Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole / Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 11+
Sopers Lane, Poole, BH17 7EP
Parkstone Grammar School
1
A selective girls grammar school in Poole, Dorset, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,248 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective girls grammar school in Poole, Dorset, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,248 pupils on roll. Parkstone Grammar School serves girls aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,248 pupils on roll and 192 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 192 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.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.43 and Attainment 8 at 67.8. 92.6% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 26.4% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 56% moving into higher education.
The wider offer currently includes Drama, STEM club. 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. Taken together, those features make Parkstone Grammar School the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and England.
Priority is given to eligible girls living in the priority area, defined by the historic Borough of Poole and listed Poole postcodes. Tie-break distance is measured by the shortest safe and practicable walking route.
EHCP naming the school
Candidates with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted before oversubscription criteria are applied, provided the required standard is met.
Looked-after and previously looked-after girls
Eligible looked-after and previously looked-after candidates who reach the required standard receive priority.
Priority-area Pupil Premium
Eligible girls living in the priority area and in receipt of Pupil Premium are considered before other eligible priority-area applicants.
Priority-area applicants
Eligible girls living in the priority area are considered before eligible applicants outside the priority area.
Out-of-area Pupil Premium
Eligible girls outside the priority area and in receipt of Pupil Premium are considered before other eligible out-of-area applicants.
Other eligible applicants
Remaining eligible girls are considered after the priority-area and Pupil Premium categories, with walking-route distance used where a tie-break is needed.
The entrance test uses GL Assessment verbal reasoning, mathematics and English papers. Scores are age-standardised and no creative-writing paper is listed.
This school uses the shared Dorset consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Dorset guidePaper 1
Maths
Mathematics test
GL Assessment mathematics paper lasting 50 minutes.
Paper 2
English
English test
GL Assessment English paper lasting 45 minutes.
Paper 3
VR
Verbal reasoning test
GL Assessment verbal reasoning paper lasting 50 minutes.
English, Maths and Verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Non-verbal reasoning, Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
GL Assessment verbal reasoning paper lasting 50 minutes.
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Creative writing
Registration opens
13 April 2026
Registration closes
4 September 2026
Access-arrangements deadline
7 September 2026
Entrance test
26 September 2026
Catch-up test
2 October 2026
Entrance-test results
16 October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register for the entrance test
Complete online registration between 13 April 2026 and 12 noon on 4 September 2026.
AdmissionsRequest access arrangements if needed
Submit access-arrangements applications and evidence by 12 noon on 7 September 2026.
Date sheetSit the entrance test
The entrance test is scheduled for 26 September 2026, with a catch-up test on 2 October 2026 where applicable.
Student guideCheck results before naming schools
Results are due by email on 16 October 2026 by 4pm.
FAQSubmit the Common Application Form
Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 31 October 2026.
AdmissionsLatest 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 | 71.3 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 69.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 67.8 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 68.5 | 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 (42.9 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (40.4 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (41.5 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B+ average (41.8 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 | 98% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 98% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 98% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 97% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 95% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 18 April 2024
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area and similar girls' selective route
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions 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
Best Grammar Schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Compare the best grammar schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole sits within the Dorset route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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Best Grammar Schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Compare the best grammar schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole sits within the Dorset route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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 realistic shortlist options.
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
Parkstone Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the entrance test: Complete online registration between 13 April 2026 and 12 noon on 4 September 2026. 2. Request access arrangements if needed: Submit access-arrangements applications and evidence by 12 noon on 7 September 2026. 3. Sit the entrance test: The entrance test is scheduled for 26 September 2026, with a catch-up test on 2 October 2026 where applicable. 4. Check results before naming schools: Results are due by email on 16 October 2026 by 4pm. 5. Submit the Common Application Form: Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 31 October 2026.
Registration opens: 13 April 2026. Registration closes: 4 September 2026. Access-arrangements deadline: 7 September 2026. Entrance test: 26 September 2026. Catch-up test: 2 October 2026. Entrance-test results: 16 October 2026. Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Parkstone Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 18 April 2024.