Parkstone Grammar School 11+
Crucial 11+ info, past 11+ papers and practice 11+ papers for Parkstone Grammar School.
How to get into Parkstone Grammar School
Parkstone Grammar School is a selective secondary school in Dorset. To get into Parkstone Grammar School children need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Here is the step-by-step guide to getting your child into Parkstone Grammar School with all the important information you need to know.
Admission Requirements
Parkstone Grammar School offers 192 Year 7 places annually for girls only aged 11-18 [1]. Children born between 1st September 2014 and 31st August 2015 are eligible for Year 7 entry in September 2026. Admission requires girls to pass the Dorset 11+ examination administered by GL Assessment.
Admission is at 11+ into Year 7 and is by entrance test [1]. The school welcomes applications from families who live in the local authority area and beyond [1]. The catchment area covers the historic Borough of Poole, plus postcodes BH12, BH13, BH14, BH15, BH16, BH17, BH18 and BH21 3.
Parkstone Grammar School participates in the Dorset Consortium with Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls, and Poole Grammar School [1]. This means families considering multiple schools within the consortium need only take one test.
Application Process
Registration for the Dorset 11+ opens on Tuesday 22nd April 2025 and closes on Friday 5th September 2025. Registration for the entrance test opens on Monday 15 April 2024 [1]. Families must register directly through the school's website.
Children will take the Dorset 11+ entrance test on Saturday 20th September 2025 and families receive results on Friday 10th October. Families must submit the Common Application Form by Friday 31st October 2025 through their local council website.
Families requiring special educational needs access arrangements must submit completed forms with supporting evidence by 12 noon on Monday 9 September 2024 [1]. Passing the 11+ does not guarantee school placement as many grammar schools are oversubscribed with qualified children.
Entrance Examination Details
The Dorset 11+ consists of three papers provided by GL Assessment. The examination includes a Mathematics paper lasting 50 minutes, an English paper lasting 45 minutes, and a Verbal Reasoning paper lasting 50 minutes. All papers are multiple-choice.
Students sit three GL Assessment multiple-choice tests in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning [1]. Children's marks are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged. All standardised scores are placed in rank order from highest to lowest, and Parkstone Grammar School sets a qualifying score based on this ranked list.
Parkstone Grammar School does not have a specific pass mark, but pupils scoring 80%+ consistently in practice tests should be on track to pass. Free familiarisation papers are available from the GL Assessment website [1].
Oversubscription Criteria
If the number of children achieving the qualifying score exceeds the 192 places available, Parkstone Grammar School applies oversubscription criteria. Places are allocated in this order: girls who are 'Looked After' or 'Previously Looked After', girls within the catchment area entitled to Pupil Premium, girls within the catchment area, girls outside the catchment area entitled to Pupil Premium, and all other girls outside the catchment area ranked by test scores.
In each category, places are allocated based on rank order of the child's 11+ score, with distance from school used as a tiebreaker. Priority is based on location and distance from the school. A waiting list is maintained after March admissions for eligible students not initially offered places.
Preparation Guidance
For children aged 10-11, educational psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20-30 minutes using a 'little and often' approach. Introducing practice exam papers into study routines helps children become familiar with test layout and question types. Families seeking practice materials should explore free 11+ practice papers.
The test is designed to be challenging and selects children working in the top ability range, typically those working within the top 25% of their year group. The school welcomes families and prospective students to its open evening held in July. Families requiring tutoring support should consider professional 11+ tutoring services.
Practical Advice
Late applications will not be processed until all other applications have been considered and offers allocated. Unsuccessful applicants have the right to appeal to an Independent Panel, but Year 7 appeals cannot be submitted until offers are posted in March [1].
Four grammar schools in Dorset form the Dorset Consortium: Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls, Parkstone Grammar School, and Poole Grammar School. Families should consider these as backup options within Dorset. For specific contact details and additional guidance, families should consult the school information section.
The school's annual Open Evening was held on Thursday 11 July 2024 [1]. Further information about testing arrangements and the application process can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions for Year 7 entry in September 2025 [1].
Dorset 11+ Information
In order to get into Parkstone Grammar School, children need to pass the Dorset 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.
Dorset 11+ Subjects & Structure
The Dorset 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:
- Maths
- English
- Verbal reasoning
The Dorset Consortium 11 plus entrance exam is the admissions test used by Bournemouth School. This assessment consists of three separate papers designed to evaluate a child's abilities in key areas. The exam includes a 50-minute Maths test, a 45-minute English test, and a 50-minute Verbal Reasoning test.
All the questions in the Dorset 11 plus exam are presented in a multiple-choice format. Pupils will be provided with individual answer sheets on which they will indicate their selected responses. These answer sheets are then electronically marked to determine the child's score in each subject area.
The Dorset 11 plus exam aims to assess a student's academic potential and suitability for admission to Bournemouth School. Success in this competitive entrance exam requires a solid foundation in Maths, English, and Verbal Reasoning skills, as well as effective time management and test-taking strategies.
