About Skipton Girls' High School
Skipton Girls' High School is a selective girls' grammar school in Skipton, North Yorkshire, admitting 120 girls per year. The school uses the FSCE entrance test. The 6th Form is shared with Ermysted's Grammar School. Registration closes 10 days before the test date. Pupil Premium students receive free Atom Learning preparation. The exam tests English, Maths and Creative Writing based on KS2 curriculum content.
Skipton Girls' High School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 65%. A-Level A*–B: 65%.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Skipton Girls' High School
Skipton Girls' High School Admissions Criteria
Skipton Girls' High School is a selective girls' grammar school in Skipton, North Yorkshire, admitting 120 girls per year. The school uses the FSCE entrance test. The 6th Form is shared with Ermysted's Grammar School. Registration closes 10 days before the test date. Pupil Premium students receive free Atom Learning preparation. The exam tests English, Maths and Creative Writing based on KS2 curriculum content.
- ✓Register for the Skipton Girls' 11+ via the school website (sghs.org.uk) — registration closes 10 days before the test date.
- ✓Sit the FSCE entrance examination at Skipton Girls' High School in September 2026 — papers cover English, Mathematics and Creative Writing.
- ✓Tests are based on KS2 National Curriculum content — the school aims to minimise the advantage gained from intensive tutoring.
- ✓Achieve the required standard. Scores are age-standardised.
- ✓Free 11+ preparation via Atom Learning is available for Pupil Premium students.
- ✓Complete the North Yorkshire LA Common Application Form by 31st October.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after girls (highest priority).
- ✓Girls who achieve the required standard and live within the school's designated catchment area (Skipton and surrounding areas).
- ✓All other girls achieving the required standard, ranked by distance.
Skipton Girls' High 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 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 Skipton Girls' High 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 — Skipton Girls' High School 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 Skipton Girls' High School 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 Skipton Girls' High 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 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 Skipton Girls' High 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 Skipton Girls' High School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
Subjects Tested at Skipton Girls' High School
Skipton Girls' sets its own entrance test; recent guidance indicates it has moved to the FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) model — age-standardised papers sat on one day in September.
- Mathematics & English: a multiple-choice paper covering Key Stage 2 maths and English skills.
- Written task: a shorter written-answer paper (including extended/creative writing).
Note: the FSCE format does not use separate verbal/non-verbal reasoning papers — confirm the current provider with the school.
Independent 11+ Practice Papers for Skipton Girls' High School
Skipton Girls' High School uses the Independent 11+ format. Our Practice Papers is a great way to practice for the exam — 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 Skipton Girls' High 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 Skipton Girls' High School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Skipton Girls' High School is an academically strong North Yorkshire grammar with consistently high GCSE and A-Level results and good progression to leading universities, set within the Northern Star Academies Trust.
- GCSE & A-Level: consistently strong results across a broad, modern curriculum.
- Sixth form: a co-educational sixth form (entry on GCSE grades, not the 11+).
- Heritage: in 2003 it became the first all-girls school to gain specialist Engineering College status.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Skipton Girls' High School
Admission to Year 7 is by the school's own entrance test. The school is its own admissions authority (while following North Yorkshire's coordinated arrangements), and recent guidance indicates the test is now provided by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) rather than a shared consortium provider — typically a multiple-choice mathematics-and-English paper plus a short written task, sat on one day in September, with age-standardised scores. Because providers can change, confirm the current test and format directly with the school.
The school admits around 120 girls to Year 7 and is heavily oversubscribed, at roughly five applicants per place. It uses a defined priority area (catchment) covering Skipton and the surrounding Yorkshire Dales: after children with an EHCP and looked-after children, in-area applicants are prioritised, with out-of-area applicants ranked afterwards and distance used to decide ties. Results are issued in mid-October and offers in early March. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Skipton Girls' High School is a selective girls' grammar for ages 11–18, with a co-educational sixth form, on Gargrave Road in the North Yorkshire market town of Skipton (BD23 1QL), with around 800 girls. Founded in 1886 by the Petyt Trust, it became an academy in 2011 and is a founding member of the Northern Star Academies Trust.
Pupils are organised across four houses named after influential women (Brontë, Curie, Franklin and Johnson), and the school is known for a modern, dynamic curriculum and a strong STEM tradition alongside sport, music and leadership opportunities. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Skipton Girls' High School — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply to Skipton Girls' High School for Year 7?
Register with the school for its entrance test (sat in September) and name Skipton Girls' on your Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October 2026. Skipton Girls' is its own admissions authority within North Yorkshire's coordinated scheme.
What entrance test does Skipton Girls' High School use?
Its own entrance test, recently provided by FSCE (Future Stories) rather than a shared consortium provider — typically a multiple-choice Mathematics-and-English paper plus a short written task, sat on one day in September with age-standardised scores. Because providers can change, confirm the current format with the school.
Is Skipton Girls' High School selective, and is it free?
Yes. Skipton Girls' High School is a selective state grammar school for girls 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. The test is sat on one day in September; confirm the exact date with the school.
When are the results released?
In October 2026, before the Local Authority application deadline, so you can list Skipton Girls' 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 Skipton Girls' High School have a catchment area?
Skipton Girls' admits qualifying girls by rank of test score (it is its own admissions authority within North Yorkshire's scheme); distance features in tie-breaks. Confirm the current policy with the school.
How many Year 7 places does Skipton Girls' High School offer?
About 120 places.
How can my child prepare for the Skipton Girls' 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.