Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 11+
Gravel Hill, Poole, BH17 9JU
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
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At a glance
Poole Grammar School is a selective boys' grammar on Gravel Hill, educating around 1,200 pupils from 11 to 18. The school presents itself as a community where tradition, excellence, ambition and opportunity meet, with a sixth form that offers educational breadth for 16 to 18 year olds.
Its values are unusually plain and useful: compassion, integrity, motivation, respect, teamwork and wisdom. The curriculum pages point to modern foreign languages, computer science, design and technology, personal development and sixth-form study, giving pupils a route through both academic and practical subjects rather than a purely examination-shaped experience.
The enrichment offer is busy and recognisably local. Official school news and pages highlight music, drama, sport, Duke of Edinburgh, student leadership, trips, robotics, design technology entrepreneurship, an indoor climbing wall and a library. The school's Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and values work also make character education visible in day-to-day life.
Year 7 has 180 places. Entry is through mathematics, English and verbal-reasoning papers from GL Assessment, with scores age-standardised before oversubscription criteria such as looked-after status, pupil premium, staff-child priority and distance are applied. Published measures show Ofsted Good, Progress 8 around +0.55, 98.3% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 32.1% AAB or better at A level.
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.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,199 pupils; 1,197 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 73.6% | White | 882 |
| Any other White background | 7% | White | 84 |
| Indian | 5.8% | Asian | 69 |
| White and Asian | 5.2% | Mixed | 62 |
| Any other Asian background | 2.1% | Asian | 25 |
| Any other mixed background | 1.6% | Mixed | 19 |
| Chinese | 1.3% | Asian | 16 |
| African | 0.9% | Black | 11 |
| Any other ethnic group | 0.9% | Other | 11 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.6% | Asian | 7 |
| Irish | 0.3% | White | 3 |
| Pakistani | 0.3% | Asian | 3 |
| White and Black African | 0.3% | Mixed | 3 |
| Unclassified | 0.2% | Unclassified | 2 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.2% | Mixed | 2 |
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 writing task paper is listed.
Shared exam route
Poole Grammar School uses the shared Dorset 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 Dorset practice papersPaper 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
Verbal reasoning
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 and Science are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
GL Assessment verbal reasoning test lasting 50 minutes.
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
On-time registration open
Open on checked admissions page
Registration closes
4 September 2026
Deadline is 12 noon.
11+ entrance test
26 September 2026
11+ results emailed
16 October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
Deadline is 12 noon.
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 | 100% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 27 March 2024
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
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
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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.
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.