11+ pass marks by area
By ExamKind Editorial TeamFacts checked 19 October 2026Last reviewed 19 October 2026
In short
There is no national 11+ pass mark. Each area or school sets its own standard, on its own scale, and some set it only after the test. The table below shows the latest verified qualifying score for each area that publishes one, with the entry year it applies to. Where an area has no single published figure, we explain how its standard is set instead.
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| buckinghamshire-2027-qualifying: Value | 121 | Source: The Bucks Grammar Schools (TBGS), checked |
| birmingham-2027-qualifying: Value | 205 | Source: King Edward VI Foundation Birmingham, checked |
| lincolnshire-2027-qualifying: Value | 220 | Source: Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools, checked |
| kent-test-2026-qualifying: Value | 332 aggregate | Source: Kent County Council (hosted by school), checked |
| kent-test-2026-qualifying-each-test: Value | 108 in each test | Source: Kent County Council (hosted by school), checked |
| medway-2026-qualifying: Value | 481 | Source: Medway Council, checked |
| slough-2026-qualifyingScore: Value | 111 | Source: Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools (hosted by Upton Court Grammar School), checked |
| csse-2025-qualifyingScore: Value | 303 (total standardised score) | Source: Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), checked |
| Telford and Wrekin: Qualifying rule | There is no fixed pass mark. At Newport Girls' High School a selection panel sets the qualifying score each year after the test scores arrive. | Source: Newport Girls' High School, checked |
| Walsall: Qualifying rule | Each school's governors set a minimum qualifying score after the test results are known. Children who score below it are not offered a place. | Source: Queen Mary's Grammar School, checked |
| West Midlands: Qualifying rule | Each school's own admissions policy explains how it offers places. Check the individual school websites. | Source: King Edward VI Foundation Birmingham, checked |
| Warwickshire: Qualifying rule | Each year a Committee of Reference of head teachers and teachers sets each school's Automatic Qualifying Score and the minimum standard for the waiting list. | Source: Alcester Grammar School, checked |
There is no national 11+ pass mark. Each area or school sets its own standard, on its own scale, and some set it only after the test. The table below shows the latest verified qualifying score for each area that publishes one, with the entry year it applies to and a link to the area's full history. Every figure is linked to its official source and the date we checked it. Where an area has no single published figure, we explain how its standard is set instead.
Areas with a published qualifying score
Scores are on different scales, so a figure from one area cannot be compared with another. "Entry" means the September a child starts secondary school.
| Area | Latest verified qualifying score | Entry year | Full history |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 121buckinghamshire-2027-qualifying: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against The Bucks Grammar Schools (TBGS).The source says: The qualifying score for Buckinghamshire grammar schools is a Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above.View the official source | September 2027 | Buckinghamshire pass marks |
| Birmingham | 205birmingham-2027-qualifying: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against King Edward VI Foundation Birmingham.The source says: The Qualifying Score for all of the Birmingham grammar schools for 2027 entry is 205.View the official source | September 2027 | Birmingham pass marks |
| Lincolnshire | 220lincolnshire-2027-qualifying: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools.The source says: The qualifying level is a total standardised score of at least 220 on both papers.View the official source | September 2027 | Lincolnshire pass marks |
| Kent Test | 332 aggregatekent-test-2026-qualifying: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Kent County Council (hosted by school).The source says: An aggregate score of 332 or more, with no single score lower than 108.View the official source, with 108 in each testkent-test-2026-qualifying-each-test: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Kent County Council (hosted by school).The source says: An aggregate score of 332 or more, with no single score lower than 108.View the official source | September 2026 | Kent Test pass marks |
| Medway | 481medway-2026-qualifying: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Medway Council.The source says: 2026 admissions: 481 (25% of the cohort assessed as grammar)View the official source | September 2026 | Medway pass marks |
| Slough | 111slough-2026-qualifyingScore: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools (hosted by Upton Court Grammar School).The source says: This is the number of applicants who achieved an average standardised score of 111 or above in the Consortium 11+ test. These applicants were eligible for consideration for a place.View the official source | September 2026 | Slough pass marks |
| Essex and Southend (CSSE) | 303 (total standardised score)csse-2025-qualifyingScore: ValueChecked 12 Oct 2026 against Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE).The source says: 2025 ENTRY ... This table provides the lowest score in the 2024 11+ Test to secure a place on March offer day in 2025 for entry in September 2025. ... CSSE secondary school offers are not made to any child who has scored under a total standardised score of 303.View the official source | September 2025 | CSSE pass marks |
Reaching the qualifying score makes a child eligible to be considered. It is not an offer of a place: places then go by each school's admission rules. A newer figure appears here as soon as it is published and we have checked it.
