About Bournemouth School for Girls
Bournemouth School for Girls is a selective girls' grammar school in Bournemouth, admitting 180 girls per year. It is part of the Dorset Grammar School Consortium and shares the same GL Assessment entrance test as Bournemouth School, Parkstone Grammar, and Poole Grammar. Children register once and results apply to all four schools.
Bournemouth School for Girls provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 64.4%. A-Level A*–B: 61.7%.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Bournemouth School for Girls
Bournemouth School for Girls is a boys state grammar school in England that selects pupils through the Dorset Consortium 11+ (a shared test set using GL Assessment papers) for Year 7 admission. The school admits approximately 180 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 your local 11+ consortium 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 2026 entry, the GL Assessment test is sat in September 2025 and results are released to parents on Mid-October 2025 — crucially, before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2025, giving parents time to consider results before listing school preferences. National Offers Day is Monday 2 March 2026, when Local Authorities issue Year 7 secondary school offers.
Bournemouth School for Girls 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 (180 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 Bournemouth School for Girls
Bournemouth School for Girls Admissions Criteria
Bournemouth School for Girls is a selective girls' grammar school in Bournemouth, admitting 180 girls per year. It is part of the Dorset Grammar School Consortium and shares the same GL Assessment entrance test as Bournemouth School, Parkstone Grammar, and Poole Grammar. Children register once and results apply to all four schools.
- ✓Register with one of the four Dorset Consortium schools (opens 13th April 2026, closes 4th September 2026 at noon).
- ✓Sit three GL Assessment multiple-choice tests: English (45 min), Mathematics (50 min) and Verbal Reasoning.
- ✓Achieve the qualifying standard in all three papers (age-standardised).
- ✓Results shared with all four consortium schools automatically.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Girls achieving the qualifying standard who live within the school's priority area.
- ✓Pupil Premium girls within the priority area who achieve the qualifying standard.
- ✓All other qualifying girls, ranked by score then straight-line distance.
- ✓Any questions on admissions: email admissions@bsg.bournemouth.sch.uk
Bournemouth School for Girls Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 180 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 Bournemouth School for Girls)
- 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 — Bournemouth School for Girls 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2025 |
| 📌 Registration closes | Mid-July 2025 (varies by school) |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | September 2025 (English + Maths + Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2025 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2025 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 2 March 2026 |
How to Apply to Bournemouth School for Girls via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the GL Assessment 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Default) when registration opens. Closes Mid-July 2025 (varies by school). There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Bournemouth School for Girls
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 September 2025. 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 2025, 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 Bournemouth School for Girls 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 2025. 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 2 March 2026. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Bournemouth School for Girls's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Bournemouth School for Girls
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Bournemouth School for Girls
Bournemouth School for Girls 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 Bournemouth School for Girls 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 Bournemouth School for Girls (GCSE & A‑Level Results)
Bournemouth School for Girls is rated Outstanding by Ofsted (2024) and is consistently one of the strongest performers in the region.
- ✓In 2022, its A‑Level and GCSE results ranked it the highest‑performing school in Dorset, 4th in the South West and 65th among all state secondaries nationally.
- ✓A broad, ambitious curriculum with high‑quality teaching and strong progression to leading universities.
- ✓Wide enrichment in music, drama, STEM and leadership. (Figures vary year to year; see the school’s website for the latest.)
Catchment Area & the Dorset Consortium
Bournemouth School for Girls is one of four schools in the Dorset Consortium — with Parkstone Grammar (girls) and the two boys’ grammars, Bournemouth School and Poole Grammar — sharing a single 11+ test.
- ✓Children sit the test once, even when applying to more than one consortium school.
- ✓Priority is given to girls living within the school’s designated area, covering many Bournemouth (BH) postcodes including parts of BH1–BH12 and BH23.
- ✓Meeting the qualifying standard does not guarantee a place, as the school is oversubscribed.
Pastoral Care & Enrichment
Founded in 1917, Bournemouth School for Girls offers a well‑rounded, balanced education and asks pupils to ‘work hard, be kind and be ambitious’.
Enrichment & leadership
A wide enrichment offer spans music, drama, STEM and leadership, helping girls build the confidence and skills to make a positive difference.
A wider partnership
As a member of the South West Academic Trust — which includes the University of Exeter and grammar schools across Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire — the school develops innovative teaching and offers extra opportunities for pupils and staff.
Bournemouth School for Girls Admissions — FAQ
How do I apply to Bournemouth School for Girls?
Register your daughter for the Dorset Consortium 11+ on the consortium schools’ websites (typically by early September of Year 6), then name the school on your Local Authority’s secondary Common Application Form by 31 October.
What test does the school use?
The Dorset Consortium 11+, set using GL Assessment papers — three multiple‑choice papers in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning, sat on the same day across the four consortium schools.
When is the 11+ and when are results released?
The test is sat in September of Year 6, with results issued in early October — ahead of the 31 October application deadline.
What is the catchment area?
Priority is given to girls living within the school’s designated area, which covers many Bournemouth (BH) postcodes — including parts of BH1–BH12 and BH23. There is no guaranteed place for reaching the standard, as the school is oversubscribed.
How strong are the results?
The school is rated Outstanding by Ofsted (2024). In 2022 its A‑Level and GCSE results ranked it the highest‑performing school in Dorset, fourth in the South West and 65th among all state secondaries nationally.
What is the South West Academic Trust?
Bournemouth School for Girls is a member of the South West Academic Trust, a partnership that includes the University of Exeter and grammar schools across Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire, opening up extra opportunities for pupils.