Grammar Schools in Wiltshire
Salisbury's two grammar schools test on the same morning and use the same provider, which makes them look like one system. They are not. The papers differ in number, subject split and length, and because the schools take opposite intakes, no child ever has to choose between them.
Test
Two separate Salisbury tests, both written by GL Assessment
Provider (2027 entry)
GL Assessment
Test date
Saturday 26 September 2026 - both schools, the same morning
Registration
Closed for 2027 entry: Bishop Wordsworth's 3 July, South Wilts midnight 1 September 2026
What families in Wiltshire need to know
- There is no shared Salisbury test. Bishop Wordsworth's is a boys' school and South Wilts a girls' school, so the shared date creates no clash.
- The papers genuinely differ. Bishop Wordsworth's sets two multiple-choice papers totalling an hour and a half - non-verbal reasoning with maths, then English with verbal reasoning. South Wilts sets three: maths 50 minutes, English 45, verbal reasoning 50.
- Both discount the pass mark for Pupil Premium candidates, but by different amounts. Bishop Wordsworth's lowers it by 10% and reserves 10 places; South Wilts lowers it by 3%, also with 10 places.
- South Wilts applies a residence-duration rule that catches families out: the child must have lived at the address since 1 May 2026, in an owned or leased permanent home. Its sibling link does not apply if the older child is in Year 11 or Year 13.
- Bishop Wordsworth's changed its oversubscription rule from 2026: if oversubscribed, priority goes to the 480 boys living closest to the school's Exeter Street gate. It must also be named first preference on the council form to receive an offer.
- Neither school publishes a numerical qualifying score in advance; the standard is set by each school after marking.
The 2 grammar schools in Wiltshire
Admissions details change year to year. Always confirm dates and criteria on the school's own admissions page before applying.
Bishop Wordsworth's School
Salisbury, WiltshireSouth Wilts Grammar School
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Checked against council and school admissions sources on 1 September 2026
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