Grammar schools in Salisbury
2 grammar schools · qualifying scores, test dates and admission criteria · see all Salisbury schools
Salisbury has 2 grammar schools, part of Wiltshire's wider catchment. 2 have a published Ofsted rating, and 2 of those are rated Good or Outstanding.
Wiltshire entrance test format
The two Wiltshire (Salisbury) grammar schools test separately, both with GL Assessment papers but different structures: 1. Bishop Wordsworth's School (boys) — two papers of about 50 minutes: Verbal Skills (English + verbal reasoning) and Mathematics + Non-Verbal/Spatial Reasoning. Multiple-choice, held at the school in the second half of September. 2. South Wilts Grammar School (girls) — three papers in one sitting with breaks: Mathematics (50 minutes, Year 5 curriculum plus early Year 6), English (45 minutes — linguistic skills, comprehension, spelling, punctuation) and Verbal Reasoning (50 minutes). No non-verbal reasoning. Separate registrations with each school; results arrive in October. A child applying to a Salisbury school and e.g. a Hampshire/Dorset school will face different formats — prepare per school.
Key dates
| Entry year | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 2028 | Application deadline | 2027-10-31 |
| Sept 2028 | Primary application deadline | 2028-01-15 |
| Sept 2028 | Offer day | 2028-03-01 |
| Sept 2028 | Primary offer day | 2028-04-17 |
| Sept 2027 | Test date | 2026-09-26 |
| Sept 2027 | Application deadline | 2026-10-31 |
| Sept 2027 | Primary application deadline | 2027-01-15 |
| Sept 2027 | Offer day | 2027-03-01 |
| Sept 2027 | Primary offer day | 2027-04-16 |
| Sept 2026 | Application deadline | 2025-10-31 (passed) |
| Sept 2026 | Primary application deadline | 2026-01-15 (passed) |
| Sept 2026 | Offer day | 2026-03-02 (passed) |
| Sept 2026 | Primary offer day | 2026-04-16 (passed) |
Out-of-area applications
Wiltshire's two grammar schools are both in Salisbury and register SEPARATELY: Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School (boys) and South Wilts Grammar School (girls). Each runs its own entrance test — register direct with each school (Bishop Wordsworth's registration historically runs late March to 1 September; check South Wilts' own window), with tests in the second half of September of Year 6. Children living outside Wiltshire can register — the schools draw from south Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset. Apply via your home LA's Common Application Form by 31 October. Check each school's oversubscription criteria: both use catchment/priority-area elements, and Bishop Wordsworth's is a Church of England school (check any faith-related criteria in its current policy).
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT