A selective girls grammar school in Grantham, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,202 pupils on roll.
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
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At a glance
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School is a selective girls' grammar in Grantham, educating ages 11 to 18 and serving a large sixth-form community. Its public motto, 'Inspire, Challenge, Achieve', is paired with a homepage message about transforming lives through inspirational education. The school presents itself as academically ambitious but not narrow: it says it is proud not only of results but of the rounded, accomplished young women who leave KGGS as capable and confident adults.
The academic identity is traditional and high-performing. School material highlights consistent academic excellence, and the curriculum pages point to a broad offer that includes Classics or Latin as part of the wider subject mix. With around 1,202 pupils and 180 Year 7 places, KGGS is one of the larger Lincolnshire girls' grammar schools, and the sixth form is a substantial part of its academic culture rather than a small extension.
The school-life evidence is more understated than some schools' promotional copy, but it still gives useful signals. The site links prominently to the library, the prospectus and curriculum offer; drama is part of the co-curricular picture. The strongest parent-facing fact is the scale and simplicity of admissions geography: the school states that there is no catchment area, so after the qualifying standard has been met, distance only becomes decisive if the year group is oversubscribed.
Year 7 admission has 180 places and follows Lincolnshire Consortium testing. The two GL-style papers cover verbal reasoning and non-verbal or spatial reasoning. A standardised score of 220 is the expected standard for admission, although meeting it does not guarantee a place if applications exceed places. Oversubscription priorities include looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings already at the school, Pupil Premium applicants within 12 miles, children of staff and then distance. Public measures are strong: Ofsted Outstanding from 2023, +1.04 Progress 8, 97.8% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 19.9% 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 1,202 pupils; 1,193 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 73.6% | White | 885 |
| Any other White background | 5.7% | White | 69 |
| Indian | 4.5% | Asian | 54 |
| Any other Asian background | 2.8% | Asian | 34 |
| White and Asian | 2.7% | Mixed | 32 |
| Chinese | 2.2% | Asian | 27 |
| Any other mixed background | 1.9% | Mixed | 23 |
| African | 1.6% | Black | 19 |
| Pakistani | 1.2% | Asian | 15 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1% | Other | 12 |
| Unclassified | 0.7% | Unclassified | 9 |
| White and Black African | 0.7% | Mixed | 9 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.5% | Asian | 6 |
| Any other Black background | 0.2% | Black | 2 |
| Caribbean | 0.2% | Black | 2 |
| Irish | 0.2% | White | 2 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.1% | White | 1 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.1% | Mixed | 1 |
There is no catchment area. Once girls have reached the qualifying standard, distance only matters if places are oversubscribed.
There is no catchment boundary. Qualified girls are considered under the oversubscription criteria, with straight-line distance used for the final category and tie-breaks.
Looked-after and previously looked-after children
Qualified looked-after and previously looked-after girls are first in the oversubscription order.
Siblings already at the school
Qualified girls with a sibling attending KGGS when the application is made are next.
Pupil premium within 12 miles
Qualified girls eligible for pupil premium whose home address is within 12 miles of the school are then prioritised.
Children of staff
Children of staff follow where the published service or recruitment criteria are met.
Distance from home to school
All remaining qualified girls are ranked by straight-line distance from home to school, with a lottery used only if the final place is tied.
Lincolnshire Consortium testing arrangements apply, and girls must meet the minimum qualifying standard for admission to be considered.
Shared exam route
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' 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 paper
The first 2027-entry paper is the verbal-reasoning paper.
Paper 2
Non-verbal reasoning
Non-verbal or spatial reasoning paper
The second paper covers non-verbal or spatial reasoning.
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 2027-entry paper is the verbal-reasoning paper.
Non-verbal reasoning
The second paper covers non-verbal or spatial reasoning.
English
Maths
Science
11 plus registration opens
7 January 2026
Past11 plus registration closes
31 March 2026
PastLate registration reopens
1 May 2026
PastYear 5 open evening
9 July 2026, 5.00pm to 7.00pm
Verbal reasoning test
12 September 2026
Non-verbal and spatial reasoning test
19 September 2026
Results issued
9 October 2026
CAF deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register online for the 11+
For September 2027 entry, 11+ registration opened on 7 January 2026 and closed on 31 March 2026.
Open entry pageSit the two September papers
The first paper is on Saturday 12 September 2026 and the second paper is on Saturday 19 September 2026.
Check the test datesRead the results email in October
2027-entry results are emailed from noon on Friday 9 October 2026.
Review the timetableSubmit your secondary application by 31 October
Families still need to complete the secondary application by Saturday 31 October 2026.
See the admissions timelineLatest 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 | 70.1 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 69.6 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 69.5 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 68.8 | 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 (42.7 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (39.5 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (40.4 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (40.3 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 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 97% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 20 September 2023
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same Lincolnshire area and similar girls' selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar girls' selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar girls' 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
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Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls 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.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register online for the 11+: For September 2027 entry, 11+ registration opened on 7 January 2026 and closed on 31 March 2026. 2. Sit the two September papers: The first paper is on Saturday 12 September 2026 and the second paper is on Saturday 19 September 2026. 3. Read the results email in October: 2027-entry results are emailed from noon on Friday 9 October 2026. 4. Submit your secondary application by 31 October: Families still need to complete the secondary application by Saturday 31 October 2026.
11 plus registration opens: 7 January 2026. 11 plus registration closes: 31 March 2026. Late registration reopens: 1 May 2026. Year 5 open evening: 9 July 2026, 5.00pm to 7.00pm. Verbal reasoning test: 12 September 2026. Non-verbal and spatial reasoning test: 19 September 2026. Results issued: 9 October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 20 September 2023.