Herschel Grammar School is one of four grammar schools in the Slough Consortium and holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating across all categories (inspected May 2024). With 150 Year 7 places and a qualifying score of 111 on the GL Assessment entrance exam, competition is significant, understanding the admissions process, catchment priority system, and oversubscription criteria is essential for any family targeting a place.
School Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Type | Co-educational grammar school (academy) |
| Age range | 11–18 |
| Number of pupils | ~1,057 |
| Year 7 places (PAN) | 150 |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding (May 2024), all categories |
| Headteacher | Ms Joanne Rockall |
| Trust | The Schelwood Trust |
| Address | Northampton Avenue, Slough, SL1 3BW |
| Phone | 01753 520950 |
| Website | herschel.slough.sch.uk |
Herschel Grammar is named after William Herschel, the astronomer who discovered Uranus while living in Slough. The school was founded in 1952 and serves a diverse student body, 45.6% of students have English as a second language.
Academic Results
Herschel’s results are consistently strong and improving.
GCSE (Summer 2025)
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Grades 7–9 | 73% of all entries |
| Grades 8–9 | 50% of all entries |
| English & Maths grade 5+ | 98.7% |
| Attainment 8 score | 75.8 |
| EBacc entry rate | 78% |
A-Level (Summer 2025)
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Average grade | B+ |
| A*–B grades | ~70% |
| Russell Group university places | 33% of leavers |
| Top-third university places | 42% of leavers |
The school’s Progress 8 score of +0.74 (2023 data) means students at Herschel make significantly more progress than the national average, regardless of starting point.
The Slough Consortium 11+ Exam
Herschel is part of the Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools, which also includes Langley Grammar School, St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School, and Upton Court Grammar School. Your child sits one exam and the score is shared with all four schools.
Exam Format
The exam uses GL Assessment papers. Your child sits two papers on the same day:
| Paper | Content | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1, Verbal Skills | Reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation, spelling, verbal reasoning | ~60 minutes |
| Paper 2, Non-Verbal Skills | Non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning, mathematics (KS2 curriculum) | ~60 minutes |
All questions are multiple-choice, marked on a separate answer sheet using Optical Mark Recognition. There is no creative writing component.
Qualifying Score: 111
Raw scores are converted to age-standardised scores, so children born in September are compared fairly with children born in August. A score of 111 standardised points places your child in roughly the top 35% of the cohort and makes them eligible for grammar school consideration.
However, achieving 111 does not guarantee a place at Herschel. With only 150 places and heavy oversubscription, the school’s priority criteria determine who actually receives an offer.
Key Dates for 2027 Entry
| Milestone | Expected Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | Thursday 1 May 2026 |
| Registration deadline | Thursday 5 June 2026 |
| 11+ exam day | Saturday 19 September 2026 |
| Results released | Mid-October 2026 |
| Common Application Form deadline | Saturday 31 October 2026 |
| National Offer Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
| Appeals deadline | Late March 2027 |
Register through the Slough Consortium portal at sloughconsortium.org.uk when it opens on 1 May. Do not leave registration to the final day, the portal can slow down near the deadline.
Important: Registering for the 11+ is not the same as applying for a school place. You must also submit a Common Application Form to your local authority by 31 October 2026.
Oversubscription Criteria: How Places Are Actually Allocated
This is where most families misunderstand the process. Scoring 111 makes your child eligible. The oversubscription criteria determine who gets a place. For Herschel Grammar, places are allocated in this order:
Priority 1: Looked-After Children
Children in care or previously in care who achieve the qualifying score.
Priority 2: Children Within the 4-Mile Catchment
Up to the majority of places go to eligible children living within 4 miles of the school, ranked by proximity. Distance is measured in a straight line from the front door of the child’s home to the main entrance of the school, using Slough’s Geographical Information System (GIS).
This is the most important criterion for most families. If you live within 4 miles of Northampton Avenue, Slough SL1 3BW, your child has a significantly stronger chance than a child living further away.
Areas typically within the 4-mile radius: Slough town centre, Langley, Cippenham, Chalvey, Farnham Common, Taplow, and parts of Windsor.
Priority 3: Pupil Premium Places
Up to 10 additional places are reserved for children eligible for Pupil Premium (Free School Meals) who live within 10 miles of the school and achieve the qualifying score. These places are allocated by exam performance ranking.
