: 2 papers, covering English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning.
Places and demand
150 places in Year 7 and High (estimated)
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Results
98% grade 5+ in English and maths and 76.3 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 39.9% AAB or better and 73% in higher education.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2025/26 KS4 measures compared with Slough and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Herschel Grammar School, Slough, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M
Attainment 8
76.3
Grade 5+ English and maths
98%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Slough and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Herschel Grammar School, Slough, and England. 100 80 60 40 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 25/26

Destinations

Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Slough and England.

Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown
Destinations stacked bar comparison Year 11 destinations for Herschel Grammar School, Slough, 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
Mixed
Age range
11-18
Headteacher
Ms Joanne Rockall
Pupil roll
1,062 pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Trust
The Schelwood Trust
FSM ?
6.8%
EAL ?
38.3%
EHCP ?
0.4%

Facilities

Library

Extracurriculars

Drama

School statistics

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,062 pupils; 1,045 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 1.7% Asian 77.4% Mixed 12.7% Black 2.6% Other 4% Unclassified 1.6%

Location and contact

Address

Address
Northampton Avenue, Slough, Berkshire
Postcode
SL1 3BW
Area
Slough
Exam area
Slough 11+

School leadership

Headteacher
Ms Joanne Rockall

School contact

School email
mail@herschel.slough.sch.uk
School phone
01753520950

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions Officer
Admissions contact
Mrs F Begum
Admissions email
admissions@herschel.slough.sch.uk
Admissions phone
01753520950
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions

Appeals and waiting lists

A school admission appeal follows a refusal of a place. Use the school's current timetable and your refusal letter for the deadline. A test review, if available, has separate rules.

Read Slough and Reading appeals Official school website Appeals directory

Residence and moving rules

2027 entry

For local priority

Live at the declared home
Before the test
Continue residence
Until By the application deadline

Applies to: Applicants whose home address is used for admission and distance priority.

Policy wording, evidence and exceptions

Address for local priority

Applicants must be living at their CAF address by 31 October 2026 and have lived continuously at that address since 1 May 2026. A change after test registration must be reported with the reason; special consideration may apply where a move was unrelated to improving admission priority.

Evidence required
  • Both home addresses where parents share responsibility for part of the week
Home address conditions
Continuous residence at the same address is required through 31 October 2026, subject to the published special-consideration provision.
Official admissions policy

Checked

Year 7 places
150 places
Applications listed
1,066 applications (2026 entry)
First preferences
119 first preferences (2026 entry)
Competition ?
High (estimated)
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Cut-off score
116 (2025 entry)
Pass mark note
For 2027 entry, applicants need a standardised score of 111 to be considered. The latest official school-specific offer figure found in the checked material was 116 for the 2025 initial allocation round, so the qualifying standard and the eventual offer score should not be treated as the same thing.

For 2027 entry, Herschel uses a qualifying standard of 111. After priority groups, most places go to eligible applicants living within 4 miles of the school, with the remaining places allocated by score rank.

Priority is built around the permanent home address: the main catchment tranche covers homes within 4 miles of the school, and an additional pupil premium priority applies within 10 miles.

Oversubscription and eligibility

  1. 1

    Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted first.

  2. 2

    Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying standard.

  3. 3

    Children living within 4 miles of the school, nearest first.

    Distance is measured in a straight line from the permanent home address to the main gate.

  4. 4

    Up to 10 pupil premium applicants within 10 miles who meet the published rules.

  5. 5

    Children of permanent staff employed by the school for at least two years.

  6. 6

    Remaining places are allocated in rank order of entrance-test performance.

    Tied scores are separated by proximity to the school and then by random allocation if needed.

Admissions policy

Admissions arrangements for September 2027 entry

2027 entry

Allocation profile

11+ for 2025 entry statistics summary

2025 entry

Score history

  1. 2025

    116

    Initial offer score

Exam and test format
September 2027 entry

A shared test covering English, maths and reasoning.

