Wirral / Wirral 11+
Graham Road, West Kirby, CH48 5DP
West Kirby Grammar School
1
A selective girls grammar school in Wirral, Merseyside, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,186 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective girls grammar school in Wirral, Merseyside, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,186 pupils on roll. Based in Wirral, Merseyside, the school serves girls aged 11-18 and includes sixth-form study as part of the offer. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,186 pupils on roll and 180 Year 7 places.
Admissions are central to understanding whether this school is the right fit and realistic shortlist option. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 180 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. It is not defined by a tight formal catchment in the same way some selective schools are, although distance and oversubscription rules can still become relevant later in the process.
Academically, the published picture is strong and easier to judge than reputation alone. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.42 and Attainment 8 at 68.3. 94% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 22.9% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 65% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Science labs. The wider offer currently includes Drama. 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. That mix of selective entry, published outcomes, and school life is what will matter most to families deciding whether West Kirby Grammar School belongs on a serious shortlist.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Wirral and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Wirral and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Wirral and England.
There is no fixed catchment boundary; after qualifying, a free-school-meals priority applies, then 60% of remaining places use distance and the rest use standardised score.
Qualified applicants
Candidates must reach the required standard in both tests.
Free school meals
Up to 18 places are available for qualified girls eligible for free school meals, ranked by distance.
Children of staff
Priority applies where the published staff criteria are met.
Distance allocation
Sixty percent of the remaining places are allocated by shortest road or safe walking-route distance.
Score allocation
The remaining places are allocated by standardised score.
Structured exam detail is still being reviewed.
This school uses the shared Wirral consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Wirral guidePaper 1
VR
Paper 1
Verbal reasoning.
Paper 2
Maths, NVR
Paper 2
Mathematics and non-verbal reasoning.
Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English, Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Verbal reasoning.
Non-verbal reasoning
Mathematics and non-verbal reasoning.
English
Science
Creative writing
Registration closes
31 May 2026
Wirral 11+ assessment
15 September 2026
Results issued
Mid October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register for the Wirral 11+
Register by 31 May 2026 for the 2027 entry assessment.
Open candidate packSit the Quest assessment
The test uses two papers: verbal reasoning, then mathematics and non-verbal reasoning.
Open candidate packReview the results
Results are expected in mid October 2026 before the CAF deadline.
Open candidate packSubmit the Common Application Form
Name West Kirby Grammar School on the CAF by 31 October 2026.
Open CAF guidanceLatest 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 | 71.7 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 67.9 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 68.3 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 71.3 | 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 (41.0 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (38.5 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B- average (37.4 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (39.3 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 | 98% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 97% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 96% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 3 November 2022
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Wirral area and similar girls' selective route
Same Wirral area with a comparable local commute
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
Best Grammar Schools in Wirral
Compare the best grammar schools in Wirral for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Wirral sits within the Wirral route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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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.
Best Grammar Schools in Wirral
Compare the best grammar schools in Wirral for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Wirral sits within the Wirral 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
West Kirby Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the Wirral 11+: Register by 31 May 2026 for the 2027 entry assessment. 2. Sit the Quest assessment: The test uses two papers: verbal reasoning, then mathematics and non-verbal reasoning. 3. Review the results: Results are expected in mid October 2026 before the CAF deadline. 4. Submit the Common Application Form: Name West Kirby Grammar School on the CAF by 31 October 2026.
Registration closes: 31 May 2026. Wirral 11+ assessment: 15 September 2026. Results issued: Mid October 2026. Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
West Kirby Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 3 November 2022.