Overwhelmed by the Long List of Grammar Schools in the UK? Let Us Help

Contents

1. What makes a school a grammar school?
2. What parts of the UK have grammar schools?
3. How many grammar schools are there in England?
4. List of grammar schools in England
5. List of grammar schools in London
6. Why are grammar schools controversial?

Working through the long list of grammar schools in the UK can be hard work. What’s different about grammar schools? How were they established? And are they any better for your child than comprehensive schools? Find the answers to these questions and more including useful top 10 grammar school lists below. 📝

What makes a school a grammar school?

A grammar school – originally classified as  a school teaching Latin – is a state secondary school that selects pupils based on academic achievement. Children hoping to go to grammar school must pass the 11-plus exam at the end of their time at primary school to gain entrance. ✍️

Much like British boarding schools, the tradition of grammar schools dates back to medieval times, was exported during the rule of the British Empire and despite subsequent sociopolitical shifts, remains part of the UK’s education system today.

The list of grammar schools as we know them now date back to the Education Act 1944 which, as well as making secondary education free, reorganised it into two basic types: grammar schools – for pupils aiming to go on to higher education; and secondary modern schools – for pupils who would be going into trades. 🛠️

In 1965, under a Labour government, Local Education Authorities (LEA’s) started to replace grammar and secondary modern schools with the comprehensive system – now the most common system across the UK – whereby pupils of all abilities and aptitudes are taught together.

At this point, some grammar schools became fully independent and charged fees, while most others were abolished or became comprehensive. More recently, a list of grammar schools still retaining their selective intake gained academy status, meaning that they remain state-funded but operate outside of the LEA. 🚸

What parts of the UK have grammar schools? 

Out of a total of 4,190 secondary schools in the UK, grammar schools account for just 232. Furthermore, the full list of grammar schools only spans England and Northern Ireland. 

There are no state grammars in Wales or Scotland as both countries support a fully comprehensive school system – although some institutions retain the name "grammar school", they are non-selective and have no special status. Read our “grammar schools in Northern Ireland” and “grammar schools in Scotland” articles for specific content relating to those constituent countries. 

How many grammar schools are there in England? 

England has a total of 3,456 secondary schools, 163 of which are grammar schools. These schools are largely found in a handful of counties including Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Lincolnshire, Kent and Berkshire as well as some London boroughs. 🏫

List of grammar schools in England

There are many factors to consider when deciding which school is best for your child including school policies, ethos, facilities, accessibility and location – all of which can be deduced from school websites or prospectus’ as well as conversations with the school administration team, teachers and other parents. 

However, given that grammar schools are inherently selective based on academic achievement, let’s take a look at the top 10 grammar schools in England in terms of curricular examination results. 💯

List of top 10 grammar schools

In addition to GCSE results using the 9-1 grading system, the GOV.UK data below displays the “Progress 8” metric. This figure is used to measure a pupils’ progress between Year 6 and Year 11. As a reference, 0 is the national average and anything above 0.5 is considered to denote that a school is performing exceptionally well. 

Full list of grammar schools by region 

Given the relative scarcity of grammar schools, the next question to answer is “how to find grammar schools near me?”. If you are looking to find a grammar school for your child, please refer to this full list of grammar schools for a comprehensive overview of all state-funded fully selective schools in England, listed by region. 📍

List of grammar schools in London

There are 19 grammar schools included in the Greater London area. The GOV.UK data below displays the top 10 according to GCSE results Progress 8 metric. 

Why are grammar schools controversial? 

Some would argue that the long list of grammar schools and the selective education system reinforces class division, middle-class privilege and undermines the comprehensive structure. In 1998, Labour's School Standards and Framework Act forbade the establishment of any new all-selective schools in a bid to remove inequality from the UK school system. 🤝

Concerns about the nature of the 11-plus entrance test have also been raised as it often features types of questions not usually adopted in regular state primaries meaning those that have received private tutoring are far more likely to pass it.

Although selective approach schools are purported to deliver a higher caliber of education and academic rigor, a University College London study showed that UK grammar school pupils gain no significant social or emotional advantages over similarly gifted pupils in non-selective schools. 💁

No matter what secondary school your child goes to, our GoStudent tutors can support them to achieve their academic goals. Book a free trial lesson today and see how affordable one-to-one online tuition could work for your family. 👪