Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School 11+ Guide
A detailed look at Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School including past 11+ papers and practice 11+ papers.
About Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is a selective secondary school in Wiltshire. For children to get into Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.
Nestled within the historic Cathedral Close of Salisbury, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School has been nurturing the minds of young men for over a century. This prestigious institution, which recently opened its doors to girls in the sixth form, boasts an illustrious roster of alumni, including renowned actor Ralph Fiennes and the esteemed novelist and Nobel Prize laureate, Sir William Golding. The school's rich history and tradition of excellence continue to shape its identity to this day.
Bishop Wordsworth's School prides itself on providing an exceptional educational experience, as evidenced by its consistently impressive exam results and the glowing praise it has received from Ofsted. The school's dedicated staff work tirelessly to maintain high expectations for their pupils, fostering an atmosphere of diligence and achievement. This commitment to academic excellence is further enhanced by the school's modern facilities, which include state-of-the-art classrooms, a drama studio, sports hall, and a newly constructed sixth form block.
However, Bishop Wordsworth's School offers more than just academic success. The institution places great emphasis on character development, encouraging its students to become well-rounded individuals who possess strong leadership skills and a keen sense of responsibility. Through a wide array of extracurricular activities, pupils are given the opportunity to explore their interests, discover new passions, and forge lasting friendships. This holistic approach to education ensures that students leave Bishop Wordsworth's School not only with impressive academic credentials but also with the essential life skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.
As a Church of England grammar school, Bishop Wordsworth's School maintains a strong connection to its faith-based roots. The school's ethos is built upon Christian values, which are woven into the fabric of daily life and serve to create a nurturing and supportive environment for all students, regardless of their individual beliefs. This inclusive and caring atmosphere, combined with the school's unwavering commitment to academic excellence, makes Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School an outstanding choice for families seeking a top-tier education in the heart of Salisbury.
School Information
Below you will find further information about Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.
Address |
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School, Exeter Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2ED |
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School Website | https://www.bishopwordsworths.org.uk/ |
Telephone | 01722333851 |
Email Address | admissions@bishopwordsworths.org.uk |
Gender | Boys only |
Total Year 7 Places | 160 |
Total Pupils (Girls/Boys) | 1178 (120 Girls / 1058 Boys) |
Headmaster | Dr Stuart Smallwood |
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is a boys 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 1,178 pupils attend Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School and it's led by the Headmaster, Dr Stuart Smallwood.
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School Location
Below you will find a map showing the school's location:
GCSE & A-Level Subjects
Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.
GCSE Subjects Offered |
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A-Level Subjects Offered |
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Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Information
In order to get into Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School, children need to pass the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.
Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Subjects & Structure
The Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Spelling
- Grammar
- Punctuation
- Verbal Reasoning
- Maths
- Non-verbal Reasoning
The 11 plus exam for entry into Bishop Wordsworth's School, a Church of England grammar school, is provided by GL Assessment, a leading supplier of grammar school entrance exams in England. The assessment is divided into two distinct papers, each lasting 45 minutes, with a break between them.
The first paper, focusing on verbal skills, evaluates the candidate's proficiency in English, including reading comprehension, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It also assesses their verbal reasoning abilities. The English section comprises approximately 26 questions, while the verbal reasoning section contains around 32 questions.
The second paper concentrates on non-verbal skills, testing the student's aptitude in mathematics and non-verbal reasoning. The maths section includes roughly 25 questions, and the non-verbal reasoning section features about 40 questions. All questions in the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11 plus exam are presented in a multiple-choice format, with students marking their answers on separate answer sheets that are electronically graded.
Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Marking Process
The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England 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!
Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Pass Mark
The pass mark for the Bishop Wordsworth's School 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 Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.
Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Key Dates for your Diary
Here are all the important dates for the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ tests (to get into Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.
Date | Event | Calendar Link |
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15/04/2024 | 11+ Applications Open | Add Dates to Calendar |
12/06/2024 | BWS Morning Open Session (10.45–13.00) | |
18/06/2024 | BWS Morning Open Session (10.45–13.00) | |
19/06/2024 | BWS Morning Open Session (10.45–13.00) | |
30/06/2024 | 11+ Applications Close | |
28/09/2024 | Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Exam | |
Mid October | Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Results Released To Parents | |
31/10/2024 | Secondary School Applications Close At 5pm | |
03/03/2025 | Secondary School National Offers Day |
Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School as they may well change.
Ofsted Information
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 15/11/2022 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 23/01/2023, 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 | 15/11/2022 | 1 | 23/01/2023 | Outstanding | Full Report |
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Ofsted Report Summary
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School was inspected by Ofsted on 15 November 2022 and received an Outstanding overall rating. The school demonstrated exceptional performance across all key areas evaluated during the inspection.
