Know exactly where your child stands for Poole Grammar School
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Poole Grammar School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Poole Grammar School
Poole Grammar School is a selective boys' grammar school for ages 11 to 18. Its 11+ entrance exam uses the GL exam board and does not include an interview stage. The school has a catchment area with priority based on location and distance.
If you have an able, busy boy who likes lessons and sport and music in equal measure, Poole Grammar is built for that kind of child. It is a selective boys' school for ages 11 to 18, sitting on a spacious site between Broadstone and Canford. It opened in 1904 as a co-educational grammar, and in the late 1930s the local council split it into two, Poole Grammar for boys and Parkstone Grammar for girls. The two schools still work closely together, often staging drama jointly, with Oliver! and Les Misérables among recent shows. The Good Schools Guide calls it a well-run, purposeful grammar with high expectations, where bright boys get off to a winning start.
It is a specialist mathematics, computing and cognition school, and maths is comfortably the most popular subject in the sixth form, followed by physics and history. The arts are a real part of life too, with orchestras, bands and concerts across the year. Sport runs right through the school, football most of all, with rugby, cricket, athletics and swimming all doing well and a good deal of silverware in the reception to show for it. A seven-strong learning support team means the school is used to supporting a range of needs.
It suits an able, motivated boy who will enjoy a busy academic school with strong sport and music alongside the lessons. It is led by headteacher Mrs Katie Etheridge, who joined in 2005 and became head in September 2024, and a boy with plenty of energy will find room to use it here.
Key facts
Admissions
Registration form
Sibling policy
No
What this school tests
Dorset Consortium 11+ Entrance Test
English15 question types
Maths23 question types
Verbal Reasoning26 question types
Catchment area
Does Poole Grammar School have a catchment area?
Priority goes to those who live in the historic Borough of Poole or Poole postcodes BH12, BH13, BH14, BH15, BH16, BH17, BH18 and BH21 3
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 70.2 across their GCSEs. 95.5% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 43.8% 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. 32.1% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does Poole Grammar School use for the 11+?
Poole Grammar School uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Poole Grammar School interview as part of the 11+?
No, there is no interview stage as part of the 11+ admissions process at Poole Grammar School.
Is Poole Grammar School co-educational or single-sex?
Poole Grammar School is a single-sex school for boys.
Does Poole Grammar School have a catchment area?
Yes. Priority goes to those who live in the historic Borough of Poole or Poole postcodes BH12, BH13, BH14, BH15, BH16, BH17, BH18 and BH21 3
What is Poole Grammar School's website?
The official website for Poole Grammar School is https://www.poolegrammar.com/.
How do you get a place at Poole Grammar School?
Your son first needs to reach the required standard in the entrance test. Poole uses one shared test for the Bournemouth and Poole consortium, in English, maths and verbal reasoning, sat in September. Meeting the standard doesn't guarantee a place; among qualifying boys, places go in priority order. A boy with an EHC plan naming the school is admitted first. Then looked-after and previously looked-after boys, then boys in the Poole area on Pupil Premium, then boys outside the area on Pupil Premium, then sons of staff, then other boys in the Poole area, then boys outside it, each ranked by test score. There's no fixed pass mark; it depends on demand each year.
What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Poole Grammar School?
Poole has a clear plan for this. Boys who can't take the test on the main date because of illness or another significant acceptable reason are offered the chance to sit it on a catch-up test date in early October. So if your son falls ill, contact the Admissions Officer as soon as you can to arrange the catch-up date. For a disability or special need, the school works within the consortium's arrangements, so flag any need when you register so the right support can be put in place.
Location
Your child’s 11+ journey starts with a single diagnostic
4 subjects. 56 expert-authored questions. A complete picture of where they are, and a personalised plan to get them exam-ready.
Start the free diagnostic