Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole / Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 11+
Gravel Hill, Poole, BH17 9JU
Poole Grammar School
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A selective boys grammar school in Poole, Dorset, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,199 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Poole, Dorset, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,199 pupils on roll. Poole Grammar School serves boys aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,199 pupils on roll and 180 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 180 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 Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.55 and Attainment 8 at 71.3. 96.1% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 32.1% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 51% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library. The wider offer currently includes Duke of Edinburgh. 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 Poole 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-area categories use the historic Borough of Poole and listed Poole postcodes. Distance is used as a tie-break for the final place, measured through BCP Council GIS data.
EHCP naming the school
Candidates with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted before the oversubscription criteria are applied, provided the required standard is met.
Looked-after and previously looked-after boys
Eligible looked-after and previously looked-after boys who reach the required standard receive priority by rank order.
Pupil Premium in the priority area
Eligible Pupil Premium boys living in the historic Borough of Poole or listed Poole postcodes are considered before other priority-area candidates.
Pupil Premium outside the priority area
Eligible Pupil Premium boys outside the priority area are considered after priority-area Pupil Premium candidates.
Staff sons
Eligible sons of staff are considered under the policy's staff criterion.
Priority-area boys without Pupil Premium
Eligible boys living in the historic Borough of Poole or listed Poole postcodes are considered before other non-Pupil-Premium candidates.
The entrance test uses GL Assessment mathematics, English and verbal reasoning 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 test lasting 50 minutes.
Paper 2
English
English test
GL Assessment English test lasting 45 minutes.
Paper 3
VR
Verbal reasoning test
GL Assessment verbal reasoning test 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 test lasting 50 minutes.
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Creative writing
On-time registration open
Open on checked admissions page
Registration closes
4 September 2026
11+ entrance test
26 September 2026
11+ results emailed
16 October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
Late test
February 2027
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register for the entrance test
Submit the online registration form by 12 noon on 4 September 2026.
Year 7 admissionsRequest access arrangements if needed
Use the access-arrangements guidance before submitting evidence for entrance-test adjustments.
Access guidanceSit the entrance test
The 11+ entrance test is scheduled for 26 September 2026.
Year 7 admissionsCheck results before naming schools
Results are due by email on 16 October 2026.
Year 7 admissionsSubmit the Common Application Form
Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 12 noon on 31 October 2026.
Year 7 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 | 72.2 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 70 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 71.3 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 70.2 | 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 (39.7 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (40.3 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (39.3 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (40.0 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 | 99% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 97% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 27 March 2024
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area and similar boys' 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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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 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 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 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
Poole Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the entrance test: Submit the online registration form by 12 noon on 4 September 2026. 2. Request access arrangements if needed: Use the access-arrangements guidance before submitting evidence for entrance-test adjustments. 3. Sit the entrance test: The 11+ entrance test is scheduled for 26 September 2026. 4. Check results before naming schools: Results are due by email on 16 October 2026. 5. Submit the Common Application Form: Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 12 noon on 31 October 2026.
On-time registration open: Open on checked admissions page. Registration closes: 4 September 2026. 11+ entrance test: 26 September 2026. 11+ results emailed: 16 October 2026. Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026. Late test: February 2027. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Poole Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 27 March 2024.