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Bishop Wordsworth's School

School typeGrammar

Also known asBWS

AddressExeter Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, SP1 2ED

Bishop Wordsworth's School is a boys' grammar school in Salisbury. It uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entry. There is no interview stage, and it has a designated catchment area giving priority to local boys.

If you are weighing up whether to pay for an independent school, one Bishop Wordsworth's parent put the case memorably: even if I had had the money, I would still have sent my son here. It is a boys' grammar in the heart of Salisbury, its buildings set within the cathedral grounds — a backdrop that no amount of school fees could replicate. It teaches boys from 11 to 18, with girls admitted directly into the sixth form since 2020.

Founded in 1889 by John Wordsworth, then Bishop of Salisbury, with the explicit ambition of matching the greatest public schools of the day, it became a grammar in 1905 and its Church of England foundation still shapes it in ways that feel genuine rather than ceremonial. The motto, Veritas in Caritate — truth in love — comes from Ephesians, and boys are expected to work hard in a generous, community-minded spirit. Teaching is strong across the board, and the school occupies interesting territory between the state and independent sectors: the rigour and breadth of a good independent, without the fees.

It suits an academically able, grounded boy who wants a school that takes scholarship and character equally seriously — in one of the most quietly magnificent settings any school in England can offer.

Key facts

Gender

Boys

Year 7 places

160

Annual fees

None

Website

Visit school website

Admissions

Open day

Jun

Registration opens

Mar

Registration closes

Jun

CAF deadline

Oct

Admissions contact

admissions@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Admissions phone

0172 233 3851

Registration form

View registration details

Sibling policy

Yes

What this school tests

11+ Examination

English16 question types

PunctuationReading Comprehension - ComparisonReading Comprehension - EvaluationReading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuationReading Comprehension - Inference and DeductionReading Comprehension - Information RetrievalReading Comprehension - Language Techniques and ImageryReading Comprehension - Sentence-level ComprehensionReading Comprehension - SequencingReading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and ToneReading Comprehension - SummarisingReading Comprehension - Text Classification and PurposeReading Comprehension - Types of Words and PhrasesReading Comprehension - Word Meaning / ChoiceSentence CompletionSpelling

Maths23 question types

AlgebraAngles and DegreesBIDMASCoordinate GridsEstimation and RoundingFactors and MultiplesFractions, Decimals and PercentagesMagic squaresMeasurementMoneyNumber and Place ValueNumber WallsOperationsPerimeter, Area and VolumePosition and DirectionProperties of ShapesRatio and ProportionReflection, Rotation and SymmetrySequencesSpecial NumbersSpeed, Distance and TimeStatisticsTime

Non-verbal Reasoning14 question types

Extended Figure SeriesFigure AnalogiesFigure MatricesFigure OperationsFigure SeriesGrid MatricesHorizontal CodesMost Like Three FiguresMost Like Two FiguresOdd Figure OutStar MatricesTriangle MatricesTriangle SeriesVertical Codes

Verbal Reasoning26 question types

AnagramsCompound WordsEmbedded WordsForm a WordInsert a LetterLetter AnalogiesLetter CalculationsLetter CodesLetter GridsLetter SequencesMove 1 / 2 LettersNumber AnalogiesNumber CalculationsNumber SequencesRelated WordsRhyming SynonymsShuffled SentencesSynonymsWord / Logic PuzzlesWord AnalogiesWord CompletionWord MatchWord OppositesWord PairsWord RelationshipsWords and Codes

Spatial Reasoning8 question types

2D RotationsBlock CountingCombining ShapesFold and PunchFolding CubesHidden ShapesMissing Face of CubeShape Completion

Catchment area

Does Bishop Wordsworth's School have a catchment area?

Yes, it has a designated area, and boys living within it are given priority if the school is oversubscribed. Boys from outside the area can still apply and attend if they reach the qualifying standard.

Previous exam results

GCSE results

In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 73.1 across their GCSEs. 96.8% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 52.2% achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

A-level results

In 2025 students achieved a B+ average grade per A-Level entry. 32.8% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

Frequently asked questions

What exam board does Bishop Wordsworth's School use for the 11+?

Bishop Wordsworth's School uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entry.

Does Bishop Wordsworth's School interview as part of the 11+ process?

No, Bishop Wordsworth's School does not include an interview stage in its 11+ admissions process.

Is Bishop Wordsworth's School a single-sex or co-educational school for 11+ entry?

Bishop Wordsworth's School is a single-sex school for boys from 11 to 18. Girls are admitted directly into the sixth form.

Does Bishop Wordsworth's School have a catchment area for 11+ admissions?

Yes, Bishop Wordsworth's School has a designated catchment area, and boys living within it are given priority if the school is oversubscribed.

What is the official website for Bishop Wordsworth's School?

The official website for Bishop Wordsworth's School is https://www.bishopwordsworths.org.uk/.

How do you get a place at Bishop Wordsworth's School?

Your son first needs to reach the required standard in the Wiltshire 11+ entrance test. Passing alone does not guarantee a place. If more boys pass than there are places, the school ranks them: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then up to ten reserved places for boys eligible for the Pupil Premium, then boys within the designated catchment area, then siblings of current pupils, then children of staff. If a tie-break is needed, the boy living closest to the school is offered the place.

What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Bishop Wordsworth's School?

Tell the school as early as you can by emailing admissions@bishopwordsworths.org.uk. There is a reserve test date for boys who miss the main day for a valid reason such as illness, so a one-off illness need not end the application. If your son has a medical or learning need that affects him on the day, you apply for access arrangements in the Access Arrangements section of the 11+ form, uploading recent supporting evidence. The school follows JCQ rules and can grant extra time where the evidence supports it.

Location

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