Boston High School 11+ Guide

About Boston High School

Boston High School is a selective secondary school in Lincolnshire. For children to get into Boston High School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Boston High School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled on the outskirts of Boston, Lincolnshire, Boston High School is a selective grammar school that caters to girls aged 11-18, with a co-educational sixth form. The school operates a distinctive house system, with each house bearing the name of a notable figure from its rich history. This system fosters a sense of belonging and healthy competition among the students.

At Boston High, the comprehensive curriculum is thoughtfully designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in their future endeavors. From the arts and sciences to technology and languages, the school offers a wide array of subjects that cater to diverse interests and aptitudes. Moreover, the school's extensive careers education programme ensures that students are well-prepared for the challenges of adult and working life.

Beyond the classroom, Boston High boasts a vibrant and lively school community, thanks to its plethora of co-curricular activities. From intellectual pursuits like chess to creative outlets such as orchestra and textiles, and physical activities like rounders, gardening, netball, and basketball, there is something for everyone. The school firmly believes in the value of learning beyond the confines of the classroom, recognizing its role in shaping well-rounded individuals.

Boston High takes immense pride in the outstanding academic achievements of its students, with impressive performances at both A-Level and GCSE. However, the school's commitment to education extends beyond mere academic preparation. It places equal emphasis on nurturing the social proficiency of its students, ensuring that they possess the necessary skills to thrive in their later lives. As a result, Boston High's leavers are not only intellectually capable but also proactive, community-oriented individuals who demonstrate remarkable leadership and problem-solving abilities.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Boston High School together with their admissions contact details.

Boston High School is a girls only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).

In total 833 pupils attend Boston High School and it's led by the Headteacher, Andrew Fulbrook.

Boston High School Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Boston High School for the 2022-23 academic year.

Lincolnshire 11+ Information

In order to get into Boston High School, children need to pass the Lincolnshire 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

Lincolnshire 11+ Subjects & Structure

The Lincolnshire 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-verbal Reasoning
• Spatial Reasoning

The 11 plus exam for Boston High School for Girls is administered by the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The assessment consists of two separate papers that evaluate a student's abilities in verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and spatial reasoning.

The first paper focuses on verbal reasoning and includes 80 questions divided into 15 sections, with a time limit of 50 minutes. The second paper assesses non-verbal and spatial reasoning through 70 questions split across 5 individually timed sections.

All questions in the Lincolnshire 11 plus are presented in a multiple-choice format. Students record their answers on separate answer sheets, which are then electronically marked. The exams take place on two consecutive Saturdays in September.

Other Schools using Lincolnshire 11+

As well as Boston High School, several other schools also use Lincolnshire 11+. These are:

• Bourne Grammar School
• Carre's Grammar School
• Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
• Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
• King Edward VI Grammar School
• Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford - A Selective Academy
• Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
• Skegness Grammar School
• Spalding Grammar School
• Spalding High School
• The Boston Grammar School
• The King's School, Grantham
• The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough

Lincolnshire 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Boston High School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.

Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.

It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!

Lincolnshire 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Lincolnshire 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at Boston High School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Lincolnshire 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Lincolnshire 11+ tests (to get into Boston High School) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Boston High School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Boston High School was last inspected by Ofsted on 13/11/2014 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 25/02/2015, declaring that the school was 'Good'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Boston High School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Unfortunately, Boston High School has not made any of their 11+ past papers publicly available. However, you can use our 11+ practice papers to help your child prepare.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the Lincolnshire 11+ Ensure you double-check with Boston High School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.