Grammar schools near me: a county-by-county guide

Grammar schools are not evenly spread across England — some counties are fully selective, some have a handful of grammar schools alongside comprehensives, and large parts of the country have none at all. Here's a quick overview to help you orient your search.

Fully or largely selective areas

• Kent — one of the largest grammar school systems in England
• Buckinghamshire — fully selective, with the Bucks 11+ test
• Lincolnshire — selective in most of the county
• Medway — selective, separate from the rest of Kent's system
• Trafford (Greater Manchester) — fully selective borough

Areas with a smaller number of grammar schools

• Birmingham and the West Midlands (including Sutton Coldfield)
• Wirral and parts of Merseyside
• Berkshire (including Reading and Slough)
• Wiltshire
• North Yorkshire
• Gloucestershire
• Northern Ireland — selective transfer test system county-wide

What to check for your target schools

• Which exam board they use — GL Assessment, CEM, or an independent paper
• The registration deadline, which is typically well before the exam date itself
• Whether the school requires a separate registration from your local authority's main 11+ process
• Catchment area or priority criteria, which vary significantly even within one county

Finding schools near you

Exact catchment areas, admission criteria and exam formats change from year to year and are set by individual schools or local authorities — always confirm directly with the school or your local authority's admissions team rather than relying on secondhand information.

Signed-in Prepare for Grammar families can use our grammar school finder to search by postcode and see Ofsted ratings alongside each result. Start your free trial on the pricing page to access it.