Registration for the Slough Consortium 11+ exam is expected to open on Thursday 1 May 2026 and close on Thursday 5 June 2026. If your child is currently in Year 5, this is their window to register for the September 2026 exam and secure a grammar school place starting September 2027.
This guide covers every date you need, the full registration process, what the exam looks like, and what to do between now and exam day.
Key Dates for the 2027 Entry Cycle
Based on the established Slough Consortium pattern (dates are projected from the confirmed 2026 cycle and will be updated when officially published):
| Milestone | Expected Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | Thursday 1 May 2026 |
| Registration deadline | Thursday 5 June 2026 |
| Open evenings begin | September 2026 |
| 11+ exam day | Saturday 19 September 2026 |
| Results released | Mid-October 2026 (from 4pm) |
| Common Application Form deadline | Saturday 31 October 2026 |
| National Offer Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
| Appeals deadline | Late March 2027 |
| Appeals hearings | April–June 2027 |
Important: You must register your child during the May–June window. Late registrations are not accepted. One registration covers all four consortium schools — you do not need to register separately for each school.
Which Schools Are in the Slough Consortium?
Four co-educational grammar schools share the same 11+ entrance exam:
| School | Type | Ofsted Rating | Year 7 Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herschel Grammar School | Co-educational | Good | ~180 |
| Langley Grammar School | Co-educational | Outstanding | ~180 |
| St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School | Co-educational (Catholic) | Outstanding | ~150 |
| Upton Court Grammar School | Co-educational | Good | ~180 |
All four schools use the same GL Assessment exam paper. Your child sits the exam once, and their score is shared with all four schools. You can then list your preferred schools on the Common Application Form in October.
For a detailed comparison of each school — including results data, catchment areas, and what makes each one different — read our guide to Slough’s grammar schools compared.
How to Register: Step by Step
Step 1: Go to the Consortium Website
Visit sloughconsortium.org.uk when registration opens on 1 May 2026. Click the registration link to access the online application portal.
Step 2: Complete the Application Form
You will need:
- Your child’s full name, date of birth, and current school
- Your home address and contact details
- A recent passport-style photograph of your child
Common mistake: Parents sometimes upload a group photo or an older image. Use a clear, recent passport-style photo with a plain background.
Step 3: Create Your Login Details
The system will assign you a User ID, and you will create a password. Write both down and keep them safe. You will need these credentials to:
- Check your child’s exam results in October
- Lodge an appeal if needed
Step 4: Submit Before the Deadline
The deadline is typically midnight on the closing date (5 June 2026 for this cycle). Do not leave it to the last day — the portal can slow down near the deadline.
Common mistake: Registering for the 11+ exam is not the same as applying for a school place. The consortium registration is for the exam only. You must submit a separate Common Application Form to your home local authority by 31 October 2026.
Step 5: Attend Open Evenings (September 2026)
After registration, all four grammar schools hold open evenings in September, usually in the weeks before and after the exam. Attending is not compulsory but is strongly recommended — it helps your child (and you) feel confident about school preferences.
Previous years’ open evening dates for reference:
- Herschel Grammar School: mid-September
- Langley Grammar School: late September
- St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School: late September
- Upton Court Grammar School: early October
Exact 2026 dates will be published on each school’s website from July onwards.
What Does the 11+ Exam Look Like?
The Slough Consortium uses GL Assessment papers. Your child will sit two papers on the same day with a short break in between.
| Paper | Content | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Verbal Skills | Reading comprehension, English grammar, punctuation, spelling, verbal reasoning | ~60 minutes |
| Paper 2: Non-Verbal Skills | Non-verbal reasoning, mathematics (Key Stage 2 curriculum) | ~60 minutes |
Scoring
- Papers are marked using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) — your child fills in answers on a multiple-choice answer sheet
- Raw scores are converted to age-standardised scores, so a child born in September is compared fairly with a child born in August
- The qualifying score is 111 standardised points (roughly the top 35% of the cohort)
- Scoring 111 or above means your child is eligible for a grammar school place — it does not guarantee one if the school is oversubscribed
What Happens if My Child Scores Below 111?
