Gloucestershire 11+: one shared test, and a new one for 2028 entry

The G7 appointed FSCE as the new admissions test provider for entry to Year 7 from 2028 onwards, after a competitive tender.Source for Gloucestershire: Provider change statementGloucestershire: Provider change statementCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: The seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools (G7) have appointed Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) as their new admissions test provider for entry to Year 7 from 2028 onwards, following a comprehensive competitive tender process.View the official source The timing changes too: the test moves from September of Year 6 to the latter part of the summer term of Year 5, from summer 2027 for September 2028 entrySource for Gloucestershire: Test move to year5Gloucestershire: Test move to year5CloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: As part of the new arrangements, the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools have also taken the decision to move the test date from September of Year 6 to the latter part of the summer term of Year 5. This will reduce pressure on pupils beginning Year 6, and provide families with earlier results.View the official source.

Why the change? The schools say the new test draws on what children learn at primary school, so that preparation can be ordinary good classroom work and wide reading. FSCE is a not-for-profit subsidiary of Reading SchoolSource for Gloucestershire: Fsce ownershipGloucestershire: Fsce ownershipCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: FSCE, a not‑for‑profit subsidiary of Reading School, develops bespoke admissions assessments designed specifically for selective state grammar schools.View the official source; under the new arrangements FSCE designs, develops and delivers the papers, including scoring, analysis, age-standardisation and reporting of resultsSource for Gloucestershire: Fsce roleGloucestershire: Fsce roleCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: Under the new arrangements, FSCE will design, develop, and deliver the test papers - including scoring, analysis, age‑standardisation, and secure reporting of resultsView the official source.

What the new test looks like. There are 3Source for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Paper countGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Paper countCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: The Entrance Test will consist of three FSCE papers:View the official source papers:

• Adventure (English and Maths; multiple choice); Beacon (English and Maths; short written answers); Compass (Art & Design, Computing, Design & Technology, English, Geography, History, Languages, Maths, Music, Physical Education and Science; multiple choice)Source for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): PapersGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): PapersCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: Adventure Paper: English and Maths, with Multiple Choice Answer options; Beacon Paper: English and Maths, where you respond with Short Written Answers; Compass Paper: any of the following subjects you learn at school: Art & Design, Computing, Design & Technology, English, Geography, History, Languages, Maths, Music, Physical Education, Science, with Multiple Choice Answer options.View the official source.
• Timing: each paper typically 45-60 minutes; three papers, possibly in any order, with a break possible between themSource for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Paper minutesGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Paper minutesCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: There are three separate papers which might be sat in any order; • Each paper typically lasts 45–60 minutes; • A break may be scheduled between papers.View the official source.
• Content: everything is based on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum taught up to the end of Year 5Source for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Curriculum basisGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Curriculum basisCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: It assesses a range of academic abilities, all inspired by (and not beyond) the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum taught up until the end of Year 5.View the official source. Does the new test leave out non-verbal reasoning? YesSource for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): No non verbal reasoningGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): No non verbal reasoningCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: There is NO non-verbal reasoning in our tests as it is not taught as part of the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum so we do not believe it to be a fair aspect to assess.View the official source. FSCE says it is not taught in the primary curriculum, so it is not tested.
• Marking: marked by computer and age-standardisedSource for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): StandardisationGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): StandardisationCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: All papers are marked by computer and age-standardised.View the official source.
• One attempt: a child may take the test only once; all written elements on one day at one of the grammar schoolsSource for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Single attemptGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Single attemptCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: Please note – a child may only take the test once. All written elements will be tested on one day and will take place at one of the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools.View the official source.
• Practice material: no commercial 11+ books or past papers are endorsed by FSCESource for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Practice materials soldGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (FSCE: Adventure, Beacon, Compass): Practice materials soldCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: There are NO commercial 11+ books or past papers endorsed by FSCE.View the official source. The official familiarisation guides on the schools' websites are the reference point for the question styles.

What stays the same. It is still one shared test for all seven schools, results still come before the October application deadline, and places are still allocated by the council in rank order using each school's own rules.

