Registration for The Grammar School at Leeds 11+ closes in 55 days, on 30 November 2026. A free consultation now leaves time to plan the preparation before the assessment.
Book a free consultationKey Facts
| School type | Co-educational independent day school (single-sex teaching in Years 7–11) |
|---|---|
| Age range | 3–18 years |
| Location | Harrogate Road, Alwoodley, Leeds LS17 8GS |
| Day fees | £2,141 to £5,463 per term (at time of writing) |
| 11+ assessment | English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers, plus interview (November sitting for September entry) |
| Scholarships | Academic and music scholarships; means-tested bursaries available |
| 11+ entrance exam | English, Mathematics, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Creative writing |
| Registration deadline | 30 November 2026 (September 2027 entry) |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) sets its own online Year 7 entrance exam for children joining in September, with the format and platform differing from tests set by ISEB or GL, which other schools commonly use. The assessment covers English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning online, alongside a handwritten creative writing piece completed under exam conditions. It is sat during Year 6, with exact dates set out in the key facts table on this page.
About The Grammar School at Leeds
GSAL formed in 2008, when Leeds Grammar School (founded 1552) and Leeds Girls' High School (founded 1876) merged into a single school on a 140-acre campus in Alwoodley. Principal Mrs Sue Woodroofe leads the school today. Boys and girls are taught separately in lessons from Years 7 to 11, then join together for breaks, meals and co-curricular activities.
The entrance exam
GSAL designs and delivers its Year 7 entrance assessment through its own online testing system, so families should expect the format and platform to differ from tests set by ISEB or GL, which other schools commonly use.
The standard assessment covers English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning online, alongside a handwritten creative writing piece completed under exam conditions. Mathematics is adaptive, meaning the questions a child sees adjust in difficulty as they answer, and the school does not publish a fixed pass mark or paper length alongside this format. Every candidate who proceeds through the process also attends an interview.
- English: online assessment, part of the main entrance assessment
- Mathematics: online assessment, adaptive in difficulty
- Verbal reasoning: online assessment
- Non-verbal reasoning: online assessment
- Creative writing: handwritten piece, completed separately
Registration and key dates
Families apply online, and registration for the standard route usually closes late in the autumn term of Year 6, several months before the child would join in September. GSAL does not publish a fixed assessment date on its public pages, so families should check the key facts table on this page for the current timetable. A bursary route exists alongside the standard process, working from an earlier shortlisting stage ahead of the main assessment window.
- Registration (standard route): usually closes late in the autumn term of Year 6
- Assessment: held during Year 6; exact date in the key facts table
- Interview: follows for candidates taken forward
- Bursary shortlisting: takes place earlier, ahead of the standard assessment
Current dates are in the key facts table at the top of this page, taken from the school's own admissions pages below, which remain the reference for each round.
Past papers and familiarisation
GSAL has no confirmed Year 7-specific sample or familiarisation paper live on its website; the sample English papers it publishes cover Year 8 and Year 10 entry, not the 11+ route.
Families preparing for this format generally focus on timed online practice covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning, comprehension and written composition, alongside handwriting practice for the creative writing piece, which is completed by hand under timed conditions.
Preparing with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the GSAL 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 the North of England 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 does the GSAL 11+ entrance exam involve?
- Candidates sit GSAL's own online Year 7 entrance assessment, covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, plus a handwritten creative writing piece completed separately. Mathematics is adaptive, so question difficulty adjusts as a child answers. Every candidate taken forward from the assessment also attends an interview before the school makes its offer decisions.
- When does registration for the school's Year 7 entry close?
- Registration for the standard Year 7 route usually closes late in the autumn term of Year 6, well before the child would join the school the following September. GSAL also runs a separate, earlier bursary assessment route through a shortlisting process. Exact dates are set out in the key facts table on this page.
- Are there past papers or sample tests for the 11+?
- GSAL has not confirmed a Year 7-specific sample or familiarisation paper on its website. The sample English papers it publishes cover Year 8 and Year 10 entry, not the 11+ route, so families preparing for Year 7 tend to rely on general practice in reasoning, comprehension and timed writing.
- How hard is the Year 7 assessment, and how should a child prepare?
- GSAL does not publish a pass mark or paper length for its Year 7 assessment. Preparation generally centres on building comfort with online adaptive testing, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and timed written composition, since the format combines screen-based and handwritten elements across English, maths and reasoning.
- Is the school selective?
- Yes, entry to Year 7 is selective, with the school assessing candidates through its examination and interview process to identify academically able pupils. Structured preparation across all four assessed disciplines tends to improve a child's chances.
- Is the school co-educational?
- Boys and girls at the school are taught separately in lessons from Years 7 to 11, joining together for breaks, meals and co-curricular activities. Sixth Form is fully co-educational.
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Free 11+ familiarisation pack
English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with mark schemes.
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