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Parmiter's School
Parmiter's School is a mixed, partially selective grammar school in Garston, Hertfordshire. It uses the GL exam board for its single-stage 11+ entry, with no interview process. Places are allocated across categories including proximity, academic ability, and music aptitude, serving families across the Watford and South West Herts area.
If you have a capable, well-motivated child near Watford and want a school that feels like a community rather than a results factory, Parmiter's is one parents chase hard for. It is a co-educational, partially selective grammar in Garston, and demand for places across the Watford area is heavy. The school carries an unusually long heritage for a modern grammar: it traces back to the 1681 will of Thomas Parmiter, a London silk merchant, who left money for a free school in Bethnal Green. Parmiter's ran in the East End for centuries before moving to its Hertfordshire site in 1977.
The Good Schools Guide describes a dynamic, friendly, semi-selective school with an inclusive feel and a polished blend of tradition and progressiveness. Parents and pupils talk about the 'Parmiter's family' and praise pastoral care that handles any issue sensitively, with someone always there to talk to. The school sits in around 60 acres more often seen at a private school, with a full-size Astro, seven football pitches, floodlit courts and a sports hall, and it admits a share of its places on musical aptitude. House life is busy and a little eccentric, running everything from House poetry and a 'Come Dine with Me' challenge to a weekly quiz alongside the usual sporting competitions.
Parmiter's suits a child who will make the most of the academic stretch, the music and the wide extracurricular programme, and who will value a real sense of belonging. It is led by headteacher Anthony Smith, who took up the post in April 2025.
Key facts
Admissions
Registration form
View registration detailsSibling policy
Yes
What this school tests
Academic Ability Test
Maths23 question types
Verbal Reasoning26 question types
Catchment area
Does Parmiter's School have a catchment area?
Parmiter's is partially selective and does not run a single fixed catchment area. Places are split across categories including a proximity (distance) allocation, academic ability and music aptitude, so families across the Watford and South West Herts area can apply.
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 66.5 across their GCSEs. 80.8% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 55.3% 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. 23.8% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does Parmiter's School use for the 11+?
Parmiter's School uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Parmiter's School interview as part of the 11+?
No, there is no interview stage for Parmiter's School's 11+ admissions process.
Is Parmiter's School co-educational or single-sex?
Parmiter's School is a mixed-gender school, admitting both boys and girls for Year 7 entry.
What is Parmiter's School's website?
The official website for Parmiter's School is https://www.parmiters.herts.sch.uk/.
Does Parmiter's School have a catchment area for 11+ entry?
Parmiter's is partially selective and does not have a single fixed catchment area. Places are split across categories including proximity, academic ability, and music aptitude.
What is the 11+ pass mark for Parmiter's School?
The 11+ pass mark for Parmiter's School is currently unknown.
How do you get a place at Parmiter's School?
Passing a test isn't the only way in. Parmiter's is partly selective, so places are split across several routes. Looked-after and previously looked-after children come first. Then 10% of places go to families living closest to the school, places for siblings of current students and for children of staff, up to 25% on academic ability (a verbal reasoning and maths test, offered in score order with no minimum mark), and up to 10% on proven music aptitude (a listening test plus a short performance). Any places left go to those living nearest. The academic and music tests are run by the SW Herts Consortium, and most aptitude places are kept for families in the catchment postcodes. A child with an EHCP naming the school is admitted.
What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Parmiter's School?
If you think your child may be disadvantaged or has a special educational need, you can ask for access arrangements such as extra time. Upload written confirmation from their current school's SENDCo or headteacher through the application portal by the closing date, and you'll be told in advance of the test what arrangements will be made. The academic and music tests are run by the SW Herts Consortium, and the policy doesn't set out a separate reserve test for a child who falls ill on the test day itself, so contact the school's Admissions Officer or the consortium as early as you can if that happens.
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