Grammar schools are a distinctive and significant part of the UK education system, promoting opportunity to those with the ability to perform at the highest standards for their age.
They are state-funded secondary schools that select their students based on academic ability. This is assessed through performance in the 11+ exam, which includes assessment in Mathematics, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Their primary aim is to provide an academically rigorous education to the most able. Their students often pursue their higher education at the top universities in the country, with academic results that outperform other state and independent schools.
How many grammar schools are there in London?
Within Greater London there are 19 grammar schools, across multiple boroughs. They are the following:
- Henrietta Barnett School (Barnet)
- Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School for Boys (Barnet)
- St Michael’s Catholic School (Barnet)
- Beths Grammar School (Bexley)
- Bexley Grammar School (Bexley)
- Chislehurst and Sidcup School (Bexley)
- Townley Grammar School (Bexley)
- Newstead Wood School (Bromley)
- St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar School (Bromley)
- The Latymer School (Enfield)
- Tiffin Girls’ School (Kingston-upon-Thames)
- Tiffin School (Kingston-upon-Thames)
- Ilford County High School (Redbridge)
- Woodford County High School (Redbridge)
- Nonsuch High School for Girls (Sutton)
- Sutton Grammar School (Sutton)
- Wallington County Grammar School (Sutton)
- Wallington High School for Girls (Sutton)
- Wilson’s School (Sutton)
Whilst falling under the collective ‘grammar school’ template, each school is independent in its admission criteria and entrance exam, discussed further below.
Advantages of attending a grammar school
Grammar schools are targeted by parents because they offer focused learning for a child surrounded by other high-achievers.
The consequence of their selectivity is a high the standard of education: teachers are able to mould their lesson plans across the year around a student body with proven academic potential. The end result is top admission rates: grammar schools within the city often see the best results come university entrance, discussed further below.
That they do so whilst offering a broad spectrum of extracurricular activities – sports, academic, cultural, and in the arts – adds to their appeal. Holistic development is a priority, and with universities today particularly interested in well-rounded applicants of character, responsibility and interests beyond the classroom, such opportunities are immensely valuable.
How to find the best school for your child?
But how does one cut through to what a school really offers a child? ‘The grammar school’ as an umbrella term tells us entry standards are high, and a thorough academic journey a given whilst developing holistically.
Yet ultimately the ‘which school’ question is one particular to the family concerned: location, of course, plays a big factor, as does a child’s own needs and abilities.
We suggest that parents should keep the three below points in mind:
- Identify your priorities: all grammar schools have high academic standards of their students. So, it will be wise to consider the school’s ethos and values, which differ: are children given independence early, or is there more of a guiding hand? Is its strength in the arts, or are more sporty children inclined to belong to the school? Will the distance to the school every morning give my child the adequate time for extracurricular activities, and how will this work logistically; will being closer to home allow more down time in the evening?
- Engage with the school early on: attending open days at the school where you may meet staff (and current students!) will give you a better flavour of the culture and day-to-day life than a website will. These are often advertised months in advance.
- Enquire about the pastoral and support systems: at such an open day, do ask about the policies on support at school, anti-bullying measures and the overall student welfare at the school.
What is the best grammar school in London?
| School | GCSE Results | A Level Results | Ofsted Ranking | Progress 8 Score | Attainment 8 Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson’s School (Sutton) | 95% A*/A/9/8/7 | 98% A*-B | Outstanding | 1.06 | 85.4 |
| Queen Elizabeth’s School (Barnet) | 93.3% A*/A/9/8/7 | 96.9% A*-B | Outstanding | 0.94 | 86.2
|
| The Henrietta Barnett School (Barnet) | 97.6% A*/A/9/8/7 | 91.1% A*-B | Good
| 0.98
| 88.1 |
| St Olave’s Grammar School (Bromley) | 91.4% A*/A/9/8/7 | 90.7% A*–B | Outstanding | 0.95 | 84.0 |
| The Tiffin Girls’ School (Kingston) | 94.4% A*/A/9/8/7 | 88.5% A*–B | Outstanding | 0.92 | 85.2 |
| Tiffin School (Kingston) | 81.5% A*/A/9/8/7 | 86.7% A*–B | Good | 0.47 | 79.6 |
| Nonsuch High School for Girls (Sutton) | 86.4% A*/A/9/8/7 | 78.7% A*–B | Good | 0.90 | 81.2 |
| St Michael’s Grammar School (Barnet) | 83.3% A*/A/9/8/7 | 79.8% A*–B | Outstanding | 0.78
| 80.9 |
| Newstead Wood School (Bromley) | 84.9% A*/A/9/8/7 | 78.7% A*–B | Outstanding | 1.12 | 81.4
|
| Sutton Grammar School (Sutton) | 76.4% A*/A/9/8/7 | 80.4% A*–B | Good | 0.73 | 81.4 |
| Wallington High School for Girls (Sutton) | 81.7% A*/A/9/8/7 | 75.7% A*–B | Good | 0.91 | 82.8 |
| Wallington County Grammar School (Sutton) | 70.2% A*/A/9/8/7 | 78.3% A*–B | Outstanding | 0.43 | 74.1 |
| Woodford County High School (Redbridge) | 80% A*/A/9/8/7 | 72% A*–B | Good | 0.98 | 82.0 |
| Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School (Bexley) | 65.4% A*/A/9/8/7 | 71.4% A*–B | Good | 0.41 | 75.0 |
| Ilford County High School (Redbridge) | 75.3% A*/A/9/8/7 | 64.5% A*–B | Good | 0.74 | 78.6 |
| The Latymer School (Enfield) | 86.5% A*/A/9/8/7 | 83% A*–B | Good | 0.68 | 83.6 |
| Bexley Grammar School (Bexley) | 70.1% A*/A/9/8/7 | 80.2% A*–B | Outstanding | 0.64 | 73.7 |
How do I get into a London grammar school?