Areas where the standard is set differently
Some areas do not publish one area-wide figure. Their history pages show school-by-school figures where they exist.
| Area | How the standard is set | More |
|---|---|---|
| Telford and Wrekin | There is no fixed pass mark. At Newport Girls' High School a selection panel sets the qualifying score each year after the test scores arrive.Telford and Wrekin: Qualifying ruleChecked 12 Oct 2026 against Newport Girls' High School.The source says: This panel will determine the score necessary for entrance to NGHS. The score usually varies slightly from year to year and is known as the ‘qualifying score’.View the official source | Telford pass marks |
| Walsall | Each school's governors set a minimum qualifying score after the test results are known. Children who score below it are not offered a place.Walsall: Qualifying ruleChecked 12 Oct 2026 against Queen Mary's Grammar School.The source says: To be considered for a place at the school, a candidate must achieve the Minimum Qualifying Score. This score is determined by the School’s Governors after the Test results are available. Any candidate scoring below the Minimum Qualifying Score will not be offered a place.View the official source | Walsall pass marks |
| West Midlands Grammar Schools | Each school's own admissions policy explains how it offers places. Check the individual school websites.West Midlands: Qualifying ruleChecked 12 Oct 2026 against King Edward VI Foundation Birmingham.The source says: To view the admissions policies and how each of the schools offer places please visit the individual school websites.View the official source | West Midlands pass marks |
| Warwickshire | Each year a Committee of Reference of head teachers and teachers sets each school's Automatic Qualifying Score and the minimum standard for the waiting list.Warwickshire: Qualifying ruleChecked 12 Oct 2026 against Alcester Grammar School.The source says: In South Warwickshire the Committee of Reference sets the required Minimum Academic Standard and the Automatic Qualifying Score (AQS) for each school, taking account of the applications for the individual schools and the number of places available.View the official source | Warwickshire guide |
| Gloucestershire | Each school's rule: a child must meet the qualifying standard (and any other criteria) of each grammar school to be considered for a place thereGloucestershire: Qualifying ruleChecked 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 | Gloucestershire guide |
| Bournemouth and Poole | Eligibility for all four schools is determined from the one shared set of entrance tests; each candidate is told whether they are 'eligible' (met the required standard) or 'ineligible'.Bournemouth and Poole (BCP): Qualifying ruleChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Bournemouth School.The source says: The eligibility for admission to consortium schools will be determined on the basis of the entrance test results. ... The school will advise parents whether, on the basis of the tests taken, their child is eligible or ineligible for a place at a Bournemouth and/or Poole Grammar School.View the official source | BCP guide |
| Torbay | Each school sets its own eligible score / pass threshold on the shared test after standardisation; one guidance letter tells parents Yes/No for each Torbay selective school.Torbay: Qualifying ruleChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Torquay Girls' Grammar School.The source says: Guidance will be given whether the scores achieved would be likely to gain a place at each of the selective schools in Torbay.View the official source | Torbay guide |
| Devon | The test checks whether a child is of an appropriate academic standard for a grammar school education; higher scores get higher priority when there are more applicants than places. The exact rule is in Colyton Grammar School's admissions policy.Devon: Qualifying ruleChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Devon County Council.The source says: Tests enable the school to assess whether a child is of an appropriate academic standard to be able to benefit from a selective or grammar education. As an oversubscription criterion, children with higher scores are given higher priority.View the official source | Devon guide |
Areas with pass-mark pages but no single area figure yet
In these areas, schools set or publish their own figures, or we are still checking the official source. Each page shows what is verified so far.
- Bromley pass marks
- Kingston (Tiffin) pass marks
- Redbridge pass marks
- Wirral pass marks
For every other area, see its guide on find your 11+ area.
How is the pass mark set?
- A fixed standard. Some areas keep the same qualifying score each year. Buckinghamshire's has been 121buckinghamshire-2027-qualifying: ValueChecked 9 Oct 2026 against The Bucks Grammar Schools (TBGS).The source says:
The qualifying score for Buckinghamshire grammar schools is a Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above.
View the official source in every year we have checked; see Buckinghamshire pass marks. - A standard set by a rule each year. For the CSSE schools, Southend-on-Sea City Council explains: A pass mark is set annually so the entrance standard stays comparable with 1990-1994.Essex and Southend (CSSE): Qualifying ruleChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Southend-on-Sea City Council.The source says:
A pass mark for the examination is set annually, which ensures that the entrance standard remains comparable with that obtained in the period 1990 – 1994.
View the official source - A standard set after the test. Some schools set the figure once results are known, so it can change from year to year.
- No pass mark at all. Some schools rank children by score and offer places from the top, so the lowest score offered depends on who applied.
The lowest score offered at a particular school (often called the cut-off) is different from the qualifying score, and it usually changes each year. School pages show it where councils or schools publish it.
Why don't you show more figures?
We only publish a figure once it has been checked against the official source. Many figures shared online are approximate, out of date or from a different entry year. If a figure is missing, it means the area has not published it or we have not yet been able to confirm it. You can tell us about an official source we have missed.
Related pages
- 11+ scores explained
- Standardised scores explained
- 11+ results day: what to do next
- Find your 11+ area
- 11+ data downloads
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from an area's verified record, archived from the council, consortium or school that published it and checked between 9 and 12 October 2026. Each figure links to its own source and check date in the facts table below.
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