The schools run the test together as The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools (G7)Source for Gloucestershire: Consortium nameGloucestershire: Consortium nameCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: The seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools (G7) have appointed Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) as their new admissions test provider for entry to Year 7 from 2028 onwardsView the official source. For 2027 entry there were 2Source for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): Paper countGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): Paper countCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: The Entrance Test comprises two papers of approximately 45-50 minutes in length (with additional time for instructions and some worked examples), sat on the same day with a short break between.View the official source papers, answered as multiple choice, on separate answer sheets marked electronically by an independent companySource for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): Answer formatGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): Answer formatCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: The answers are completed on separate answer sheets which are electronically marked by an independent company appointed by Gloucestershire Grammar Schools.View the official source. Scores are age-standardised by year, month and day of age at the testSource for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): StandardisationGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): StandardisationCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: Test Results are standardised according to the age of the pupil at the time of the ... Entrance Test by year, month and day.View the official source. The schools' own documents describe the paper length in slightly different ways, so we show it as Awaiting confirmationAwaiting confirmation: details for Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): Paper timingGloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test (GL Assessment): Paper timingCloseOfficial sources disagree; we are confirming this with the publisher.View the official source until they confirm.

Children sit the test at an allocated test centre (one of the grammar schools), notified by 8 September 2026Source for Gloucestershire 2027 entry: Test venueGloucestershire 2027 entry: Test venueCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: You will receive notification of your Allocated Test Centre along with the venue testing arrangements by Monday 8 September 2026.View the official source. The schools' own figures: around 3,000 register and about 2,500 sit the test each yearSource for Gloucestershire: Annual candidate volumeGloucestershire: Annual candidate volumeCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire).The source says: Each year, around 3,000 children register to sit the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools admissions test, with approximately 2,500 taking part.View the official source.

There is no single county pass mark. Instead, a child must meet the qualifying standard (and any other criteria) of each grammar school to be considered for a place thereSource for Gloucestershire: Qualifying ruleGloucestershire: Qualifying ruleCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: For each grammar school you must meet the qualifying standard and any other criteria as stipulated in its admissions policy to be eligible to be considered for a place.View the official source. Do the schools rank children by score? YesSource for Gloucestershire: Score used for rankingGloucestershire: Score used for rankingCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: Schools will provide the Local Authority with a list of qualifying pupils (in ranked order) who have expressed a preference for their School.View the official source: each school gives the council a ranked list of children who qualified and named it, and the council offers places down that list, after looked-after children and any other priority groups in the school's own policy.

One practical point catches families out: parents choose at registration which G7 schools receive the result; a school that is not sent the result cannot rank the childSource for Gloucestershire: Scores shared withGloucestershire: Scores shared withCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: There is a facility to share your child’s result with more than one Gloucestershire Grammar School. Please be aware that you must share your child’s result with each School at which you are interested in a place.View the official source. When you register, tick every grammar school you might apply to.

Several schools give priority, or reserved places, to children eligible for the pupil premium; the details differ by school, so check each school page. When you register, parents must say on the test registration form if the child is eligible for pupil premium; the test centre checks eligibilitySource for Gloucestershire: Registration flagGloucestershire: Registration flagCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: You must indicate on the test registration form if your child is eligible for Pupil Premium. The Allocated Test Centre will confirm your child’s eligibility by making appropriate enquiries through your child’s primary school and/or the Local Authority.View the official source. The schools' documents describe the evidence step in two different ways, so we show it as Awaiting confirmationAwaiting confirmation: details for Gloucestershire: EvidenceGloucestershire: EvidenceCloseOfficial sources disagree; we are confirming this with the publisher.View the official source while we check.

This section is general information, not legal advice.

Waiting lists. If your child qualifies but is not offered a preferred grammar school, the council runs a reconsideration round: managed by the local authority ('reconsideration'): request by 15 March; outcome normally after 5 April 2027; then held by each school per its policySource for Gloucestershire: Waiting listGloucestershire: Waiting listCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: Parents must return their request to be added to a preferred school(s) waiting list to the Local Authority by the date specified on the Allocation Day Letter (for Gloucestershire this is 15 March).View the official source. For 2027 entry, requests are due by Monday 15 March 2027Source for Gloucestershire 2027 entry: Waiting list request deadlineGloucestershire 2027 entry: Waiting list request deadlineCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: (for Gloucestershire this is 15 March)View the official source.

Appeals. You can appeal if your child is refused a place. In Gloucestershire each school administers its own appeals; write to the Clerk to the Appeals Panel at the schoolSource for Gloucestershire: RouteGloucestershire: RouteCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: Each individual school administers its own appeals and a request to appeal must be made in writing to the Clerk to the Appeals Panel, c/o the school for which you are appealing for a place.View the official source. Timing: lodge by mid-April; hearings between May and JulySource for Gloucestershire: TimingGloucestershire: TimingCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Gloucestershire grammar schools (G7), hosted by Sir Thomas Rich's School.The source says: Panel hearings take place between May and July and need to be lodged by mid-April with the relevant schools.View the official source. Appeals take time and many do not succeed, so keep a realistic choice on your application as well.