About Cheltenham Bournside School
Cheltenham Bournside School is a state comprehensive academy in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, admitting 300 pupils per year (PAN 300). It is NOT a selective grammar school and does not use an 11+ entrance examination for Year 7 entry. Admission is via Gloucestershire County Council's coordinated admissions process. Parents who are interested in selective grammar school education in the area should look at the seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools (Pate's Grammar, Denmark Road, Marling, Ribston Hall, Sir Thomas Rich's, Stroud High, The Crypt) which all share the same GL Assessment entrance test.
Cheltenham Bournside School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
About Cheltenham Bournside School
Cheltenham Bournside School is a large co‑educational, non‑selective comprehensive academy for pupils aged 11–18 in the Warden Hill area of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. With around 1,850 pupils it is the largest school in Gloucestershire and runs a substantial sixth form. It was last inspected by Ofsted in 2022 and judged Good.
Bournside is not a grammar school and does not use an 11+ or GL Assessment entrance test. Year 7 places (a published admission number of 300) are allocated by Gloucestershire County Council through the normal coordinated admissions process using the school’s oversubscription criteria — there is no entrance exam to sit.
You apply by listing Cheltenham Bournside on your home local authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October; offers are made on National Offer Day (1 March). Gloucestershire does also have selective grammar schools (such as Pate’s Grammar and Denmark Road) which use a separate grammar test — but Bournside is comprehensive and admits across the full ability range.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Cheltenham Bournside School
Cheltenham Bournside School Admissions Criteria
Cheltenham Bournside School is a state comprehensive academy in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, admitting 300 pupils per year (PAN 300). It is NOT a selective grammar school and does not use an 11+ entrance examination for Year 7 entry. Admission is via Gloucestershire County Council's coordinated admissions process. Parents who are interested in selective grammar school education in the area should look at the seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools (Pate's Grammar, Denmark Road, Marling, Ribston Hall, Sir Thomas Rich's, Stroud High, The Crypt) which all share the same GL Assessment entrance test.
- ✓Apply via Gloucestershire County Council's secondary school application process.
- ✓Places allocated by the school's oversubscription criteria (siblings, catchment area, distance).
- ✓The school does not use a selective 11+ entrance test for standard Year 7 admission.
- ✓Parents interested in selective grammar school education should see the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools pages.
Cheltenham Bournside School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 300 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Places are allocated by the published oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, catchment, siblings, then distance) — there is no 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 Cheltenham Bournside 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 — Cheltenham Bournside School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2025 |
| 📌 Registration closes | Mid-July 2025 (varies by school) |
| 📌 No entrance test (non-selective) | 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 Cheltenham Bournside School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — List Cheltenham Bournside on your Common Application Form
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Default) when registration opens. Closes Mid-July 2025 (varies by school). There is no entrance test for Bournside — it is non-selective.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Cheltenham Bournside 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 — Local authority allocates places
Gloucestershire County Council allocates places using the school's oversubscription criteria — there is no test. 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 Cheltenham Bournside 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 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 Cheltenham Bournside School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
No Entrance Test at Cheltenham Bournside School
11+ Practice Papers for Cheltenham Bournside School
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Academic Performance at Cheltenham Bournside School
As a large all‑ability comprehensive, Bournside teaches across the full ability range and offers a broad curriculum at GCSE and a wide range of A‑Levels and other courses in its sixth form. Ofsted judged the school Good at its 2022 inspection.
- ✓Broad GCSE curriculum with strong creative, technical and STEM options.
- ✓Large sixth form — in 2023, 99% of university applicants secured a place on their first‑choice course or higher.
- ✓Most students choose to stay on for post‑16 study at the school.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Enrichment at Cheltenham Bournside School
Ofsted has noted that leaders put the welfare of pupils, alongside academic achievement, at the heart of the school. As the largest school in Gloucestershire, Bournside is able to offer a wide range of opportunities.
- ✓Pastoral support: a tutor and year‑group structure focused on wellbeing and progress.
- ✓Enrichment: an extensive programme of clubs, music, drama and the arts.
- ✓Sport: a broad sporting offer with extensive facilities on a large site.
- ✓Sixth form centre: a dedicated sixth form with its own common room and study spaces.
Catchment Area & Oversubscription at Cheltenham Bournside School
Bournside has a published admission number (PAN) of 300 for Year 7 and is consistently oversubscribed. Admission is coordinated by Gloucestershire County Council; there is no entrance test.
When the school is oversubscribed, places are offered in this order:
- Looked‑after and previously looked‑after children.
- Children living in the school’s priority catchment area, prioritising those with a sibling at the school.
- Other children with a sibling at the school.
- Remaining places by distance from the school.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cheltenham Bournside School
Is Cheltenham Bournside a grammar school?
No. Bournside is a large non‑selective comprehensive academy for ages 11–18. It admits across the full ability range and does not use an 11+ or grammar entrance test.
How do I apply for a Year 7 place?
List Cheltenham Bournside on your home local authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October. Offers are made on National Offer Day (1 March). There is no entrance test and no fee.
How are places allocated if the school is oversubscribed?
By the published oversubscription criteria: looked‑after children first, then the priority catchment area (sibling priority), then other siblings, then distance from the school.
What is the admission number?
The Year 7 published admission number is 300. Bournside is the largest school in Gloucestershire and is regularly oversubscribed.
Does the school have a sixth form?
Yes — a large sixth form with a wide range of A‑Levels and other courses; most students stay on for post‑16 study.
What about grammar schools in the area?
Gloucestershire has selective grammar schools (such as Pate’s Grammar and Denmark Road) that use a separate grammar test. Bournside is comprehensive, so applying there does not involve that test.
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