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Calday Grange Grammar School vs Upton Hall School FCJ

Both are grammar schools in Wirral, 2.9 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.

Side by side

Calday Grange Grammar School Upton Hall School FCJ
Phase Secondary Secondary
Gender Boys Girls
Pupils on roll 1,479 1,011
Free school meals 8.1% 9.6%
Ofsted rating Good Outstanding
Attainment 8 — 2024/25 68.1 65.6
A-level average points — 2024/25 38.31 37.91
11+ test board Quest Assessments (switched from GL Assessment; from September 2026 test / 2027 entry onwards) Quest Assessments (switched from GL Assessment; from September 2026 test / 2027 entry onwards)
Admission system pass/fail then criteria order pass/fail then criteria order
Places offered — 202627 202 156
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place 1.1 1.06

Qualifying scores

Calday Grange Grammar School

236 (2026 entry)

Wirral Admissions Test standard: a combined standardised score of 236 or above across the two papers has been the reported qualifying level in recent years (set by the schools; verify current year with the school). Meeting the standard does not guarantee a place — oversubscription criteria apply.

Council source ↗

Upton Hall School FCJ

No fixed guaranteed pass mark. Upton Hall School FCJ sets its required standard annually on its own 2-paper GL exam (English + VR); recent unofficial reports put the mark around 236 standardised — verify with the school for the current year.

Council source ↗

Who gets priority

Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.

Calday Grange Grammar School

  1. Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children
  2. Valid medical or social reason supported in writing by a doctor, social worker, or appropriate professional
  3. Up to 15 places: Free School Meals children achieving the qualifying score, ranked by shortest walking distance
  4. Children with a sibling at the school at the time of admission

Source: school admissions policy.

Upton Hall School FCJ

  1. Looked after, previously looked after, or adopted from state care
  2. Baptised Roman Catholic girls eligible for Free School Meals at time of application
  3. Baptised Roman Catholic girls
  4. Children of school staff employed ≥2 years

Source: school admissions policy.

Choosing between them

Calday Grange Grammar School is a boys school and Upton Hall School FCJ 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.

Full detail for each school: Calday Grange Grammar School · Upton Hall School FCJ
Or see all secondary schools in Wirral ranked.

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