Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School 11+ Guide

About Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School

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

Nestled within the historic Cathedral Close of Salisbury, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School has been nurturing the minds of young men for over a century. This prestigious institution, which recently opened its doors to girls in the sixth form, boasts an illustrious roster of alumni, including renowned actor Ralph Fiennes and the esteemed novelist and Nobel Prize laureate, Sir William Golding. The school's rich history and tradition of excellence continue to shape its identity to this day.

Bishop Wordsworth's School prides itself on providing an exceptional educational experience, as evidenced by its consistently impressive exam results and the glowing praise it has received from Ofsted. The school's dedicated staff work tirelessly to maintain high expectations for their pupils, fostering an atmosphere of diligence and achievement. This commitment to academic excellence is further enhanced by the school's modern facilities, which include state-of-the-art classrooms, a drama studio, sports hall, and a newly constructed sixth form block.

However, Bishop Wordsworth's School offers more than just academic success. The institution places great emphasis on character development, encouraging its students to become well-rounded individuals who possess strong leadership skills and a keen sense of responsibility. Through a wide array of extracurricular activities, pupils are given the opportunity to explore their interests, discover new passions, and forge lasting friendships. This holistic approach to education ensures that students leave Bishop Wordsworth's School not only with impressive academic credentials but also with the essential life skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.

As a Church of England grammar school, Bishop Wordsworth's School maintains a strong connection to its faith-based roots. The school's ethos is built upon Christian values, which are woven into the fabric of daily life and serve to create a nurturing and supportive environment for all students, regardless of their individual beliefs. This inclusive and caring atmosphere, combined with the school's unwavering commitment to academic excellence, makes Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School an outstanding choice for families seeking a top-tier education in the heart of Salisbury.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.

Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is a boys 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 1,178 pupils attend Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School and it's led by the Headmaster, Dr Stuart Smallwood.

Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar 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 Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.

Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Information

In order to get into Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School, children need to pass the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Subjects & Structure

The Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• English
• Reading Comprehension
• Spelling
• Grammar
• Punctuation
• Verbal Reasoning
• Maths
• Non-verbal Reasoning

The 11 plus exam for entry into Bishop Wordsworth's School, a Church of England grammar school, is provided by GL Assessment, a leading supplier of grammar school entrance exams in England. The assessment is divided into two distinct papers, each lasting 45 minutes, with a break between them.

The first paper, focusing on verbal skills, evaluates the candidate's proficiency in English, including reading comprehension, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It also assesses their verbal reasoning abilities. The English section comprises approximately 26 questions, while the verbal reasoning section contains around 32 questions.

The second paper concentrates on non-verbal skills, testing the student's aptitude in mathematics and non-verbal reasoning. The maths section includes roughly 25 questions, and the non-verbal reasoning section features about 40 questions. All questions in the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11 plus exam are presented in a multiple-choice format, with students marking their answers on separate answer sheets that are electronically graded.

Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar 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!

Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Bishop Wordsworth's School 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 Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Bishop Wordsworth's School 11+ tests (to get into Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar 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 Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 15/11/2022 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 23/01/2023, declaring that the school was 'Outstanding'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

Ofsted Report Summary

Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School was inspected by Ofsted on 15 November 2022 and received an Outstanding overall rating. The school demonstrated exceptional performance across all key areas evaluated during the inspection.

The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision were all rated as Outstanding. This showcases the school's commitment to providing a high-quality educational experience for its students, fostering a positive learning environment, and promoting personal growth and development.

The Outstanding ratings across all categories highlight the school's dedication to academic excellence, student well-being, and effective leadership. Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School sets a remarkable example for other educational institutions to follow.

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar 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, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School has not made any of their past 11+ papers publicly available.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

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