Priority 4: Children of Staff
Children of permanent school staff employed at the school for 2 or more years.
Priority 5: Remaining Places by Exam Ranking
Any remaining places are allocated in order of exam performance, highest scores first.
Tiebreaker
If two children have equal priority, the child living closest to the school gets the place.
What This Means for Your Strategy
If your family lives within 4 miles of Herschel, your child needs to achieve 111 or above to have a strong chance of admission. The closer you live, the stronger your position within this priority band.
If your family lives outside 4 miles, your child needs to score well above 111 to secure a place through the remaining rank-order places. In practice, this means targeting 120+ in practice tests.
Regardless of distance, families should list their preferred consortium schools in genuine preference order on the Common Application Form, the allocation system is designed so you cannot gain an advantage by listing a “safe” school first.
For a comparison of all four consortium schools, read our guide to Slough’s grammar schools compared.
Sixth Form Entry
Herschel’s sixth form admits approximately 160 students per year, of which 50–60 are external applicants. The sixth form was also rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
- Applications open in December for September entry the following year
- Conditional offers are based on predicted GCSE grades
- Subject-specific grade requirements apply, check the school’s website for the latest entry criteria
- Contact: sixthformadmissions@herschel.slough.sch.uk
The sixth form is heavily oversubscribed. Late applicants are not considered.
Facilities and Extracurriculars
Herschel has invested significantly in its facilities:
- State-of-the-art sports centre with multi-purpose hall (6 badminton courts, basketball, netball, indoor football, cricket nets)
- Full-size floodlit artificial turf pitch
- 4 tennis courts, 4 netball courts, playing fields for cricket, football, rounders, and athletics
- Dance studio
- Dedicated science laboratories and ICT suites
- Library and learning resource centre
Extracurricular activities include Duke of Edinburgh Award, orchestra, drama, competitive sport across multiple disciplines, the Gobbledegook English club, Spelling Bee, Youth Speaks debating, Eco-Herschel environmental programme, Culture Week, and an annual skiing trip.
Preparation Timeline
If your child is in Year 4 or 5, here is what effective preparation looks like:
Year 4 (Foundation Building)
- Daily reading of varied fiction and non-fiction
- Word games, puzzles, and logic problems to build reasoning skills
- Ensure strong arithmetic, calculation speed is critical under exam time pressure
Year 5 September–December (Introduce the Format)
- Begin GL Assessment-style practice materials
- Cover all four areas: English comprehension, maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning
- Start untimed to build understanding before adding time pressure
Year 5 January–July (Intensive Practice)
- Weekly timed practice papers
- Track errors to identify recurring weaknesses
- 7–10 hours per week including tuition and independent practice
- Consider an intensive summer course for structured daily preparation
September 2026 (Exam Month)
- Final week: confidence, not cramming, light revision, early nights
- Complete 2–3 full papers under strict timed conditions
- Ensure your child knows the exam format, timing, and what to expect
October 2026 (Results and Applications)
- Results released mid-October, log into the consortium portal with your saved credentials
- Prepare your Common Application Form
- Submit by 31 October 2026
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming 111 guarantees a place. It does not. With 150 places and a catchment priority system, families outside the 4-mile radius need scores significantly above the threshold.
Using CEM preparation materials. The Slough Consortium switched to GL Assessment format. CEM-style practice papers test different skills and waste preparation time. Ensure all materials are GL Assessment format.
Ignoring the catchment priority. Before investing heavily in Herschel-specific preparation, honestly assess whether your home postcode falls within the 4-mile priority area. If not, consider applying to multiple consortium schools to maximise your chances overall.
Leaving registration to the last day. The portal can slow down near the deadline. Register early in the May window.
Confusing exam registration with the school application. These are two separate processes. The consortium registration enters your child for the exam. The Common Application Form (submitted by 31 October to your local authority) is the actual school place application.
Is It Too Late to Start Preparing?
If your child is in Year 5 and has not started preparation, you still have approximately five months before the September exam. That is enough time for significant improvement, but only with structured, consistent work.
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 test your child across all four 11+ subjects, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and recommend a preparation plan, no obligation.
Dates are projected from the confirmed 2026 cycle and will be updated when officially published by the Slough Consortium. Academic results sourced from school publications and government performance data.