About Crossley Heath Grammar
The Crossley Heath School (Crossley Heath Grammar) is a selective co-educational grammar school in Halifax, West Yorkshire, admitting 180 pupils per year. It is one of the Halifax Grammar Schools using the FSCE entrance exam. Registration opens 10am on Friday 20th March 2026 and closes 11pm on Friday 26th June 2026. Free preparation support is available for Pupil Premium students.
Crossley Heath Grammar provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 70%. A-Level A*–B: 70%.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Crossley Heath Grammar
Crossley Heath Grammar Admissions Criteria
The Crossley Heath School (Crossley Heath Grammar) is a selective co-educational grammar school in Halifax, West Yorkshire, admitting 180 pupils per year. It is one of the Halifax Grammar Schools using the FSCE entrance exam. Registration opens 10am on Friday 20th March 2026 and closes 11pm on Friday 26th June 2026. Free preparation support is available for Pupil Premium students.
- ✓Apply via the Applicaa platform on the Crossley Heath website (opens 10am 20th March 2026, closes 11pm 26th June 2026).
- ✓Sit the FSCE entrance test at the school — tests are designed to assess ability regardless of tutoring.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Children achieving the qualifying score who live within the school's catchment area.
- ✓Siblings of current pupils at Crossley Heath School.
- ✓All other qualifying children, ranked by distance from the school.
- ✓Free Atom Learning preparation available for Pupil Premium students — apply via the school website.
Crossley Heath Grammar Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the None 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 Independent 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 Crossley Heath Grammar)
- 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 — Crossley Heath Grammar 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 |
| 📌 Independent 11+ Entrance Test | September 2026 (school-specific) |
| 📌 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 Crossley Heath Grammar via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the Independent 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Yorkshire) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026. There is no fee to sit the Independent 11+ test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Crossley Heath Grammar
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 Independent 11+ Entrance Test
Your child sits the Independent 11+ in September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics and Creative Writing, 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 Crossley Heath Grammar 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 Crossley Heath Grammar's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
Subjects Tested at Crossley Heath Grammar
Crossley Heath selects through a joint entrance test with The North Halifax Grammar School, now set by Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) rather than the school's earlier arrangements. It has three age-standardised parts and does not go beyond the Year 5 curriculum, so confirm the current format with the school:
- English: a multiple-choice paper.
- Mathematics: a multiple-choice paper.
- Creative Writing: a written creative-response task (marked for those who first qualify in English and maths).
Independent 11+ Practice Papers for Crossley Heath Grammar
Crossley Heath Grammar uses the Independent 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 Crossley Heath Grammar 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 Crossley Heath Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Crossley Heath maintains high academic standards: in 2024 nearly half of all GCSE grades were 8 or 9, and around 51% of A-Level grades were A*–B, with leavers securing places at sought-after universities including Cambridge, Nottingham and Sheffield. It is rated Good by Ofsted, with behaviour judged Outstanding.
- GCSE: nearly half of grades at 8–9 in 2024.
- Sixth form: a vibrant co-educational sixth form with strong progression.
- Values: courage, excellence and kindness, with a four-house system (Porter, Savile, Kings, Queens).
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Crossley Heath Grammar School
Admission to Year 7 is through a joint entrance test shared with The North Halifax Grammar School. The test is now set by Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) and has three parts: English and Mathematics (both multiple-choice) plus a Creative Writing task; questions do not go beyond the Year 5 curriculum and scores are age-standardised. Candidates must reach the qualifying standard in English and maths, after which the creative response is marked. As this format has changed from the school's earlier arrangements, families should confirm the current test details directly with the school.
The school does not operate a formal catchment area and draws pupils from a wide area; up to around 10% of places are offered to children living in its Priority Admissions Area. Where oversubscribed, priority runs through children with an EHCP naming the school, siblings, looked-after children, Pupil Premium applicants in the priority area, staff children and then distance. There are 180 Year 7 places, with registration via Calderdale. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Crossley Heath Grammar School — formally The Crossley Heath School — is a co-educational grammar of over 1,100 pupils on Savile Park in Halifax, West Yorkshire (HX3 0HG). Created in 1985 through the merger of Heath Grammar School and Crossley and Porter, its roots reach back over 400 years; it is a member of the Northern Grammar Schools Alliance and is rated Good by Ofsted with Outstanding behaviour.
The school offers a broad curriculum (teaching French, German and Mandarin Chinese) and a wide extracurricular programme spanning debating, art and music clubs, with sports teams in athletics, cross country, hockey, cricket, netball, football and rugby. For the full list of clubs and teams, see the school's own website.
Crossley Heath Grammar — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply to Crossley Heath Grammar for Year 7?
Register with the school for its entrance test (sat in September) and name Crossley Heath on your Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October 2026. Crossley Heath and The North Halifax Grammar School share one entrance test, but you must list each school separately on your CAF.
What entrance test does Crossley Heath Grammar use?
Its entrance test is now set by Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) — not a shared consortium exam. Crossley Heath shares a joint test with The North Halifax Grammar School: three age-standardised parts — English and Mathematics (both multiple-choice) plus a Creative Writing task — based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to Year 5, with no verbal or non-verbal reasoning.
Is Crossley Heath Grammar selective, and is it free?
Yes. Crossley Heath Grammar is a selective state grammar school (co-educational) and, as a state-funded school, charges no fees.
When does the entrance test take place?
In September. For September 2027 entry it falls in the autumn of 2026. Registration opens in spring 2026; confirm the exact test date with the school.
When are the results released?
In October 2026, before the Local Authority application deadline, so you can list Crossley Heath on your CAF in time.
When is National Offers Day in 2027?
National Offers Day is 1 March 2027, when Local Authorities tell families which secondary school place their child has been allocated.
Does Crossley Heath Grammar have a catchment area?
Crossley Heath admits qualifying candidates by rank of test score; distance and Calderdale's coordinated arrangements feature in its oversubscription tie-breaks. Check the school's admissions policy for the current catchment and priority details.
How many Year 7 places does Crossley Heath Grammar offer?
About 180 places.
How can my child prepare for the Crossley Heath entrance test?
Because the FSCE test is built on the Key Stage 2 curriculum (up to the end of Year 5) and avoids verbal and non-verbal reasoning, focus on applying English and maths skills and timed creative writing rather than drilling reasoning. No past papers are published and the format changes yearly, so practise broadly. ExamTutor offers practice papers with full video explanations.