Herschel Grammar School vs St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School
Both are grammar schools in Slough, 1.9 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Herschel Grammar School | St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed |
| Pupils on roll | 1,056 | 1,178 |
| Free school meals | 6.4% | 3.7% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Attainment 8 — 2024/25 | 75.8 | 77.3 |
| A-level average points — 2024/25 | 41.68 | 40.01 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | pass/fail then criteria order | pass/fail then criteria order |
| Places offered — 202627 | 149 | 150 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 0.8 | 1.19 |
Qualifying scores
Herschel Grammar School
111 (2026 entry)
Standardised score ≥ 111 qualifies for any school in the Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools.
St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School
111 (2026 entry)
Standardised score ≥ 111 qualifies for any school in the Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Herschel Grammar School
- Looked After Children (accommodated or taken into care under Children Act 1989 s.20/31/38)
- Home address within 4 miles of the school (straight line), ranked by distance (closest first)
- Up to 10 places: Pupil Premium, home address within 10 miles of the school, ranked by distance
- Children of permanent staff employed ≥2 years
Source: school admissions policy.
St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School
- Children looked after by a local authority and previously looked after children (including those who appear to the admission authority to have been in state car
- Children with an exceptional medical or social need to attend this particular school, supported by written professional evidence (where the LA or school include
- Children living in the school's catchment / priority admission / designated / normal / geographical priority area (terminology varies by LA). Living in the area
- Children who will have a sibling on the roll of the school (or a linked infant/junior school, where the published arrangements say so) at the time of admission.
- Children living nearest to the school, measured by the method in the published admission arrangements (commonly straight-line or shortest safe walking route fro
Source: la_default admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Both schools admit mixed, so the decision usually comes down to the admission criteria above and how far each one reaches. 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 Slough comparisons
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