Key Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, ages 2 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Kirkham, Lancashire |
| Entry points | 11+ (Year 7 / First Year) and 16+ (Sixth Form) are the main senior school entry points; places between First Year and Fifth Year are also considered where space allows. The junior school admits from Nursery (age 2+), Reception (age 4+) and Juniors (age 7+) |
| Assessment | Computer adaptive test in English, mathematics, non-verbal reasoning and skills, considered alongside school reports and an interview where the Head judges it necessary |
| Day fees (From September 2026) | Senior School £6,617 per term; Junior School £4,948 per term; a £500 deposit is payable on acceptance, repaid without interest when the pupil leaves |
| Boarding fees (From September 2026) | Full boarding £6,430 per term in addition to the day fee; weekly (Monday to Friday) boarding £6,109 per term in addition to the day fee; a £1,000 deposit is payable on acceptance, repaid without interest when the pupil leaves |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into Kirkham Grammar School at 11+ means registering for the school's own computer adaptive entrance assessment, which covers English, mathematics, non-verbal reasoning and a skills component and is usually held on the first Saturday in February. The school also weighs the child's two most recent school reports and, where the Head judges it necessary, holds an interview; results of the assessment are kept confidential and no pass mark is published, so offers reflect the overall strength of that year's applicants.
Kirkham Grammar School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 2 to 18 on Ribby Road in Kirkham, Lancashire. Most of its Year 7 intake arrives through this 11+ round, alongside smaller numbers who transfer in at later points in the senior school when places allow.
How entry at 11+ works
The main point of entry to the school's senior school is First Year (Year 7), commonly known as 11+, alongside Sixth Form entry at 16+. Families apply by completing an online registration form; after the registration deadline, the school sends details of the assessment date, together with any information relevant to scholarship or bursary applications. Places at other points, from First Year through to Fifth Year, are also considered where the year group has space, following the same online registration and a Taster Day with an age-related entrance assessment. Children already in the school's own Junior School normally transfer automatically, without sitting the entrance test.
What the 11+ assessment involves
External 11+ candidates sit a computer adaptive test covering English, mathematics, non-verbal reasoning and a skills component, taken as part of an Assessment Day that includes a Taster Session at the school. The school also asks for the applicant's most recent two school reports, covering academic ability, behaviour and attendance, and may request a reference from the current school. An interview with the Head is held only where the Head judges it necessary; it is not required for every candidate. Results of the entrance assessment are treated as confidential and are not normally released to parents; offers reflect the assessment alongside the reports and any interview.
The 11+ admissions process, step by step
Registration for 11+ entry runs in stages ahead of the assessment day, with a step-by-step process set out on the school's admissions pages:
- Complete the online registration form before the published closing date; an earlier deadline applies to candidates also registering for a scholarship or bursary
- Receive confirmation of the assessment date and time, along with any scholarship or bursary information, once registration closes
- Attend the Assessment Day, which includes a Taster Session and the computer adaptive entrance test
- Where the Head judges it necessary, attend an interview; the school also weighs the applicant's recent school reports
- Receive an offer, normally within a week of the assessment, and accept online with the appropriate deposit within the period stated in the offer
Scholarships and bursaries at 11+
The school offers scholarships at 11+ in four areas: academic, music, drama and sport. Every child who sits the 11+ entrance assessment is automatically considered for an academic award, so no separate application is needed; music, drama and sport scholarships instead involve a further audition or assessment, such as a prepared piece and sight-reading for music, or a monologue and group activities for drama. Any scholarship is made at the Head's discretion and rarely exceeds half the fee. Bursaries are means-tested and can accompany a scholarship where there is genuine financial need; parents complete an online financial questionnaire, and awards are reviewed annually as circumstances change.
How to prepare for the assessment
Because the entrance assessment is computer adaptive and covers English, mathematics, non-verbal reasoning and a skills element, familiarity with on-screen testing and working at pace across a mix of question types tends to help more than practising a single fixed paper format. Children usually benefit from reading widely, practising mental arithmetic and reasoning puzzles, and trying a timed online test beforehand so the format itself is not a surprise on the day. Since the school also weighs recent school reports and, where relevant, an interview, steady effort and good conduct at the current school in the run-up to the assessment matter alongside any revision.
Joining after Year 7
Places from First Year through to Fifth Year are considered where a year group has space, using the same online registration, a Taster Day and an age-related entrance assessment as the 11+ round. In particular circumstances, and entirely at the Head's discretion, a candidate already admitted to another independent school of similar standing may be offered a place without sitting the entrance assessment. Sixth Form entry at 16+ follows a separate route based on GCSE results, normally five grades 9 to 5 including English and mathematics, plus grade 6 or above in the subjects a pupil wishes to study.
Fees, deposits and what's included
Fees are billed termly and cover tuition, class textbooks and library books, stationery, and scientific and games equipment; they do not cover field courses or examination entry fees. Boarding attracts a supplement on top of the day fee, with separate rates for full and weekly boarding. On accepting a place, a deposit is payable, repaid without interest when the pupil leaves or completes their education there. Sibling discounts apply for day families with more than one child at the school, and a loyalty award reduces Sixth Form fees for pupils who have attended for several years.
Related guides
Preparing for the Kirkham Grammar School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Families preparing for the Kirkham Grammar School 11+ usually come to us a year or so before the assessment, though shorter runs work where the foundations are already sound. Having prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools, with placements including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, our tutors build each programme around the format the school actually uses, whether a written paper, an online pre-test, an interview or a combination of them.
More than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status and around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and the pool includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools, so the preparation is led by people who know how selective schools assess. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.
Families work with us online from anywhere in the UK or abroad, 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 subjects are covered in the 11+ entrance assessment?
- The assessment is a computer adaptive test covering English, mathematics, non-verbal reasoning and a skills component, sat during an Assessment Day that includes a Taster Session. The school also considers the child's two most recent school reports, covering academic ability, behaviour and attendance.
- Do children in the school's own Junior School need to sit the entrance exam?
- No. Junior School pupils in J4 transfer to the senior school automatically without registering or sitting the assessment, provided they have been on the school roll for the previous two years. Exceptions apply if a pupil wants to be considered for an academic scholarship or if the Head of Junior School has concerns about readiness.
- Is there a pass mark for the 11+ entrance exam?
- The school does not publish a pass mark or release results to parents; results of the entrance assessment are treated as confidential. Offers are based on the assessment together with the applicant's school reports and, where the Head judges it necessary, an interview.
- Can a child join after Year 7?
- Yes. Places from First Year to Fifth Year are considered wherever a year group has space, through the same online registration, a Taster Day and an age-related entrance assessment used for 11+ entry. In particular circumstances a candidate already admitted to a comparable independent school may be offered a place without sitting the assessment.
- Are scholarships automatic for 11+ applicants?
- Academic scholarships are automatic: every child who sits the 11+ entrance assessment is considered, with no separate application. Music, drama and sport scholarships require a further audition or assessment, for example a prepared piece and sight-reading for music or a monologue and group tasks for drama; awards are made at the Head's discretion.
- How are bursaries assessed?
- Bursaries are means-tested and awarded on financial need together with the pupil's achievement in the relevant scholarship assessment. Parents complete an online financial questionnaire, and circumstances are reassessed annually, with the value of the award adjusted if needed. A bursary can accompany any type of scholarship where there is genuine financial need.
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