About Ermysted's Grammar School
Ermysted's Grammar School is one of England's oldest grammar schools for boys, founded in 1492 in Skipton, North Yorkshire. It uses GL Assessment for its 11+ entrance examination (new format from September 2026). The school admits 128 boys per year (PAN). There is no fixed pass mark — the 'required standard' is set by the Admissions Committee based on candidates' performance in the main cohort. Results released week commencing 12th October 2026. National Offer Day: 1st March 2027.
Ermysted's Grammar School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 65%. A-Level A*–B: 65%.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Ermysted's Grammar School
Ermysted's Grammar School is a boys state grammar school in England that uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test to select pupils 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 Yorkshire 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 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.
Ermysted's 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 (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 Ermysted's Grammar School
Ermysted's Grammar School Admissions Criteria
Ermysted's Grammar School is one of England's oldest grammar schools for boys, founded in 1492 in Skipton, North Yorkshire. It uses GL Assessment for its 11+ entrance examination (new format from September 2026). The school admits 128 boys per year (PAN). There is no fixed pass mark — the 'required standard' is set by the Admissions Committee based on candidates' performance in the main cohort. Results released week commencing 12th October 2026. National Offer Day: 1st March 2027.
- ✓Register for the Ermysted's 11+ via the school website — registration typically opens April and closes 1st September 2026.
- ✓Sit two GL Assessment multiple-choice papers (new format from 2026): one Verbal Skills paper (reading comprehension + spelling + VR) and one Non-Verbal Reasoning + Mathematics paper. Each paper lasts approximately 50 minutes.
- ✓The 'required standard' is determined by the Admissions Committee based on the cohort's overall performance.
- ✓Achieving the required standard does NOT guarantee a place — oversubscription criteria apply if more than 128 pupils meet the standard.
- ✓Parents must complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) if claiming any oversubscription priority.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Boys who achieve the required standard and live within the designated catchment area (Skipton and surrounding parishes including Beamsley, Bradley, Burnsall, Carleton, Cracoe, Crosshills, Embsay, Gargrave, Grassington, Kettlewell, Kirkby-in-Malhamdale, Sutton-in-Craven, Thornton-in-Craven, Threshfield).
- ✓Children of staff members at Ermysted's employed for 2+ years.
- ✓All other boys meeting the required standard, ranked by distance.
Ermysted's Grammar 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 Ermysted's 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 — Ermysted's Grammar School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 |
| 📌 GL Assessment 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 Ermysted's Grammar 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. Yorkshire) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026. There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Ermysted's 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 GL Assessment Entrance Test
Your child sits the GL Assessment in 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 Ermysted's 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 Ermysted's Grammar School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Ermysted's Grammar School
Ermysted's Grammar School selects through its own entrance test (GL Assessment) — two multiple-choice papers of about 50 minutes each, age-standardised, with the 'required standard' set at the score of the 140th-ranked candidate.
- Verbal reasoning: word-based logic, vocabulary and comprehension.
- Non-verbal & spatial reasoning: visual patterns, sequences and shapes.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Ermysted's Grammar School
Ermysted's Grammar 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 Ermysted's 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 Ermysted's Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Ermysted's has a strong academic reputation — among the best in the area — achieving close to 100% of pupils with five or more good GCSEs (grades 9–4) and, in 2025, around 86.7% gaining grade 5 or above in English and maths. Its sixth form is rated highly and has a strong record of progression to leading universities, including Oxbridge.
- GCSE: around 86.7% grade 5+ in English and maths in 2025.
- Sixth form: a strong sixth form, run in collaboration with Skipton Girls' High School.
- Progression: strong progression to leading universities.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Ermysted's Grammar School
Admission to Year 7 is through the school's own entrance test, produced by GL Assessment: two multiple-choice papers of about 50 minutes each — a verbal reasoning paper and a non-verbal/spatial reasoning paper — with scores age-standardised. There is no fixed pass mark; instead the 'required standard' is defined as the score achieved by the 140th-ranked candidate in the main entrance-test cohort.
The school has a designated catchment (priority) area served by the primary schools in and around Skipton (including Beamsley, Bradley, Burnsall, Carleton, Cracoe, Crosshills, Embsay, Gargrave, Grassington, Kettlewell, Kirkby-in-Malhamdale, Sutton-in-Craven, Thornton-in-Craven and Threshfield); the exact boundary can shift year to year with the scores of those living nearby. After children with an EHCP, priority runs through looked-after children, Pupil Premium, siblings and catchment, then distance. There are around 124 Year 7 places. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Ermysted's Grammar School is a voluntary-aided selective boys' grammar for ages 11–18 on Gargrave Road in Skipton, North Yorkshire (BD23 1PL). Founded over 500 years ago (with origins around 1492), it is one of the oldest schools in England, carries the motto 'Suivez La Raison' and marks an annual Founders' Day; pupils belong to a house system that competes throughout the year.
The school offers an exceptional extracurricular programme — close to 60 clubs each week, spanning sport, music, debating, chess and robotics — and produces an award-winning, student-run newspaper, 'The Reason'. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ermysted's Grammar School
How do I apply to Ermysted's Grammar School for Year 7?
Applications to Ermysted's Grammar 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 late June 2026), then list Ermysted's Grammar School on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Ermysted's Grammar School use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Ermysted's Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test for Year 7 admission, taken in September 2026 (school-specific). The test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised age-adjusted scores.
What is the pass mark / qualifying score for Ermysted's Grammar School?
Ermysted's 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 120 places.
How many Year 7 places does Ermysted's Grammar School have?
Ermysted's Grammar 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 Ermysted's 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 Ermysted's Grammar School's waiting list.
Is Ermysted's Grammar School a state school or fee-paying?
Ermysted's Grammar 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 Ermysted's Grammar 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 Ermysted's Grammar School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Ermysted's 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.