If interested in applying to a grammar school in London, students must be prepared for the 11+ exam. The competition is high – preparation is therefore best begun early, in many cases as young as Year 4.
The first step should be getting familiar with when your child may need to be registered. Again, whilst all of the listed schools fall under the term of being a grammar school, they have specific deadlines and procedures for registration. This does, however, usually take place in the spring or early summer before the examinations take place, typically from October to February.
Before then, however, the student must be in a position academically to thrive. You may wish to speak with your child’s current teachers, and ask where they are performing against their peers. Online resources are helpful, and to succeed at 11+ entry children are required to perform to a level that may require further work outside of the classroom.
Private tuition certainly provides for that, with targeted attention towards weaknesses across the week. The benefit of a private tutor is in the attention given to such areas.
How to prepare for London Grammar School Entrance Exams
Here are our top-tips:
- Understand the Exam Format: Familiarise yourself with the specific requirements and structure of the exams. These typically include English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests. Each school may have slight variations, so check the specific details on the school's website.
- Develop a Study Plan: Create a detailed study schedule that covers all subjects, allocating more time to weaker areas. Work in waves: periods of high-intensity work, followed by periods of lower-intensity work, peaking in the final run-in to examinations.
- Start early, but start light, with broad-strokes revision of curricula, followed by more focused work on exam technique and, finally, an intense period of mock assessment and feedback sessions.
- Use Past Papers: Working through past exam papers is crucial. This helps you get used to the format, timing, and types of questions. Websites, books, and online courses can provide valuable resources. Specific publications by Bond, CGP, and GL Assessment are highly recommended. Enrolling in a prep course or hiring a tutor can provide structured guidance and address specific areas of weakness.
- Enhance Vocabulary and Reading Skills: Reading often and reading widely is one of the most important way you can help your child prepare. Exposing your child to a variety of fiction and non-fiction works improves their vocabulary, their comprehension and their creative writing as it provides an example of good writing they can emulate in their own work. At the end of each page they have been reading, talk about the book. What do you think of the characters? Any new words? What will happen next? Any great writer's tools? Independent reading is great, but discussion is the best.
- Mathematics Practice: make sure your child practices writing their working clearly and neatly, especially under time pressure; most grammar schools will allocate marks for working alongside the answer so it's a really useful skill to develop.
- Develop Reasoning Skills: For Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning rehearse for the test by becoming familiar with the question types, using past papers from accredited sources. Understand the patterns and logic behind these questions. Practice the fundamentals of spelling and make sure your child’s knowledge of the alphabet is up-to-scratch. Additionally, developing reasoning skills through puzzles and logic games can be beneficial.
- Read the questions carefully: It is easy to make avoidable mistakes by simply mis-reading or not paying adequate attention to the question. To avoid this, encourage your child to practice reading the question once, then again more slowly before they answer, to make sure they have fully understood it.
- Setting regular, attainable goals and celebrating your child’s progress, regardless of its size, can help maintain their motivation. Encourage a growth mindset by celebrating effort in addition to achievement. When your child makes mistakes or has difficulty understanding a topic, help them realise that they can improve through practice.
What percentage of children get into a London grammar school?
Grammar schools are highly selective, and the competition for places is intense. It is estimated that only about 20-30% of those who sit the 11-plus exam are offered a place at a grammar school. This figure can vary depending on the school's location and the number of applicants?.
Some highly sought-after grammar schools have much lower acceptance rates due to the sheer number of applicants. For example, top grammar schools like Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, and The Henrietta Barnett School often have acceptance rates below 10%, given their high standards and the large number of candidates?.
Are grammar schools in London free?
Grammar schools are free as state-funded schools, part of the public education system and funded by the government, which in turn covers the costs of tuition and basic resources.
It is, however, worth noting that uniforms, books and materials, extracurricular activities and transportation come at private expense, with the latter being an important consideration when drawing up lists of target schools.
Conclusion
Working out the best school for a child takes time, patience and proactive investigation. Relying on league tables will only tell you one part of the story, as a child’s holistic education is dependent on appropriate weight given to character and individuality.
Parents are advised to consider beyond the academics, and ask whether their child will ultimately enjoy learning in that environment, particular to either a specific grammar school or grammar schools more generally. As above, the best way to ascertain this is to contact and visit the schools with you child, and ask for their feedback without influence.
Tutors for 11+ Grammar School Entrance
Each year Keystone supports many students preparing for 11+ grammar school entrance for top grammar schools in London. Read more about our 11+ grammar school entrance tutors.
For more details, please contact one of our client managers or complete our request a tutor form.