About Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)
Parkstone Grammar School is a selective girls' grammar school in Poole, Dorset (co-educational Sixth Form), rated Outstanding by Ofsted. It is part of the Dorset Consortium of Grammar Schools alongside Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls and Poole Grammar School. All four use the same GL Assessment entrance test on the same day. Priority area: Poole postcodes BH12–BH18 and BH21 3. 192 places available for Year 7. Girls may register with any one of the four Dorset Consortium schools.
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 55.5%. A-Level A*–B: 74.6%.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 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 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.
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) Admissions Criteria
Parkstone Grammar School is a selective girls' grammar school in Poole, Dorset (co-educational Sixth Form), rated Outstanding by Ofsted. It is part of the Dorset Consortium of Grammar Schools alongside Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls and Poole Grammar School. All four use the same GL Assessment entrance test on the same day. Priority area: Poole postcodes BH12–BH18 and BH21 3. 192 places available for Year 7. Girls may register with any one of the four Dorset Consortium schools.
- ✓Register with any one of the four Dorset Consortium schools (Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls, Parkstone Grammar or Poole Grammar) — registration opens 13th April 2026, closes noon on Friday 4th September 2026.
- ✓Sit three GL Assessment multiple-choice tests on Saturday 26th September 2026: English and Verbal Reasoning (55 min), Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning (55 min), and additional Verbal Reasoning questions.
- ✓Scores are age-standardised. There is no published fixed pass mark — places offered to highest-scoring eligible girls.
- ✓Results shared with all four Dorset Consortium schools automatically.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Girls achieving the qualifying standard who live within Parkstone Grammar's priority area (Poole postcodes BH12, BH13, BH14, BH15, BH16, BH17, BH18 and BH21 3), ranked by score.
- ✓Girls from outside the priority area who achieve the qualifying standard, ranked by score then distance.
- ✓Apply via Dorset (or BCP) LA CAF by 31st October 2026.
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS))
- 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 — Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 (varies by school) |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | September 2026 (English + Maths + 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 late June 2026 (varies by school). There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)
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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)'s waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)
Parkstone Grammar School selects through the Dorset Grammar Schools Consortium 11+ (GL Assessment), sat once for the four Dorset grammar schools — three computer-marked, age-standardised multiple-choice papers.
- Mathematics (50 min): Key Stage 2 arithmetic and problem-solving.
- English (45 min): comprehension, vocabulary and punctuation.
- Verbal reasoning (50 min): word-, letter- and number-based logic.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) is one of the top-performing girls' state schools in the South West, with an Outstanding Ofsted rating and a strong record at GCSE and A-Level. In 2022 around 61% of GCSE grades were 9–7 and roughly 67% of A-Level grades were A*–B.
- GCSE: around 61% of grades at 9–7 in 2022.
- Sixth form: a co-educational sixth form, run in partnership with Poole Grammar to broaden A-Level choice.
- Specialism: specialist science and languages status.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Parkstone Grammar School
Admission to Year 7 is through the Dorset Grammar Schools Consortium 11+, produced by GL Assessment and shared across the four Dorset grammar schools (Parkstone, Poole Grammar, Bournemouth School for Girls and Bournemouth School) — so a child sits it once. It is three multiple-choice papers: Mathematics (50 minutes, Key Stage 2), English (45 minutes, comprehension, vocabulary and punctuation) and Verbal Reasoning (50 minutes); papers are computer-marked and age-standardised, and there is no published pass mark. Families register through one consortium school and apply to the local authority.
The school admits around 192 girls to Year 7 and uses a catchment covering the historic Borough of Poole and the surrounding postcodes (BH12–BH18 and BH21 3). After children with an EHCP and looked-after children, qualified girls within the catchment are prioritised, with distance used as the tie-break; girls outside the catchment may still gain places on score. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) is a selective girls' grammar for ages 11–18, with a co-educational sixth form, on Sopers Lane in Poole, Dorset (BH17 7EP), with around 1,300 girls. Established in 1905 (originally as a co-educational independent school and converted to a grammar school in 1935), it moved to its current site in 1960, became an academy in 2011 and holds specialist science and languages status.
The school combines academic excellence with strong pastoral care and a rich co-curricular offer spanning charity work, public speaking, music and theatre, and partners with nearby Poole Grammar to broaden sixth-form options. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Parkstone Grammar School
How do I apply to Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) for Year 7?
Applications to Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 (varies by school)), then list Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test for Year 7 admission, taken in September 2026 (English + Maths + 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)?
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 180 places.
How many Year 7 places does Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) have?
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) admits 180 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)'s waiting list.
Is Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) a state school or fee-paying?
Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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 Parkstone Grammar School (PGS)'s official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Parkstone Grammar School (PGS) 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.