Other Standalone School Tests
Four grammars outside any regional consortium, each with its own entrance test and registration: the two Salisbury schools, QEGS Penrith in Cumbria, and Saint Ambrose College in Trafford (which tests separately from the Trafford consortium).
Exam board
Varies by school (GL Assessment and school-set papers)
Test duration
108 min
Papers
3
Year 7 places
620
Across consortium
Applicants per place
2.0×
Typical competition
Test format
Format details aren't published centrally for this consortium — check each school's individual admissions page.
Selection method used
Subjects tested
Subject list isn't published — typically a mix of English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Competition (latest)
1,169 applicants chasing 620 places · 2.0× per place
Annual timeline
Confirm exact dates each year on the council pageRegistration opens
Varies by school — typically May–June of Year 5
Registration deadline
Varies by school — commonly June–July
Test window
September of Year 6 (most schools)
Results release
October, before the 31 October CAF deadline
How to prepare
- Register with each school individually.
- South Wilts and Bishop Wordsworth's (both Salisbury) have separate registrations even though many families apply to both.
- Saint Ambrose College sets its own GL-based test — it is NOT covered by Trafford consortium registration.
- QEGS Penrith's bespoke papers cover Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
- Check each school's catchment/priority area — rural catchments can be large but specific.
Important to know
- Each school's test per our verified records:
- Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith — school-set: Verbal Reasoning, Maths, Non-Verbal Reasoning
- South Wilts Grammar School (Salisbury) — GL Assessment: Mathematics, English, Verbal Reasoning
- Bishop Wordsworth's School (Salisbury) — check the school's current admissions page for this year's format
- Saint Ambrose College (Hale Barns) — GL Assessment: Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics, English
Official links
Sources used on this page
- Individual school admissions pages (verified per school in our records)
- GOV.UK secondary school admissions guidance
Where to go next
- Each school sets its own qualifying score and oversubscription rules — open a school page above for the per-school detail.
- Use the Chances Calculator with your postcode to see your likelihood at every school in this consortium.
- Council and school admissions pages are the authoritative source for registration deadlines and test dates.