Warwickshire 11 Plus: The Grammar Schools Guide (2027 Entry)
Warwickshire has five fully selective grammar schools, clustered around Rugby and Stratford-upon-Avon, plus one partially selective school in Rugby. They share a single GL Assessment entrance test, run through the county council. This guide covers how it works for September 2027 entry.
Quick summary — Warwickshire 11+, 2027 entry
Practical notes:
- Register through the Warwickshire parent portal by 30 June 2026, and return the specific-testing-arrangements form separately if your child needs access adjustments.
- The five grammars split neatly into a Rugby group and a Stratford group — think about travel before you rank preferences.
- Each school sets its own cut-off score after the test, so there is no single number to aim at — build a comfortable margin.
The Warwickshire grammar schools
Five fully selective schools use the shared test:
- Lawrence Sheriff School — boys, Rugby
- Rugby High School — girls, Rugby
- King Edward VI School — boys, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Stratford Girls' Grammar School — Stratford-upon-Avon
- Alcester Grammar School — co-educational, Alcester
In addition, Ashlawn School in Rugby is partially selective, allocating a minority of its places (around 12%) to children who pass the 11+ test.
The test — and the switch to GL
Warwickshire moved its 11+ from CEM to GL Assessment for 2023 entry. Any older "Warwickshire CEM" practice material is out of date.
The current test is two papers of about 60 minutes each (including spoken instructions and practice questions), sat across the 12–13 September weekend. Each paper mixes questions from all four subjects rather than testing them one paper at a time:
- English
- Verbal reasoning
- Non-verbal reasoning
- Mathematics
Warwickshire 11+ key dates for 2027 entry
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| From 7 May 2026 | Registration opens on the Warwickshire parent portal |
| 30 June 2026 | Registration deadline; access-arrangement form also due |
| 12 & 13 September 2026 | Entrance test weekend |
| 16 October 2026 | Results sent to parents |
| 1 September – 31 October 2026 | Secondary Common Application Form window |
| 1 March 2027 | National offer day |
How places are decided
A qualifying score makes your child eligible for a school. Where a grammar is oversubscribed, it ranks qualifying applicants using its own criteria — commonly looked-after children, then a designated catchment area, siblings, and distance.
You apply by naming the schools as preferences on your home local authority's application form by 31 October 2026. Refused applicants can appeal to an independent panel and join a waiting list ranked by the admission criteria.
How to prepare
Use GL-format materials only. The move away from CEM changed what the papers look like; practise on multiple-choice GL papers across all four subjects.
Prioritise English and verbal reasoning — half the weighted score — while keeping maths and non-verbal reasoning solid enough not to pull the total down.
Rehearse switching subjects mid-paper. Because each paper mixes all four areas, children need to change gear quickly. Our verbal vs non-verbal reasoning guide explains how to train each.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Warwickshire 11+ for 2027 entry?
The entrance test is sat over the weekend of 12–13 September 2026. Registration opens on the Warwickshire parent portal from 7 May 2026 with a deadline of 30 June 2026, and results are sent to parents on 16 October 2026, before the 31 October secondary application deadline.
Which exam board does Warwickshire use for the 11+?
GL Assessment. Warwickshire moved from CEM to GL Assessment for 2023 entry, so older CEM-style practice material no longer matches the test.
What is on the Warwickshire 11+ test?
Two papers of about 60 minutes each, including instructions and practice questions, sat across the 12–13 September weekend. Each paper mixes questions from English, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and maths. Raw scores are age-standardised and weighted 50% English/verbal reasoning, 25% non-verbal reasoning and 25% maths.
How many grammar schools are in Warwickshire?
Five fully selective schools: Lawrence Sheriff School and Rugby High School in Rugby, King Edward VI School and Stratford Girls' Grammar School in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Alcester Grammar School in Alcester. Ashlawn School in Rugby is partially selective, offering around 12% of its places by the 11+.
What score do you need to pass the Warwickshire 11+?
There is no fixed pass mark. Each grammar school sets its own qualifying or cut-off score after the test, against that year's applicants, so the threshold changes annually. Meeting it makes a child eligible; oversubscribed schools then rank applicants by their own criteria, including a designated catchment area.
Is the Warwickshire test the same as the Birmingham King Edward VI test?
No, although both use GL Assessment and similar weightings. Warwickshire runs its own five-school test through the county council, with its own registration portal, dates and per-school cut-offs. The Birmingham King Edward VI Foundation runs a separate eight-school test. A result from one cannot be used for the other.
Related SharpY Mind resources
Prepare for the GL format, not the old CEM one
Warwickshire switched to GL Assessment. SharpY Mind builds the English, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal skills the current papers test — in short daily sessions.
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