Other Schools using Dorset 11+
As well as Parkstone Grammar School, several other schools also use Dorset 11+. These are:
Dorset 11+ Marking Process
The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Parkstone Grammar School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.
Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.
Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.
It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!
Dorset 11+ Pass Mark
The pass mark for the Dorset 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).
Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at Parkstone Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.
Key Dates for the Parkstone Grammar School 11+ Entrance Tests
Here are all the important dates for the 11+ tests (to get into Parkstone Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.
| Date | Event | Calendar Link |
|---|---|---|
| 22/04/2025 | Dorset 11 Plus Registration Opens | Add Dates to Calendar |
| 10/07/2025 | Parkstone Grammar School Open Evening | |
| 05/09/2025 | Dorset 11 Plus Registration Closes | |
| 20/09/2025 | Dorset 11 Plus Exam Day | |
| Early October | Parents Receive Dorset 11 Plus Results | |
| Late October | National Deadline To Apply For School Places | |
| 02/03/2026 | National Offers Day |
Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Parkstone Grammar School as they may well change.
11+ Tutor for Parkstone Grammar School
As the Dorset 11+ entrance process is particularly gruelling, we would highly recommend using an 11+ private tutor.
Why use a private 11+ tutor?
Personal tutors have the experience and expertise to help children pass their 11+ exams. They know the requirements of the GL Assessment 11+ tests inside-out and can provide tailored support to give children the best possible chance of success. It's also important to bear in mind that plenty of other children will be using private tutors too.
11+ tutors don't need to be face-to-face, plenty of children use online 11+ tutors.
11+ tutors can also provide regular progress reports and feedback, helping parents to monitor their child's progress and make any necessary adjustments to their preparation.
Most importantly, using an 11+ tutor helps ensure that the preparation work gets done!
Private 11+ Tutors for the Parkstone Grammar School 11+ Tests
We have a range of private tutors who specialise in preparing children for the Parkstone Grammar School 11+ entrance tests. Please click here to be put in touch with a range of excellent 11+ private tutors from our friends at exams.courses.
11+ Past Papers for Parkstone Grammar School
Unfortunately, Parkstone Grammar School has not made any of their 11+ past papers publicly available. However, you can use However, you can use 11+ practice papers from other exam boards (such as GL Assessment, CEM and CSSE) to help your child prepare.
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School
Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the Dorset 11+ Ensure you double-check with Parkstone Grammar School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.
This is just a sample of our extensive collection of 11+ practice papers. Please click here to see the full collection.
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by Bond
These Free GL 11+ Practice Papers were published by Bond and cover and cover all the main 11+ subjects: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. As such they are very helpful for children hoping to pass the Dorset 11+ to get into Parkstone Grammar School.
| Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | English | ||
| GL Assessment | Maths | ||
| GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning | ||
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | ||
| GL Assessment | Mixed |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by GL Assessment
These Free GL 11+ Practice Papers were published by GL Assessment themselves. As with the Bond papers, they cover all the main 11+ subjects: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. They remain useful and we encourage parents to download and use them with their children to help them get into Parkstone Grammar School.
| Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | English | |||
| GL Assessment | Maths | |||
| GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning | |||
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | |||
| GL Assessment | Mixed |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by Exam Ninja
These Free 11+ Practice Tests by Exam Ninja are extremely useful. They are straight-forward 10-question tests in Maths and English, following the same GL Assessment style (and multiple-choice format) as the Dorset 11+.
| Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Maths | ||
| GL Assessment | English |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by Owl Tutors
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published by Owl Tutors. These too are written in a GL Assessment style and make useful practice for children hoping to get into Parkstone Grammar School.
| Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | English | ||
| GL Assessment | Writing | ||
| GL Assessment | Maths | ||
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by CGP
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published by CGP and we thank them for granting us permission to distribute them. As with the Bond, GL Assessment and Exam Ninja papers, they're written for the GL Assessment style, in multiple-choice format and are helpful for children hoping to pass their 11+ tests and get into Parkstone Grammar School.
| Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Maths | |||
| GL Assessment | English | |||
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | |||
| GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
These Free CEM 11+ Practice Papers were published by CGP and we thank them for granting us permission to distribute them. If Parkstone Grammar School ever used them then they don't anymore as grammar schools no longer use CEM for any of their 11+ entrance tests. However, as a general practice tool these 11+ tests remain useful.
| Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEM | Maths | |||
| CEM | Verbal Reasoning | |||
| CEM | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by 11+ For You
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by "11+ For You".
| Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by Examberry
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by "Examberry".
| Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by Independent Junction
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by Independent Junction.
| Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by IPS
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published some time ago by IPS (Internet Primary School Ltd).
| Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | |||
| GL Assessment | Maths |
11+ Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School by Schofield & Sims
These 11+ practice papers were published by Schofield & Sims, a large UK educational publisher.
| Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | ||
| GL Assessment | Maths |
School Information
Below you will find further information about Parkstone Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.
| Address | Parkstone Grammar School, Sopers Lane, Poole, Dorset BH17 7EP |
|---|---|
| School Website | https://www.parkstone.poole.sch.uk/ |
| Telephone | 01202605605 |
| Email Address | office@parkstone.poole.sch.uk |
| Gender | Girls only |
| Total Year 7 Places | 192 |
| Total Pupils (Girls/Boys) | 1224 (1224 Girls / 0 Boys) |
| Headteacher | Mr David Hallsworth |
Parkstone Grammar School is a girls only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).
