Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school; single-sex Boys' Division and Girls' Division, ages 3 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Bolton, Greater Manchester |
| Entry points | Year 7 (11+) and Year 12/Sixth Form (16+) are the main entry points; other year groups admit only when vacancies arise |
| Assessment | GL Assessment papers in English, mathematics and non-verbal reasoning, plus interview and a report from the current school |
| Test provider | GL Assessment |
| Day fees (2026-27) | £5,264 per term (Senior School) |
| Registration deadline | Application form due before the Christmas break in the term preceding the January entrance examination (no exact calendar date published) |
| Assessment date | Thursday 15 January 2026 (both Boys' and Girls' Divisions) |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Entry to Bolton School at 11+ turns on the GL Assessment entrance examination, sat in January, followed by an interview and a report from the child's current school; offers go to those who reach the standard required across three multiple-choice papers testing English, mathematics and non-verbal reasoning. The Boys' Division and Girls' Division run identical assessment days, each stating that between 125 and 150 places are available for Year 7, and admission is competitive, with no catchment area involved.
Families apply through the Boys' or Girls' Division admissions office, register before the Christmas break in Year 6, and receive offers in agreement with the Manchester Consortium of Schools, a group of local independent schools that coordinates offer dates across its members. Scholarships and means-tested bursaries, including full fee remission for some families on lower incomes, sit alongside the standard admissions route for Year 7 entry.
How admission to Year 7 works
Entry to the Boys' or Girls' Division at 11+ is competitive, decided by examination, interview and school report, with no regard to where a family lives. Year 7 and Year 12 are the main entry points, and each division states that between 125 and 150 places are available for Year 7, with admission to other year groups dependent on vacancies arising. Boys at Park Road Junior School and girls at Hesketh House sit the same entrance examination as outside candidates and are not guaranteed a place, although parents are usually told in Year 5 or 6 if their child is unlikely to reach the required standard.
What the 11+ assessment involves
The entrance examination uses three multiple-choice papers set by GL Assessment, sat on the same day by both divisions with short breaks between papers. Scores are age-standardised, so younger candidates in the year group are not disadvantaged, and the school describes the assessment as designed to gauge potential, independent of prior teaching or coaching. Candidates bring two pencils, a ruler and an eraser; calculators are not permitted. A written report is also requested from the child's current school, so parents are advised to speak to the head teacher before applying.
- Non-verbal reasoning: 20 minutes
- Mathematics: 50 minutes
- English: 45 minutes
The interview and school report
Most candidates who sit the written papers are then invited back for an interview with a senior member of staff. The Girls' Division holds its interviews in the days immediately following the assessment and the Boys' Division a little later; families are given an individual date and time. Alongside the interview, the school requests a written report from the child's current school, which feeds into the decision together with the examination scores. Results of the assessment and interview are not shared with parents or made public before offers are issued.
Registering and the steps in order
Applying follows a set order: complete the application form before the Christmas break in the term before the January examination, sit the entrance examination in January, attend the follow-up interview if invited, and wait for the school's decision. Offers are posted at the end of February or the beginning of March, made in agreement with the Manchester Consortium of Schools. A place is accepted by returning the acceptance form and deposit by the date given in the offer letter; accepting creates a contract with the school.
- Complete the application form before the Christmas break
- Sit the entrance examination in January
- Attend the interview if invited
- Receive the offer at the end of February or early March
- Accept the place with the acceptance form and deposit by the stated date
Scholarships and bursaries available at 11+
Bolton School offers both scholarships and means-tested bursaries to pupils entering Year 7. Scholarships are not means-tested and are awarded at the head's discretion to candidates who perform strongly in the entrance examination and interview and are likely to contribute to school life; the Girls' Division notes its awards are of nominal financial value and do not amount to full fee remission. Bursaries are assessed on family income alongside academic merit shown in the examination and interview, with fuller remission available to families on lower incomes and support reducing as income rises; around one in five pupils holds a bursary-assisted place. The Boys' Division also runs the George Lancashire Bursary for boys resident in Salford.
How to prepare for the assessment
Because the papers are multiple choice and age-standardised, preparation works best as steady familiarity with the format, avoiding last-minute cramming: practising non-verbal reasoning puzzles, mental arithmetic and comprehension gives a realistic sense of pacing across the 20, 45 and 50-minute papers. The school states plainly that the assessment is meant to reveal a child's potential, not to catch them out, so calm, well-rested candidates who know what to expect on the day tend to perform closer to their ability. Reading widely and practising timed short-answer writing supports the English paper, while the interview rewards children who can talk naturally about their interests and current schoolwork.
Related guides
Preparing for the Bolton School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Bolton School 11+ tends to go best when it starts early and stays steady, and most families who work with us begin between twelve and eighteen months out. Our tutors, who have prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, plan the work backwards from the school's own assessment format and registration deadline.
The tutors we match to 11+ preparation are drawn from a pool in which more than half hold Qualified Teacher Status, around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and which includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.
Families in Greater Manchester and further afield work with us online, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, with no registration fee and a free initial consultation to talk through your child's current level and the timeline to the 11+. Families receive progress reports after sessions and have a dedicated point of contact, and we reply to enquiries within one working day with tutor recommendations.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the pass mark for the Bolton School 11+ exam?
- The school does not publish a fixed pass mark; scores from the three GL Assessment papers are age-standardised and combined with the interview and school report before offers are made. Because standardisation adjusts for a candidate's exact age within the year group, younger children in Year 6 are not disadvantaged against older classmates sitting the same papers.
- Do children need to be tutored for the entrance exam?
- The school states that its assessments are designed to identify potential, without reference to prior coaching, and that formal revision is not required. Familiarity with the GL Assessment format and question types still helps children work at the right pace under timed conditions, particularly in the non-verbal reasoning paper.
- How many places are available at 11+?
- Each division, Boys' and Girls', states that between 125 and 150 places are available for Year 7 entry. Pupils already attending the school's own junior schools sit the same entrance examination as external candidates and are not guaranteed automatic progression to Year 7.
- When do parents find out if their child has an offer?
- Offers are posted at the end of February or the beginning of March, following the January examination and interview, in agreement with the Manchester Consortium of Schools. A place is confirmed by returning the acceptance form and deposit by the date stated in the offer letter.
- Are bursaries available at Bolton School for Year 7 entry?
- Yes. Bursaries are means-tested and awarded alongside academic merit shown in the examination and interview, with fuller fee remission available to families on lower incomes; around one in five pupils holds a bursary-assisted place. A separate scheme, the George Lancashire Bursary, supports boys resident in Salford.
- What happens if my child is ill on the day of the entrance exam?
- The school offers an alternative date to sit the assessment for candidates who are unwell on the scheduled day, so parents are told there is no need to worry about a clash with illness; contact the relevant admissions registrar as soon as possible to arrange this.
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