A score below 111 means your child is not eligible for grammar school places through the consortium. However:
- You can still list grammar schools on your Common Application Form (some accept below-threshold students in undersubscribed years, though this is rare)
- You can appeal the decision — appeals are heard between April and June
- It is not the end of the world. Read our guide: Failed the 11 Plus? Here’s What to Do Next
Preparation Timeline: What to Do From Now
If your child is in Year 4 or Year 5 right now, here is a month-by-month plan:
April–May 2026 (Now)
- Register as soon as the portal opens on 1 May
- Start or continue structured 11+ preparation — if you haven’t started yet, there are still 5 months before the exam
- Focus on building core skills: reading comprehension, mental arithmetic, and verbal reasoning fundamentals
- Book a free diagnostic assessment to understand where your child stands
June–July 2026
- Increase practice frequency — aim for 3–4 sessions per week
- Introduce timed conditions to build exam stamina
- Work through GL Assessment-style practice papers
- Address weak areas identified in mock results
August 2026 (Summer Holidays)
- This is the most important month for preparation
- Consider an intensive summer course — structured daily sessions covering all four subjects
- Complete at least 6–8 full practice papers under timed conditions
- Focus on speed and accuracy, not just knowledge
September 2026 (Exam Month)
- Exam day is expected on Saturday 19 September 2026
- In the final week, focus on confidence not cramming — light revision, early nights, and familiar routines
- Ensure your child knows the exam format, timing, and what to expect on the day
- Arrive early, bring water, and let your child know it is okay to feel nervous
October 2026
- Results released mid-October (from 4pm) — log in to the consortium portal with the credentials you saved at registration
- Discuss results with your child calmly regardless of the outcome
- Begin preparing your Common Application Form
October 31, 2026
- Deadline to submit the Common Application Form to your home local authority
- List your preferred schools in genuine order of preference — the allocation system is designed so you cannot game it by listing a “safe” school first
March 2027
- National Offer Day: Monday 1 March 2027 — you will be notified of your child’s allocated school
- Accept the offer through your local authority portal
- If unhappy with the outcome, you have approximately four weeks to submit an appeal
Buckinghamshire: A Different System
If you live in Buckinghamshire (High Wycombe, Marlow, Beaconsfield, Amersham), your child sits the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) instead. This is a separate system with different dates, a different exam format, and a higher qualifying score of 121 standardised points.
Key differences:
| Slough Consortium | Buckinghamshire STT | |
|---|---|---|
| Exam board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Qualifying score | 111 | 121 |
| Subjects tested | Verbal skills + Non-verbal skills (2 papers) | Verbal, Mathematical, and Non-verbal skills |
| Weighting | Equal | 50% verbal, 25% maths, 25% non-verbal |
| Number of grammar schools | 4 | 13 across the county |
| Registration | sloughconsortium.org.uk | buckinghamshire.gov.uk |
We prepare students for both systems at our Slough and High Wycombe centres. Read our guide to Buckinghamshire grammar schools for full details on the Bucks process.
Is It Too Late to Start Preparing?
If your child is in Year 5 and has not started 11+ preparation, you still have approximately five months before the exam. That is enough time for significant improvement — but only if preparation is structured and consistent.
At Think Smart Academy, we have helped over 1,000 students get into grammar schools across Slough and Buckinghamshire, with an 85% success rate. Our 11+ programme covers all four subject areas with:
- Small groups (maximum 8 students)
- Weekly sessions with qualified tutors
- Termly mock exams under real exam conditions
- Regular progress reports for parents
- Access to our free past papers library
The first step is a free diagnostic assessment. We will test your child across all four 11+ subjects, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and recommend a preparation plan tailored to them — no obligation.
This article was originally published for the 2021 registration cycle and has been completely rewritten with current dates and information for the 2027 entry cycle. Dates are projected from the confirmed 2026 cycle and will be updated when officially published by the Slough Consortium.