In total 1,224 pupils attend Parkstone Grammar School and it's led by the Headteacher, Mr David Hallsworth.
Parkstone Grammar School Location
Below you will find a map showing the school's location:
Ofsted Information
Parkstone Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 11/10/2017 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 17/11/2017, declaring that the school was 'Outstanding'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.
Last Ofsted Report Data
| Date Inspected | Inspection Duration (Days) | Reporting Date | Rating | Full Report | 11/10/2017 | 1 | 17/11/2017 | Outstanding | Full Report |
|---|
GCSE & A-Level Subjects
Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Parkstone Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.
| GCSE Subjects Offered |
|
|---|---|
| A-Level Subjects Offered |
|
GCSE & A-Level Performance
Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Parkstone Grammar School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.
GCSE Results Information (2022-23)
| Subject | Total Pupils | Grades Achieved | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Art & Design (Fine Art) | 42 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
| Astronomy | 17 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | - |
| Biology | 174 | - | - | - | 1 | 11 | 11 | 33 | 37 | 39 | 42 |
| Business Studies:Single | 62 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 14 | 10 |
| Chemistry | 174 | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | 13 | 24 | 40 | 32 | 27 | 32 |
| Computer Studies/Computing | 28 | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Design & Technology | 43 | - | - | - | 2 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| Economics | 23 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| English Language | 175 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 18 | 44 | 37 | 49 | 24 |
| English Literature | 173 | - | - | 2 | - | 7 | 23 | 39 | 41 | 36 | 24 |
| D&T Food Technology | 20 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| French | 56 | - | - | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 8 |
| Geography | 81 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 6 | 12 | 20 | 23 | 19 |
| German | 26 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| History | 59 | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 19 | 9 |
| Mathematics | 175 | - | - | - | 2 | 14 | 29 | 42 | 48 | 25 | 15 |
| Music | 17 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Physics | 174 | 2 | - | - | - | 9 | 27 | 38 | 49 | 23 | 26 |
| Religious Studies | 40 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 21 |
| Spanish | 52 | - | - | - | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 4 |
| Drama & Theatre Studies | 54 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 15 | 8 | 1 |
| Physical Education/Sports Studies | 50 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 8 |
A-Level Results Information (2022-23)
| Subject | Total Pupils | Grades Achieved | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U | E | D | C | B | A | A* | |||||
| Art and Design (Fine Art) | 6 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Biology | 69 | - | 3 | 11 | 12 | 27 | 10 | 4 | |||
| Business Studies:Single | 28 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 4 | |||
| Chemistry | 39 | - | 3 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 2 | |||
| Economics | 8 | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | |||
| English Language | 16 | - | - | 2 | 5 | 8 | - | 1 | |||
| English Literature | 30 | - | - | 2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | |||
| French | 6 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | |||
| Geography | 13 | - | - | - | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | |||
| Government and Politics | 10 | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |||
| History | 15 | - | - | - | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Mathematics | 46 | - | 4 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 6 | |||
| Mathematics (Further) | 9 | - | - | - | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Media/Film/Tv Studies | 11 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 6 | 1 | |||
| Music | 6 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Physical Education / Sports Studies | 8 | - | - | 1 | 4 | 3 | - | - | |||
| Physics | 13 | - | - | 5 | - | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Psychology | 75 | - | 1 | 2 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 6 | |||
| Religious Studies | 10 | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | |||
| Sociology | 31 | - | - | 2 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 8 | |||
FAQ
Is Parkstone Grammar School hard to get into?
Yes, Parkstone Grammar School is hard to get into! Children need to pass their challenging 11+ entrance test (with a high pass mark) and there's tough competition with many other children trying to get a place for Year 7.
Is Parkstone Grammar School a private school?
No, Parkstone Grammar School is one of the few remaining academically selective, state-funded grammar schools left in England.
Is Parkstone Grammar School free?
Yes, Parkstone Grammar School is free, there are no school fees. Thus, sending your child to Parkstone Grammar School won't cost you any money.
How do I get my child into Parkstone Grammar School?
You need to apply to take the school's 11+ test. Contact Parkstone Grammar School for how up to date information on how to apply (it may be automatic or it may require some forms to be filled in). More information on their 11+ entrance test can be found here.
Is Parkstone Grammar School a girls-only school?
Yes, Parkstone Grammar School is a girls-only school.
