A selective girls grammar school in Salisbury, Wiltshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,185 pupils on roll.
South Wilts Grammar School
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At a glance
South Wilts Grammar School is a selective girls' grammar in Salisbury with a large sixth form and around 1,185 pupils. The headteacher's welcome gives the school a clear editorial identity: excellence, curiosity and aspiration are linked to a broad, ambitious curriculum and a culture of kindness, involvement and aspiration. The school also names sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion as two golden threads in its community life.
The academic offer is broad for a selective school. South Wilts says students can choose from 25 A-level qualifications in the sixth form, alongside other Level 3 options such as Sports Leaders Award and Arts Award. The curriculum pages cover subjects, Key Stage 3 assessment, GCSE options, gifted and talented provision, careers, literacy and remote learning. The sixth-form pages describe an aspirational environment grounded in hard work, academic excellence and pastoral care, with a broad curriculum and a strong sense of community.
The wider offer is substantial and varied. The school describes music, sport, clubs and societies, international links and leadership roles, while the site also signposts extra-curricular clubs, Duke of Edinburgh, trips, forms, a library and sixth-form destinations. The tone is warmer than a purely selective profile: relationships are described as trusting, and pastoral care is presented as central for both main school and sixth form.
Year 7 admission has 160 places. The 11+ route uses GL Assessment multiple-choice papers in mathematics, English and verbal reasoning; scores are age-standardised and combined for admissions ranking. Applicants must meet the required academic standard, with a Pupil Premium pass mark 3% lower than the standard pass mark and 10 places reserved for qualifying Pupil Premium applicants. Oversubscription priorities include an EHCP naming the school, looked-after and previously looked-after children, catchment Pupil Premium and service premium, catchment applicants, out-of-catchment Pupil Premium, staff children, out-of-catchment siblings and other eligible applicants by distance. Public measures show Ofsted Good from 2019, +0.79 Progress 8, 98.7% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 23.3% AAB or better at A level.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Wiltshire and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Wiltshire and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Wiltshire and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,185 pupils; 1,132 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 68.9% | White | 816 |
| Indian | 6% | Asian | 71 |
| Unclassified | 4.5% | Unclassified | 53 |
| Any other White background | 4.1% | White | 48 |
| Any other Asian background | 3.6% | Asian | 43 |
| White and Asian | 2.9% | Mixed | 34 |
| African | 2% | Black | 24 |
| Chinese | 1.7% | Asian | 20 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.4% | Other | 16 |
| Any other mixed background | 1.3% | Mixed | 15 |
| Pakistani | 1% | Asian | 12 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.9% | Asian | 11 |
| Caribbean | 0.6% | Black | 7 |
| White and Black African | 0.4% | Mixed | 5 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.3% | Mixed | 4 |
| Any other Black background | 0.2% | Black | 2 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.2% | White | 2 |
| Irish | 0.2% | White | 2 |
Entry depends on meeting the SWGS 11+ standard. Priority then covers looked-after children, pupil premium/service premium applicants, catchment applicants, staff children, siblings and distance.
Catchment residence is a major priority criterion, with applicants for the 11+ normally resident at the address since 1 May 2026. Out-of-catchment routes remain available.
EHCP naming the school
Students with an EHCP naming SWGS who have achieved the entry criteria are admitted first.
Looked after and previously looked after children
Eligible students meeting the statutory looked-after or previously-looked-after definition.
Catchment pupil premium and service premium
Pupil premium applicants living within catchment, plus service premium applicants who meet the required academic standard.
Catchment applicants
Applicants who meet the academic standard and live in the school catchment area, with residence rules.
Out-of-catchment pupil premium
Pupil premium applicants living outside catchment who meet the required academic standard.
Children of staff
Applicants living with a qualifying member of staff employed for at least two years.
age-standardised and combined into a total score used to rank candidates for admission.
Paper 1
Maths
Maths paper
Multiple-choice maths paper.
Paper 2
English
English paper
Multiple-choice English paper.
Paper 3
Verbal reasoning
Verbal Reasoning paper
Multiple-choice verbal reasoning paper.
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
Multiple-choice verbal reasoning paper.
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Registration opens
2 June 2026
PastRegistration closes
1 September 2026
Deadline is midnight.
11+ test
26 September 2026
Reserve 11+ test
7 October 2026
For illness or other approved circumstances.
Extenuating circumstances evidence deadline
2 October 2026
Scores available
26 October 2026
Local authority application deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Check the 2027 admissions rules
Check the PAN, catchment and oversubscription order.
Read policyRegister for the 11+ test
Online registration is open between 2 June and 1 September 2026.
View policySit the 11+ test
The main 11+ test date for 2027 entry is 26 September 2026.
View test dateSubmit the local authority application
Submit the home local authority application by 31 October 2026.
View leafletLatest 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 | 77.5 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 73.2 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 75 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 77 | 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 (42.2 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B- average (38.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (39.2 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (39.5 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 | 97% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 99% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 99% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 23 October 2019
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions 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 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.
Best Grammar Schools in Wiltshire
Compare 2 Wiltshire grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, 11+ admissions, catchment or distance rules, competition, and school profiles.
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
South Wilts Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Check the 2027 admissions rules: Check the PAN, catchment and oversubscription order. 2. Register for the 11+ test: Online registration is open between 2 June and 1 September 2026. 3. Sit the 11+ test: The main 11+ test date for 2027 entry is 26 September 2026. 4. Submit the local authority application: Submit the home local authority application by 31 October 2026.
Registration opens: 2 June 2026. Registration closes: 1 September 2026. 11+ test: 26 September 2026. Reserve 11+ test: 7 October 2026. Extenuating circumstances evidence deadline: 2 October 2026. Scores available: 26 October 2026. Local authority application deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
South Wilts Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 23 October 2019.