New 'accessible' process for grammar school entry

Pupils competing for grammar school places will sit the entrance test earlier under a new "accessible" process.

The seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools (G7) have appointed a new provider - Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) - to run the exam for entry into Year 7 from 2028.

The new test will be based on the national curriculum and encourage "natural curiosity and critical thinking" rather than intensive preparation through private tutoring, say organisers.

The schools say the test date is being moved from September of Year 6 to the summer term of Year 5 to reduce pressure on pupils starting the final year of Key Stage Two and speed up sharing of results.

Each year, about 2,500 children take the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools admissions test, used by all seven grammar schools in the county.

The changes are to come into effect from summer 2027 for first entry into Year 7 in September 2028.

FSCE, a not‑for‑profit founded by Reading School, currently provides tests for 12 grammar schools across the country, with more than 8,000 pupils sitting their papers each year.

Headteacher of Pate's Grammar School in Cheltenham, Dr James Richardson, said the selection process would be more accessible by giving pupils a test aligned with the national curriculum, instead of rewarding access to specialist tutoring.

The non-verbal reasoning questions, including coding, shapes and spotting patterns - which typically feature in private tutoring - will be removed, he said.

This will allow kids to prepare for the test by focusing on their lessons, particularly English and Maths, added Richardson.

"We know that during the summer holidays when children aren't at school they reduce their ability to focus on the test," he said.

"By changing the test to summer of year 5 we're giving a level playing field for those who don't have access to specialist 11+ tutoring over the summer holiday.

"We want to ensure that we're creating opportunities for groups that are typically underrepresented in grammar schools, such as children eligible for school meals."

Former headteacher Patricia Briggs, who now runs a platform called Success Index to help parents navigate the 11+ process, supports the change.

"They're trying to make it an even playing field, and make it less so that you need a tutor, which is definitely morally the right thing to do," she said.

"The problem is that unfortunately not every primary school experience is the same," she added, which is partly down to big variations in class sizes.

She said she'd already received calls from panicked parents about what the test would include, but urged them to wait for further updates in September.

"It's definitely a good idea bringing it forward, because that summer before the exam is really stressful and it does impact on family time," she added.

"It's really important that schools aren't narrow in terms of the pupils they're taking in and it's a broad spectrum of society and allows that social mobility to take place, which is what education should do at the end of the day."

Fatima Bhaimia, a tutor based in Gloucester, welcomed the change but said families who can afford consistent support will still gain an advantage.

"As a local tutor, I think the proposed changes are an interesting step, particularly the move towards aligning the tests more closely with the national curriculum, which could help reduce some of the current reliance on specialist preparation.

"It's a step in the right direction, but it won't fully level the playing field," she said.

"Tutoring will adapt rather than disappear, and as long as there are differences in school provision and resources, some children will still be better positioned than others."

The other schools affected by the change are The Crypt School, Denmark Road High School, Ribston Hall High School and Sir Thomas Rich's School in Gloucester, as well as Stroud High School and Marling School in Stroud.

An FSCE spokesperson said: "At the heart of our approach is a commitment to ensuring that assessments identify true potential, not just prior advantage."

They said they create accessible and inclusive tests, based on research and data-led design, that "dissuade intensive test preparation and encourage natural curiosity and critical thinking".

The full details of the testing are due to be published in September 2026.

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