The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision were all rated as Outstanding. This showcases the school's commitment to providing a high-quality educational experience for its students, fostering a positive learning environment, and promoting personal growth and development.
The Outstanding ratings across all categories highlight the school's dedication to academic excellence, student well-being, and effective leadership. Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School sets a remarkable example for other educational institutions to follow.
GCSE & A-Level Performance
Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England 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 | |||||||||
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U | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
Art & Design (Graphics) | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Art & Design | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 5 | - | - |
Biology | 155 | - | - | - | 1 | 6 | 12 | 33 | 38 | 28 | 37 |
Business Studies:Single | 57 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 12 |
Chemistry | 155 | 1 | - | - | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 31 | 40 | 49 |
English Language | 155 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 5 | 20 | 54 | 30 | 27 | 17 |
English Literature | 155 | - | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 39 | 37 | 25 | 20 |
French | 58 | 1 | - | 2 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 10 |
Geography | 82 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 22 | 18 |
German | 33 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Latin | 11 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 4 | 2 | 3 |
Mathematics | 155 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 9 | 24 | 30 | 57 | 30 |
Music | 17 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
Physics | 155 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 32 | 39 | 48 |
Religious Studies | 155 | - | - | - | 2 | 8 | 13 | 35 | 34 | 31 | 32 |
Spanish | 63 | - | - | - | 3 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 16 | 9 | 2 |
A-Level Results Information (2022-23)
Subject | Total Pupils | Grades Achieved | |||||||||
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U | E | D | C | B | A | A* | |||||
Art and Design (Graphics) | 6 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 | 3 | |||
Biology | 59 | - | 1 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 21 | 11 | |||
Business Studies:Single | 19 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 1 | |||
Chemistry | 69 | - | 2 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 24 | 15 | |||
Classical Civilisation | 6 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | |||
Economics | 33 | - | - | 2 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 5 | |||
English Literature | 18 | - | - | 1 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 1 | |||
French | 12 | - | - | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | |||
Geography | 30 | - | - | 4 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 | |||
Government and Politics | 34 | - | - | 4 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 5 | |||
History | 34 | - | - | 3 | 13 | 11 | 6 | - | |||
Mathematics | 97 | - | 4 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 23 | 37 | |||
Mathematics (Further) | 48 | - | - | 2 | 2 | 9 | 21 | 13 | |||
Physical Education / Sports Studies | 18 | - | - | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | - | |||
Physics | 59 | - | 1 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 22 | |||
Psychology | 48 | - | - | 3 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 11 | |||
Religious Studies | 17 | - | - | 2 | 5 | 7 | 3 | - | |||
Spanish | 7 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 3 | - |
Past 11+ Paper Downloads
Unfortunately, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School has not made any of their past 11+ papers publicly available.
Practice 11+ Paper Downloads
Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Ensure you double-check with Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.
GL Assessment
These Free GL 11+ Practice Papers were published by GL Assessment themselves. They remain useful and we would encourage parents to download and use them with their children.
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Marking Scheme (Answers) |
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GL Assessment | English | |||
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | |||
GL Assessment | Maths | |||
GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
Owl Tutors
These Free 11+ Practice Papers were published by Owl Tutors.
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Marking Scheme (Answers) |
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GL Assessment | English | ||
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning | ||
GL Assessment | Maths | ||
GL Assessment | Writing |
Bond
These Free GL 11+ Practice Papers were published by Bond.
Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Marking Scheme (Answers) |
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GL Assessment | English | ||
GL Assessment | Maths | ||
GL Assessment | Non-Verbal Reasoning | ||
GL Assessment | Verbal Reasoning |
CGP
These Free GL 11+ Practice Papers were published by CGP and we thank them for granting us permission to distribute them. They are up to date and extremely useful.
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Marking Scheme (Answers) |
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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. Grammar schools no longer use CEM for any of their 11+ entrance tests. However, as a general practice tool these tests remain useful.
Exam Board | Subject | Answer Sheet | Question Booklet | Marking Scheme (Answers) |
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CEM | Maths | |||
CEM | Verbal Reasoning | |||
CEM | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
FAQ
Is Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School hard to get into?
Yes, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England 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 Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School a private school?
No, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is one of the few remaining academically selective, state-funded grammar schools left in England.
Is Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School free?
Yes, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is free, there are no school fees. Thus, sending your child to Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School won't cost you any money.
How do I get my child into Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School?
You need to apply to take the school's 11+ test. Contact Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England 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 Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School a boys-only school?
Yes, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is a boys-only school.