It might be difficult to find your way around the 11 Plus the first time as a parent. How do you aid your kid in getting ready for the Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Exam? What kind of exam structure is it? What stores sell test papers? We’ve provided parents with a  “Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Tips” in this article that seeks to address all of your concerns.

Wirral Grammar School for Girls, Merseyside

Wirral Grammar School for Girls is an all girls’ grammar school on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside. It is an average-sized secondary school known for its excellent academic results; it has been designated a ‘high performing school’ by the Specialist Schools Academy Trust and it regularly achieves some of the best A-level results in the North West of England. This page has everything you need to know about Wirral Grammar School for Girls and can help you get started with the admissions process. You can also find helpful information about the 11 plus exam, such as exam practice resources, information about exam boards and key dates in the calendar.

School details:

Address: Wirral Grammar School for Girls, Heath Road, Bebington, Merseyside, CH63 3AF

County: Merseyside

Type of school: All girls’ grammar school

Age range: 11-18

Ofsted rating: Outstanding

Number of pupils: 1189

Admissions to Year 7: 180

Open evening (2024 entry): TBC but you can find a virtual Open Evening here 

11+ exam date (2024 entry): September 2021 – exact date TBC

Exam board: GL Assessment

Admissions phone number: 0151 644 8282

Admissions email address: schooloffice@wirralgirls.co.uk

A Brief Overview of Wirral Grammar School for Girls and its Performance

The school was originally founded in 1931 and it gained academy status in 2011. The school has numerous accolades: it is a Specialist Language College; a Humanities College and a Science College; a Leading Edge School; and it has also been awarded a School Inclusion Award, an International School Award, Gold Careers Education and Guidance, a Healthy School Award and Liverpool Echo School of the Year Awards. In terms of student make up, approximately 4% of pupils speak English as a second language, 7% are on free school meals and less than 1% have some support for special educational needs.

The school’s results are very good. In 2019, 60% of all GCSE grades were awarded a level 7 or above (old style A*-A), with 40% being levels 8 and 9 (old style A*). 38 pupils gained 10 or more 9-7 grades, and 81% of grades were above a 6. The picture is similarly successful at A-level: in 2019, 108 students achieved A*s or As, with 79% of grades being A*-B. You can see more details here, as well as a list of particularly exceptional results, including one individual who received 4 A*s and an A and went on to read Medicine at Imperial College, London. In fact according to The Liverpool Echo, 47% of students at Wirral go on to study at Russell Group universities, ranking the second highest school in Merseyside.

Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Admissions Process: 2024 Entry

Below you can find the key dates in the calendar for the 2024 entry. You may also want to refer to the school’s Admissions Policy which has lots of detailed information and answers to frequently asked questions.

Preparing for Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Exam

Wirral Grammar School for Girls’s entrance test consists of two exams based on the GL Assessment exam board. You can find more information in the school’s familiarisation booklet but in summary, pupils sit two hour-long exams: one that tests Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning, and one that tests English and Verbal Reasoning.

In terms of preparing for the papers, a good place to start is the GL Assessment page, which offers lots of free resources. The English and Maths questions will very much be based on the National Curriculum, and so it’s important that students ensure they have mastered key skills before attempting practice papers, otherwise their progress will quickly plateau. Filling in any gaps in knowledge is better than simply churning out past papers with no development.

The Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning questions are likely to be more unfamiliar for students, as this is not taught at school. This helpful 11 Plus Exam Guide to the Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests can help you to better understand how to prepare your child for the Verbal Reasoning paper, and you may also want to invest in some CGP resources which are specifically designed for the GL paper – they have everything from exercise books, flashcards, 10 minute tests and practice exams to choose from.

Often the key to succeeding in the Verbal Reasoning paper is having an extensive vocabulary, and so students should aim to be reading for at least 20 minutes a day and they should ensure that they continue to challenge themselves with their reading.

In 2022, the pupils of Wirral Grammar School for Girls are again celebrating the most wonderful GCSE results. Over 75% of all grades were awarded at the very highest grades of 9-7. It was immensely satisfying to record that the top grades of 9-8 rose to 54% and that over 90% of all grades were at grades 9-6. An exceptional 63 pupils gained 10 or more 9-7 grades.

In 2022 A levels, the overall pass rate at A*-A was 45% and at A*-B it was 75%.

Wirral Grammar School 11 Plus Sample Test Papers and Resources

There are past papers available online, but it’s important to remember that it does vary slightly from year to year in order to make it harder for students to prepare. As their entrance exam uses the GL exam board there are lots of resources and past papers available online; you can find a selection of these below.