Test provider
GL Assessment
Format
Multiple choice
Scores
Age-standardised

Papers and timings

  • Paper 1 Multiple choice
  • Paper 2 Multiple choice

What the test includes

  • English
  • Maths
  • Verbal reasoning
  • Non-verbal reasoning
Official test 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.

Slough test guide

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders
Find open days and plan a visit

  1. Registration opens

    1 May 2026

    Past

  2. Registration closes

    5 June 2026

    Past

  3. Entrance test

    19 September 2026

    Past

  4. CAF deadline

    31 October 2026

    Past

  5. Results window

    15 October 2026

    Past

    Slough Consortium results were available from 4pm on 15 October 2026 through the registration portal. Submit the CAF and any required supplementary information by 31 October 2026.

  6. Offer day

    1 March 2027

  7. Open evening

    7 October 2026

    Past

    5pm-8pm; no booking required. Headteacher presentations at 5.30pm, 6.30pm and 7.30pm.

  8. Declared-home residence date

    1 May 2026

    Past

  9. Continuous residence until

    31 October 2026

    Past

How to apply

  1. 1

    Read the admissions arrangements

    Check the 2027 policy for the 150-place intake, the 4-mile priority rule, and the qualifying standard.

    Open admissions policy
  2. 2

    Register for the entrance test

    Register during the published May to June window so your child can sit the September 2026 test for 2027 entry.

    Open admissions page
  3. 3

    Prepare priority evidence

    Have permanent home-address evidence ready and follow the pupil premium or staff-priority rules if they apply.

    Review evidence rules
  4. 4

    Name Herschel on your CAF

    Registering for the test does not count as a school application, so the school must still be listed on your Common Application Form by 31 October 2026.

    Check application steps

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Admissions arrangements for September 2027 entry

2027 entry

Results

Inspection
View report
Outstanding

Latest inspection: 22 May 2024

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

Quick summary

  • Overall effectiveness: The 2024 inspection judged Herschel Outstanding in every area. Inspectors saw a vibrant, ambitious community where pupils achieve exceptionally well, behave calmly, ask challenging questions and contribute beyond school through local volunteering.
  • Quality of education: The curriculum is highly ambitious and sequenced from Year 7 to sixth form, helping pupils apply knowledge independently. Expert teaching, clear explanations and sharp questioning help pupils think deeply, with strong support for those with SEND.
  • Behaviour and attitudes: Behaviour was exceptional in lessons and around school. Pupils live the values of responsibility, success and care, treat each other respectfully and move through school calmly, creating focused lessons with little disruption.
  • Personal development: Personal development goes beyond examination success. Pupils were proud and happy, while the report highlights community work such as litter picking, care-home volunteering, nursery support and helping at local events.
  • Leadership and management: Leaders and staff set high aspirations while knowing pupils well academically and personally. The report links this close knowledge to warm relationships, effective support and outcomes at GCSE and A level among the highest nationally.
  • Sixth form provision: The sixth form sits within the same carefully sequenced curriculum, with A-level outcomes described as very high. Students benefit from the school's increasing independence, expert teaching and strong preparation for their next stage.

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Shortlist comparisons

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Related pages and guides

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Which entrance tests does Herschel Grammar School use?

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

How do I apply to Herschel Grammar School?

1. Read the admissions arrangements: Check the 2027 policy for the 150-place intake, the 4-mile priority rule, and the qualifying standard. 2. Register for the entrance test: Register during the published May to June window so your child can sit the September 2026 test for 2027 entry. 3. Prepare priority evidence: Have permanent home-address evidence ready and follow the pupil premium or staff-priority rules if they apply. 4. Name Herschel on your CAF: Registering for the test does not count as a school application, so the school must still be listed on your Common Application Form by 31 October 2026.

When are the key dates for Herschel Grammar School?

Registration opens: 1 May 2026. Registration closes: 5 June 2026. Entrance test: 19 September 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. Results window: 15 October 2026. Offer day: 1 March 2027. Open evening: 7 October 2026. Declared-home residence date: 1 May 2026. Continuous residence until: 31 October 2026

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Herschel Grammar School?

Herschel Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 22 May 2024.