About Boston High School
Boston High School is a selective girls' grammar school in Boston, Lincolnshire, admitting 120 girls per year. It shares a Sixth Form with Boston Grammar School and is part of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The school uses the shared GL Assessment entrance test — the same two papers taken on consecutive Saturdays in September of Year 6.
Boston High School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Boston High School
Boston High School is a girls 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 120 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 High School 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 (120 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 High School
Boston High School Admissions Criteria
Boston High School is a selective girls' grammar school in Boston, Lincolnshire, admitting 120 girls per year. It shares a Sixth Form with Boston Grammar School and is part of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The school uses the shared GL Assessment entrance test — the same two papers taken on consecutive Saturdays in September of Year 6.
- ✓Register for the Lincolnshire 11+ via the Boston High School website.
- ✓Sit two GL Assessment multiple-choice papers on consecutive Saturdays in September.
- ✓Paper 1 — Verbal Reasoning (80 questions, 15 sections, 50 minutes).
- ✓Paper 2 — Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning (70 questions, 5 timed sections).
- ✓Top 25% of local cohort deemed to have passed (no fixed pass mark).
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Girls who achieve the qualifying standard, ranked by score then distance.
- ✓Apply via your Local Authority CAF by 31st October.
Boston High School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 120 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 High School)
- 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 High School 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 High School 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 High School
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 High School 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 High School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Boston High School
Boston High 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 High School
Boston High School 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 High School 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 High School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Boston High School has a strong reputation for academic excellence and pastoral care, consistently achieving good results at GCSE and A-Level, with many students progressing to leading universities including Oxbridge and the Russell Group.
- GCSE: consistently strong results across a broad, inclusive curriculum.
- Sixth form: a co-educational sixth form shared with Boston Grammar School.
- Progression: strong progression to Russell Group and other leading universities.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Boston High School
Admission to Year 7 is through the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools (LCGS) 11+, produced by GL Assessment. As across Lincolnshire, the test 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, and pupils are then ranked in order of merit.
Where the school is oversubscribed, priority is based on the published oversubscription criteria, with proximity to the school an important factor. Registration is made over the summer before Year 6, and you must also name the school on the local-authority Common Application Form by 31 October. Always confirm the current catchment and criteria in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Established in 1905, Boston High School is a selective girls' academy (with a co-educational sixth form) in Boston, Lincolnshire, and part of the Boston Witham Academies Federation alongside Boston Grammar School, with which it shares sixth-form provision. The school is known for its inclusive ethos, excellent pastoral care and a diverse curriculum that supports each student's development.
Alongside its academic strengths, the school offers a wide range of extracurricular opportunities across sport, music, drama and other clubs and societies. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Boston High School
How do I apply to Boston High School for Year 7?
Applications to Boston High School 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 High School on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Boston High School use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Boston High School 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 High School?
Boston High School 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 120 places.
How many Year 7 places does Boston High School have?
Boston High School admits 120 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 High School 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 High School's waiting list.
Is Boston High School a state school or fee-paying?
Boston High School 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 High School 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 High School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Boston High School 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.