St Anselm's College vs Wirral Grammar School for Boys
Both are grammar schools in Wirral, 3.3 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| St Anselm's College | Wirral Grammar School for Boys | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Boys | Boys |
| Pupils on roll | 985 | 1,074 |
| Free school meals | 11.8% | 9.1% |
| Ofsted rating | Good | Good |
| Attainment 8 — 2024/25 | 57.2 | 65.4 |
| A-level average points — 2024/25 | 37.72 | 37.33 |
| 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 | 157 | 167 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 0.99 | 1.14 |
Qualifying scores
St Anselm's College
No fixed pass mark. St Anselm's College offers its ~140 Year 7 places in rank order of total score on its own 3-paper entrance test (VR, maths, English incl. writing), with Catholic oversubscription categories applied.
Wirral Grammar School for Boys
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.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
St Anselm's College
- Baptised Catholic Looked After and previously Looked After Boys
- Baptised Catholic boys living in the relevant area (Wirral, Cheshire West and Chester, and other areas within 10 miles o
- All other Looked After and previously Looked After boys
- Baptised Christian, non-Catholic boys, living in the relevant area
Source: school admissions policy.
Wirral Grammar School for Boys
- Up to 30 places: Looked After/Previously Looked After Children (incl. those in care outside England), or Pupil/Service P
- Valid medical reason for a specific placement, evidenced by a health professional
- Siblings (incl. step/foster/adopted) attending the school at time of application
- Children of staff employed ≥2 years (or skills-shortage recruit)
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Both schools admit boys, 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 Wirral comparisons
- Calday Grange Grammar School vs St Anselm's College
- Calday Grange Grammar School vs Upton Hall School FCJ
- Calday Grange Grammar School vs West Kirby Grammar School
- Calday Grange Grammar School vs Wirral Grammar School for Boys
- Calday Grange Grammar School vs Wirral Grammar School for Girls
- St Anselm's College vs Upton Hall School FCJ
- St Anselm's College vs West Kirby Grammar School
- St Anselm's College vs Wirral Grammar School for Girls
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