Assessment for grammar school education starting in September 2027
Children who want to attend a non‑Catholic grammar school in Wirral must take an assessment. Children who are going to start secondary school in September 2027 can be registered from 1 May 2026.
Registration closes on 1 June 2026.
About the assessment
The assessment has two papers taken on the same day. The assessment will be provided by Quest Assessments. It will take place on Tuesday 15 September 2026.
The papers include questions on:
- verbal reasoning
- non‑verbal reasoning
- mathematics
All children will take the assessment at a test venue. Parents will be told which venue their child will attend by the end of August 2026.
Read more about how the assessments work on the test provider's website
Support for Pupil Premium eligible children
The Wirral Consortium of non-Catholic grammar schools work in partnership with Atom Learning to provide students in Years 3-6 who are eligible for Pupil Premium with free online KS2 learning and reasoning familiarisation.
If your child is Pupil Premium eligible, please request a free account on the Atom Learning website.
If your child is unwell on the assessment day
If your child is unwell on the day of the assessment, do not bring them.
Email secondaryplaces@wirral.gov.uk and include:
- your child’s name
- your child’s date of birth
Your child will be invited to another assessment session.
The assessment can only be taken once. There is no re‑sit.
Late applications and tests
We cannot accept registration forms after 1 June 2026. The only exception is if a child has moved to Wirral after the closing date.
Some children may not be able to do the assessment because of illness or absence. They will be assessed at a later date.
Parents must apply for a school place by 31 October 2026. They should include at least one grammar school.
If a child does not meet the grammar school standard, their preference for a grammar school will be withdrawn.
Special access arrangements
You can ask us to consider special access arrangements if your child has additional needs, for example:
- has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
- speaks English as a second language
- has a medical or educational need that may affect their performance
The arrangements must ordinarily be in place at your child’s primary school.
Examples include:
- enlarged print for children with a visual impairment
- sitting at the front for a child with a hearing impairment
- taking the assessment in a smaller room
- coloured paper for children with Irlen syndrome
- 25% extra time
- short breaks, for example to check blood sugar levels for a child with diabetes
The assessments do not include long written answers. Readers and scribes are not provided.
Parents must tell us if they think their child needs special access arrangements on the registration form.
If you are not sure what support your child needs, speak to their headteacher or SENDCo.
Supporting evidence should be less than two years old. This may include reports from:
- an educational psychologist
- an occupational therapist
- the sensory support service
We cannot collect medical information for you. You or your child’s primary school must provide it.
If English is not your child’s first language, tell us:
- your child’s first language
- how long they have lived in the UK
- the nationality of both parents
We will consult with your child’s school and the council’s educational psychologist. By requesting special arrangements, you are consenting to this consultation.
We will confirm if any arrangements have been agreed by 17 July 2026 for the September assessment. For later assessments, we will confirm arrangements at least one week before the assessment.
Requests for the September assessment must be received by 7 June 2026.
If you decide to bring your child to the September assessment without special arrangements, they cannot take the test again.
Low income criteria
Non‑Catholic grammar schools give priority to some children who are eligible for free school meals.
Children must still meet the grammar school standard.
Each school’s admissions policy explains how places are allocated.
If you think your child may be eligible, fill in the section on the registration form so this can be checked.
You must tell us if your circumstances change before 31 October 2026.
Applying for places
If your child meets the grammar school standard, you can apply for a grammar school place.
Meeting the standard does not guarantee a place. If a school is oversubscribed, it will use other criteria to decide who is offered places. This information is in each school's admissions policy.
All parents must submit an online or paper school place application form by 31 October 2026:
- families living outside Wirral but in England must apply through their local authority
- families living outside England must use the Wirral application form to apply for Wirral schools
More information about applying for schools will be published online in September 2026.
Contact us
If you have any questions, email secondaryplaces@wirral.gov.uk