English

11+ English Multiple Choice Book 1 | Answer 1

11+ English GL Familiarisation Paper | Answers

Maths

11+ Maths Multiple Choice Book 1 | Answer Sheet 1

11+ Maths Multiple Choice Book 2 | Answer Sheet 2

11+ Maths GL Familiarisation Paper | Answers

Verbal Reasoning

11+ Verbal Reasoning Multiple Choice Book 1 | Answer Sheet 1

11+ Verbal Reasoning Multiple Choice Book 2 | Answer Sheet 2

Non-Verbal Reasoning

11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Multiple Choice Book 1 | Answer Sheet 1

11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Multiple Choice Book 2 | Answer Sheet 2

There are lots of overlaps in question types between the CEM and GL exam boards, and so it may be worth checking out this page which offers lots more links to CEM and GL resources.

How to prepare for Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Exam: A Guide to Parents

Every parent ensures that their child is using a variety of resources and practise for Wirral Grammar 11 Plus materials that are available on the market. These tools are excellent for practice. However, this is insufficient and does not adequately convey the amount of difficulty that the HBS Second Round is anticipating.

Wirral Grammar 11 Plus is based on GL assessment. English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning are all assessed on GL examinations. Not all schools and regions opt to use all four courses, and they are free to mix and match any of the papers with the questions from their particular exams.

In the exam round one the parts are English, non-verbal reasoning, and verbal reasoning (typically multiple choice). Maths and English in round two (usually includes comprehension or creative writing).

As essential as how much you study for the Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Exam is how you study. We created tips on how to study for the 11 plus exam. Here are the Top 10 Tips To Prepare for the Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Exam.

Tip 1: Start the preparation early!

Tip 2: Plan and map the knowledge of your child

Tip 3: Test your own expertise in 11 plus

Tip 4: Start working with an 11 plus tuition expert

Tip 5: Make sure your child is familiar with 11 plus GL based mock exams (link)

Tip 6: Reading is a must! Mostly classics

Tip 7: Start doing creative writing

Tip 8: Don’t study for too long or to too late

Tip 9: Make studying fun and interactive

Tip 10: Check Wirral Grammar 11 Plus Website for Information

Additional Information about Wirral Grammar School for Girls

According to the school’s latest Ofsted report, “standards are very high and students make excellent progress. Students’ personal development is also outstanding. During their time at the school girls develop into confident, caring and responsible young adults who are very well prepared for the next stage in education and the world of work.” The school also offers lots of extra-curricular activities (you can see a full brochure here), offering everything from trampolining to swing band to drama club, and a house system which allows for lots of Inter-House competitions.. The school also has an excellent attendance rate of 96.8%, which is much higher than the national and county average, and a student-teacher ratio of 16:1. You can see a school prospectus here and a Sixth Form prospectus here.

Wirral Grammar School for Girls FAQs

What is Wirral Grammar School for Girls’s Ofsted rating?

Wirral Grammar School for Girls’s Ofsted rating is ‘Outstanding’. You can find all the previous reports and ratings here.

Does Wirral Grammar School for Girls’s entrance exam have a pass mark?

Yes. Historically the four Wirral Grammar schools have had a standardised pass mark of 236, as does Upton Hall.

Does Wirral Grammar School for Girls have a catchment area?

Technically no, but in the event of oversubscription, priority will be given to applicants who live closest to the school.

What happens if Wirral Grammar School for Girls is oversubscribed?

In the event that more students pass the entrance exams than there are places, then priority will be given to looked-after or previously looked-after children, children in receipt of Pupil Premium, girls who already have a sister at the school, children whose parents are members of staff, and then girls who live closest to the school. You can find full details in their Admissions Booklet.

Does the school have a uniform?

Yes – you can find more details here. It is worth noting that girls must wear skirts and trousers are not an option.

Is there a waiting list?

Yes – the school will seek to fill all of its places by the start of the 2022 autumn term. When the school has filled all of its places, it will keep a waiting list of applicants who have achieved the required standard for entry to the school for the remainder of the autumn term, and will allocate places if they become available.

You can also access further 11 plus exam resources below:

Best Private Schools in the UK: Top 100 List

Best Grammar Schools in the UK: Top 100 List 

A Guide to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests

11+ Maths Exam: Helping Your Child to Prepare and Pass in 2022

Meet the 11+ Online Tutors Delivering Results

When Should you Start to Prepare Your Child for the 11 Plus Exam