Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, co-educational, ages 4 to 18 (Reception to Sixth Form) |
|---|---|
| Location | Wolverhampton, West Midlands |
| Entry points | Reception (age 4); Years 3 to 6 in the Junior School, subject to availability; Year 7 (the main 11+ entry point to the Senior School); Sixth Form/Year 12 (16+, by interview) |
| Assessment | Online Quest Assessments tests in English, mathematics and verbal reasoning, plus a creative writing task, a team-building exercise and a reference from the child's current school |
| Test provider | Quest Assessments |
| Day fees (2026-2027) | £7,312 per term (Year 7 to Upper Sixth, inc. VAT) |
| Assessment date | January |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
Entry to Wolverhampton Grammar School at 11+ is decided by the school's own Year 7 entrance test, and offers rest on that assessment together with a reference from the child's current school. Children sit online papers in English, mathematics and verbal reasoning through Quest Assessments, alongside a creative writing task and a team-building exercise, with the assessment held in January ahead of a September start.
Families register online for a fee and, once a place is offered, confirm it through the school's acceptance process; those seeking financial help indicate this on the registration form so that a bursary application can run alongside the entrance test. WGS also offers a Jenyns Scholarship and a Music Scholarship at Year 7, on top of means-tested bursaries that can cover most of the cost of fees for families who qualify.
How entry to the school works
Most new pupils arrive at Year 7, at the start of the Senior School, though the Junior School also admits into Reception and Years 3 to 6 when places allow. Sixth Form entry is separate and assessed by interview, requiring an average GCSE score of 5.5 across a minimum of seven subjects together with a satisfactory school report. Limited places sometimes arise in other year groups, and the admissions team can arrange an individual assessment or taster day outside the main Year 7 round.
How the 11+ assessment works
Wolverhampton Grammar School delivers its Year 7 entrance test online through Quest Assessments, covering English, mathematics and verbal reasoning, and pairs this with a creative writing task and a team-building exercise. Tests run in January for the following September's intake, and the school also requests a reference from the child's current school as part of the application. Candidates for the Music Scholarship are auditioned separately, and bursary applicants who clear the academic bar go on to a financial interview with senior staff.
11+ tutors
Hannah S.
Master TutorI am a UK-qualified teacher with 15+ years across private and state schools in the UK and abroad, and hold a BSc from LSE and a PGCE with QTS. I teach English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, 11+ and Common Entrance preparation. My approach is personalised, confidence-building and rigorous.
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Sochima N.
Master TutorI'm a qualified teacher in a London classroom every day, with a BSc in Computer Science from Brunel and a PGCE with QTS. I teach Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science to A-Level, plus 11+ preparation, through project-based work that suits SEND learners well.
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Ariana G.
Master TutorI have taught English in London schools for twelve years, including Tiffin Girls' School, and hold a PGCE with QTS. I teach English, English Literature, English Language and 11+ preparation across KS3 to A-Level and IB. I get to know each tutee and plan creative lessons around their goals.
Enquire about this tutorHow registration and the admissions process run
Applying for a Year 7 place follows a set sequence, starting with a prospectus request or a visit and ending with acceptance of the offer.
- Request a prospectus, or attend an open day or personal tour
- Submit the online registration form and pay the registration fee, marking the form if applying for a bursary
- Sit the entrance test in January: online English, maths and verbal reasoning, the creative writing task and the team-building exercise, plus a reference from the current school
- Attend any scholarship audition or bursary interview that applies
- Receive the outcome and confirm the place through the school's acceptance process
Scholarships and bursaries at 11+
The school offers two scholarships at Year 7 entry: the Jenyns Scholarship and a Music Scholarship, alongside means-tested bursaries. Aimed at academically able children from Wolverhampton postcodes whose household income sits within the school's published guideline, the Jenyns Scholarship also expects a contribution to school life such as art, sport, drama or debating; it goes to one child as a full-fee place, or is shared across several as a proportion of fees. Music Scholarship candidates receive partial fee remission and free instrumental or singing tuition, provided they pass the entrance test and already hold, or are working towards, Grade 5 on their instrument.
Bursaries are judged on financial need alongside the same entrance test result, and families apply by marking interest on the registration form before being interviewed by senior staff such as the Head and Finance Director once academic results are known. Awards range from a small proportion of fees up to close to the full cost, depending on household circumstances measured against the school's published income guideline.
How to prepare for the entrance test
Because the Year 7 test combines online academic papers with a creative writing task and a team-building exercise, preparation works best when it covers all three. Timed practice with online English, maths and verbal reasoning questions builds familiarity with the format, while regular short writing practice supports the imaginative and technical skills the English paper rewards, including vocabulary, punctuation and sentence structure. A child cannot revise directly for the team-building exercise, so treating it as an opportunity to work calmly with other candidates tends to help more than planning a strategy beforehand. Discussing the application with the child's current teacher early is worthwhile too, since a school reference forms part of the assessment.
Fees at the school
Termly fees at WGS rise through the Junior School and again at Year 7, with current figures published on the school's fees page for the relevant academic year. Lunches, a Year 7 iPad bundle and public examination fees are charged in addition to the headline fee. Families applying for a scholarship or bursary pay the same registration fee as other candidates and note their interest on the registration form itself.
Related guides
Preparing for the Wolverhampton Grammar School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Families preparing for the Wolverhampton 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.
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 Wolverhampton Grammar School 11+ entrance test involve?
- Children applying for Year 7 sit an online test in English, mathematics and verbal reasoning through Quest Assessments, plus a creative writing task and a team-building exercise. A reference from the child's current school is also requested. Tests run in January for entry the following September, and Music Scholarship candidates attend a separate audition.
- Who provides the online Year 7 entrance test?
- Quest Assessments delivers the online element of the test, covering English, mathematics and verbal reasoning. It runs alongside a creative writing task and a team-building exercise, and a reference is requested from the child's current school as part of the wider application.
- How much does it cost to register for the entrance test?
- Registration is completed online and carries a fee, payable at the point of application. Families applying for a bursary mark this on the same form, and a separate bursary application follows before the main entrance test round in the spring term.
- What scholarships does the school offer at Year 7?
- Two scholarships are available at Year 7 entry: the Jenyns Scholarship, aimed at academically strong children from Wolverhampton postcodes who meet the school's income guideline and contribute to school life beyond academics, and a Music Scholarship offering partial fee remission and free tuition to a candidate already working towards Grade 5 on their instrument or in singing.
- How are bursaries assessed at Wolverhampton Grammar School?
- Bursaries depend on both entrance test performance and financial need, assessed against the school's published household income guideline. Families indicate interest on the registration form, and those who pass the academic bar attend an interview with senior staff such as the Head and Finance Director; awards can range from a small proportion of fees to close to the full amount.
- When is the Year 7 entrance test held?
- The main Year 7 entrance test is held in January, ahead of a September start in the Senior School. Junior School assessments for younger year groups take place in the spring term, and individual assessments outside these rounds can be arranged directly with the admissions team.
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