Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School vs South Wilts Grammar School
Both are grammar schools in Wiltshire, 1.0 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School | South Wilts Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Boys | Girls |
| Pupils on roll | 1,188 | 1,185 |
| Free school meals | 4.1% | 2% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Good |
| Attainment 8 — 2024/25 | 73.1 | 77 |
| A-level average points — 2024/25 | 43.63 | 39.47 |
| 11+ test board | CEM (Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring, Durham University) | CEM (Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring, Durham University) |
| Admission system | pass/fail then criteria order | pass/fail then criteria order |
| Places offered — 202627 | 157 | 158 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.36 | 1.46 |
Qualifying scores
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
No fixed published pass mark. Bishop Wordsworth's 2-paper GL test is age-standardised and the qualifying standard is set annually; catchment/priority-area criteria then apply.
South Wilts Grammar School
No fixed published pass mark. South Wilts Grammar School's 3-paper GL test (maths, English, VR) is age-standardised and the qualifying standard is set annually; catchment/priority-area criteria then apply.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
- Looked After/Previously Looked After Children
- Pupil Premium boys (Ever-6 FSM) at the time of the entry exam
- Boys permanently resident in the School's designated area (map-defined)
- Boys with a sibling already at the School
Source: school admissions policy.
South Wilts Grammar School
- Looked After/Previously Looked After Children
- Pupil Premium and/or Service Premium girls meeting the academic standard
- Girls in the School's catchment area, meeting the academic standard
- Girls with a parent/step-parent who is a contracted staff member (≥2 years)
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is a boys school and South Wilts Grammar School is a girls school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.
Other Wiltshire comparisons
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT