About Boston Grammar School (BGS)
Boston Grammar School (BGS) is a selective boys' grammar school (with mixed Sixth Form) in Boston, Lincolnshire, founded in 1555. It is part of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools and uses the shared GL Assessment entrance test. The school does not use a fixed pass mark — instead, places are allocated to approximately the top 25% of the local cohort. BGS became a selective academy in 2013.
Boston Grammar School (BGS) provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Boston Grammar School (BGS)
Boston Grammar School (BGS) is a boys state grammar school in England that selects pupils through the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11+ (a shared test set using GL Assessment papers) for Year 7 admission. The school admits approximately 96 Year 7 pupils each September, and applications must be made through your home Local Authority via the Common Application Form (CAF) — never directly to the school.
The GL Assessment 11+ is one of two main 11+ test providers in England (the other being CEM, now retired in many regions). The Lincs test typically consists of multiple papers covering English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Scores are standardised against the cohort age distribution, so younger pupils are not disadvantaged. Each school sets its own qualifying mark (pass mark).
For 2027 entry, the GL Assessment test is sat in Saturday 20 September 2026 and results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026 — crucially, before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026, giving parents time to consider results before listing school preferences. National Offers Day is Monday 1 March 2027, when Local Authorities issue Year 7 secondary school offers.
Boston Grammar School (BGS) is academically selective — pupils must achieve the qualifying mark in the 11+ test to be eligible for a place. If applications exceed the published admission number (96 places), the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places. This page is updated each year with the latest verified admissions criteria, key dates and oversubscription rules.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Boston Grammar School (BGS)
Boston Grammar School (BGS) Admissions Criteria
Boston Grammar School (BGS) is a selective boys' grammar school (with mixed Sixth Form) in Boston, Lincolnshire, founded in 1555. It is part of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools and uses the shared GL Assessment entrance test. The school does not use a fixed pass mark — instead, places are allocated to approximately the top 25% of the local cohort. BGS became a selective academy in 2013.
- ✓Register for the Lincolnshire 11+ via the Boston Grammar School website.
- ✓Sit two GL Assessment multiple-choice papers on consecutive Saturdays in September (Year 6).
- ✓Paper 1 — Verbal Reasoning: 80 questions across 15 sections, 50-minute time limit.
- ✓Paper 2 — Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning: 70 questions across 5 timed sections.
- ✓No fixed pass mark — the top 25% of the local cohort are deemed to have passed.
- ✓Boston Grammar School does not have a formal catchment area.
- ✓Places allocated to the 96 closest qualifying applicants to the school (straight-line distance).
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children given top priority.
- ✓Apply via your Local Authority CAF by 31st October.
Boston Grammar School (BGS) Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 96 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Final ranking uses the standardised score achieved in the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Boston Grammar School (BGS))
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Boston Grammar School (BGS) 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 via Lincolnshire 11+ portal |
| 📌 Registration closes | mid-July 2026 |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | Saturday 20 September 2026 (Verbal + Non-Verbal Reasoning) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2026 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2026 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
How to Apply to Boston Grammar School (BGS) via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the GL Assessment 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Lincs) when registration opens. Closes mid-July 2026. There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Boston Grammar School (BGS)
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the GL Assessment Entrance Test
Your child sits the GL Assessment in Saturday 20 September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026, BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Boston Grammar School (BGS) as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2026. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 1 March 2027. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Boston Grammar School (BGS)'s waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Boston Grammar School (BGS)
Boston Grammar School selects through the Lincolnshire Consortium 11+ (GL Assessment). Note that this test assesses only verbal reasoning and non-verbal/spatial reasoning — there are no separate English or mathematics papers — across two multiple-choice papers of about one hour each, with age-standardised scoring and a qualifying score of 220 or above.
- Verbal reasoning: word relationships, analogies, codes and logical deduction.
