About Caistor Grammar School
Caistor Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Caistor, Lincolnshire, admitting 130 pupils per year. Unusually, Caistor operates an independent admissions process and does NOT use the standard Lincolnshire Consortium GL Assessment test. Instead, the school sets its own bespoke entrance examination. Parents should register directly with Caistor Grammar School.
Caistor Grammar School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 56.9%. A-Level A*–B: 64.1%.
About the 11+ Entrance Test for Caistor Grammar School
Caistor Grammar School is a co-educational state grammar school in England that selects pupils through its own 11+ entrance test (two Verbal Reasoning papers, set and administered by the school) for Year 7 admission. The school admits approximately 130 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 11+ entrance 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.
Caistor Grammar 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 (130 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 Caistor Grammar School
Caistor Grammar School Admissions Criteria
Caistor Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Caistor, Lincolnshire, admitting 130 pupils per year. Unusually, Caistor operates an independent admissions process and does NOT use the standard Lincolnshire Consortium GL Assessment test. Instead, the school sets its own bespoke entrance examination. Parents should register directly with Caistor Grammar School.
- ✓Register directly with Caistor Grammar School — NOT via the Lincolnshire Consortium.
- ✓Sit Caistor's own bespoke entrance examination (not the standard Lincolnshire GL Assessment papers).
- ✓Achieve the qualifying standard set by the school.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Children who achieve the qualifying standard and live within the school's designated area.
- ✓Children attending a Caistor feeder primary school.
- ✓All other qualifying children, ranked by distance.
- ✓Apply via Lincolnshire LA CAF by 31st October.
Caistor Grammar School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 130 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 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 Caistor Grammar 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 — Caistor Grammar School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 via Lincolnshire 11+ portal |
| 📌 Registration closes | mid-July 2026 |
| 📌 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 Caistor Grammar School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the 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 11+ test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Caistor Grammar 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 11+ Entrance Test
Your child sits the 11+ entrance test on 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 Caistor Grammar 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 Caistor Grammar School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
Subjects Tested at Caistor Grammar School
Caistor Grammar School administers its own bespoke 11+ entrance test rather than the Lincolnshire Consortium test — two papers of about one hour each, sat on separate Saturdays in the autumn of Year 6 and focused on verbal reasoning, with a qualifying standardised total of 220 or above. Children applying to Caistor as well as a Consortium school must sit both tests; confirm the current format with the school.
- Verbal reasoning: word- and language-based logic, vocabulary, analogies, codes and comprehension.
11+ Practice Papers for Caistor Grammar School
Caistor Grammar School sets its own 11+ (Verbal Reasoning) exam. 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 Caistor Grammar 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 Caistor Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Caistor Grammar School consistently ranks among the top-performing schools in the East Midlands and was named 'East Midlands Secondary School of the Decade' by The Sunday Times. It achieves excellent results at GCSE and A-Level year after year, with many students progressing to leading universities including Oxbridge and the Russell Group.
- GCSE & A-Level: consistently excellent results across a broad academic curriculum.
- Sixth form: a co-educational sixth form with strong outcomes.
- Progression: high rates of entry 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 Caistor Grammar School
Unlike most Lincolnshire grammar schools, Caistor is not part of the Lincolnshire Consortium and runs its own bespoke 11+ entrance test (although it follows the Lincolnshire County Co-ordinated Admission Scheme). Children applying to both Caistor and a Consortium school must therefore sit two separate exams. The Caistor test is two papers of about one hour each, taken on separate Saturdays in the autumn term of Year 6 and focused on verbal reasoning; a standardised total of 220 or more is required to qualify (broadly the top 25% of the ability range).
The school operates a catchment area of roughly a 6.5-mile straight-line radius from the school. Where oversubscribed, priority typically runs through qualified looked-after and previously looked-after children, qualified children within the catchment, and up to 12 Pupil Premium places, after which remaining places are allocated by mean rank. Applications for September 2027 entry open at the beginning of March 2026; always confirm the current test format and criteria with the school.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Founded in the early seventeenth century (around 1630), Caistor Grammar School is a selective co-educational grammar of around 680 pupils in the historic market town of Caistor (Church Street, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN7 6QJ). It became an academy in 2010 (having previously been a foundation school) and carries the motto 'Ever to Excel', offering a supportive and inclusive environment with a challenging, wide-ranging curriculum.
Alongside its academic strengths, the school offers a broad programme of sport, music and other extracurricular activities. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Caistor Grammar School
How do I apply to Caistor Grammar School for Year 7?
Applications to Caistor Grammar School are made through your home Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) — not directly to the school. Your child must sit its own 11+ test (registration closes mid-July 2026), then list Caistor Grammar School on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
What entrance test does Caistor Grammar School use?
Yes — Caistor Grammar School uses its own 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 Caistor Grammar School?
Caistor Grammar 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 130 places.
How many Year 7 places does Caistor Grammar School have?
Caistor Grammar School admits 130 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 the 11+ results released in 2026?
For 2027 Year 7 entry, the 11+ test results are released in 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 Caistor Grammar 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 Caistor Grammar School's waiting list.
Is Caistor Grammar School a state school or fee-paying?
Caistor Grammar School is a state-funded grammar school — there are no tuition fees. As a state grammar, it is academically selective via its own 11+ test, but pupils who pass the test do not pay to attend.
How can my child prepare for the Caistor Grammar School 11+ test?
ExamTutor offers a complete 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 Caistor Grammar School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Caistor Grammar 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.