- Non-verbal & spatial reasoning: visual patterns, sequences and relationships between shapes.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Boston Grammar School (BGS)
Boston Grammar School (BGS) uses the GL Assessment 11+ format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Boston Grammar School (BGS) 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
Academic Performance at Boston Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Boston Grammar School is rated Good by Ofsted and achieves solid results across the board. In recent years roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of pupils secured grade 5 or above in English and mathematics at GCSE, and at A-Level the school records a strong proportion of AAB-or-better grades, with the majority of leavers progressing to higher education.
- GCSE: consistently solid results across a broad curriculum.
- Sixth form: a co-educational sixth form shared with Boston High School.
- Progression: the majority of leavers progress to university or employment.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Boston Grammar School
Admission to Year 7 is through the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools (LCGS) 11+, produced by GL Assessment and shared across the county's grammar schools. Importantly, the Lincolnshire 11+ assesses Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal/Spatial Reasoning only — there are no separate English or mathematics papers. It is two multiple-choice papers of about one hour each, sat on two Saturdays in mid-September of Year 6, with age-standardised scores combined into a total; a standardised score of 220 or more (broadly the top 25% locally) is required to qualify.
The school offers around 120 Year 7 places and does not operate a fixed catchment area; where oversubscribed, priority runs through looked-after children, Pupil Premium pupils, siblings and then straight-line distance to the school. Registration for the Lincolnshire 11+ typically opens in early January and closes in late March of Year 5/6. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Founded in 1555 under a charter of Philip and Mary — its oldest part, 'big school', was built in 1567 and now serves as the library — Boston Grammar School is one of the oldest boys' grammar schools in the East Midlands, carrying the motto 'Floreat Bostona' (May Boston Flourish). It educates boys from Year 7 to 11 (with a co-educational sixth form shared with Boston High School) on Rowley Road in Boston, Lincolnshire (PE21 6JY), and forms part of the Boston Witham Academies Federation. Its core values are care, achievement, respect and excellence.
The school offers a wide clubs programme — from a sketching club, music theory and robotics to basketball, badminton and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. For the full list of activities, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Boston Grammar School
How do I apply to Boston Grammar School (BGS) for Year 7?
Applications to Boston Grammar School (BGS) are made through your home Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) — not directly to the school. Your child must sit the GL Assessment 11+ test (registration closes mid-July 2026), then list Boston Grammar School (BGS) on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Boston Grammar School (BGS) use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Boston Grammar School (BGS) uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test for Year 7 admission, taken in Saturday 20 September 2026 (Verbal + Non-Verbal Reasoning). The test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised age-adjusted scores.
What is the pass mark / qualifying score for Boston Grammar School (BGS)?
Boston Grammar School (BGS) sets its own qualifying mark each year. Pupils must score at or above the qualifying mark to be eligible for a place. Final ranking is by total standardised score (highest first) up to the admission number of 96 places.
How many Year 7 places does Boston Grammar School (BGS) have?
Boston Grammar School (BGS) admits 96 Year 7 pupils each September. Demand for places typically exceeds supply, so the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places fairly.
When are GL Assessment results released in 2026?
For 2027 Year 7 entry, GL Assessment test results are released on Mid-October 2026 — before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
When is National Offers Day for Boston Grammar School (BGS) in 2027?
National Offers Day for Year 7 secondary school places in England is Monday 1 March 2027. Offers are issued by your home Local Authority — not directly by the school. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Boston Grammar School (BGS)'s waiting list.
Is Boston Grammar School (BGS) a state school or fee-paying?
Boston Grammar School (BGS) is a state-funded grammar school — there are no tuition fees. As a state grammar, it is academically selective via the GL Assessment 11+ test, but pupils who pass the test do not pay to attend.
How can my child prepare for the Boston Grammar School (BGS) 11+ test?
ExamTutor offers a complete GL Assessment 11+ preparation programme including tutor-led practice papers, full video explanations for every question (covering all GL topic areas — English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning), and downloadable resources. Most parents start preparation 12-18 months before the September 11+ test.
Where can I find Boston Grammar School (BGS)'s official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Boston Grammar School (BGS) 2027 entry is published on the school's official website. Always check the school's website for the most up-to-date oversubscription criteria, qualifying mark, supplementary forms (if any), and any school-specific application requirements.