Herschel Grammar School
Herschel Grammar School at a glance
Herschel Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Slough for students aged 11 to 18, with about 1060 pupils. It is part of The Schelwood Trust. Year 7 places are given through the Slough Consortium test, and the school has a sixth form.
For September 2026 entry it offered 149 places and was the first choice of 119 families — fewer than one for every place. 59% of all applications came from families in other council areas.
In 2024/25, 99% of its GCSE students achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths, against 45% across England’s state schools. Its A-level students averaged B+ per entry, and 40% achieved AAB or better including at least two facilitating subjects. 70% of sixth-form leavers went on to university (destinations measured in 2022/23).
Getting in: the 11+ and how places are given
- Test
- Slough Consortium test
- Set by
- GL Assessment, for the Slough Consortium of grammar schools
- What it covers
- Verbal, numerical and non-verbal reasoning
How places are given
Each school sets its own qualifying score and oversubscription criteria; St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School also applies faith criteria.
How to register and apply
Register online through the consortium in the summer term of Year 5 — one registration covers all four schools. Name the schools on your secondary application by 31 October.
Admissions rules change each year. Check the school’s current admissions policy — area details last checked October 2026.
Scores needed for a place
| Entry | Measure | Applies to | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2025 | Lowest score offered | Living beyond 4 milesAll eligible applicants within a 4-mile radius were offered places; remaining places went by score. | 116 |
| Sept 2025 | Qualifying score | All applicantsMakes a child eligible to be considered; it does not guarantee a place. | 111 |
| Sept 2024 | Lowest score offered | Living beyond 4 milesAll eligible applicants within a 4-mile radius were offered places; remaining places went by score. | 115 |
| Sept 2024 | Qualifying score | All applicantsMakes a child eligible to be considered; it does not guarantee a place. | 111 |
Scale: Average standardised score (Slough consortium test). Sources: Slough consortium: information on allocations, Slough consortium: information on allocations. Scores change every year and depend on how many children apply — treat them as a guide, not a target.
How many families apply
| Entry | Places | 1st choices | 1st choices per place | All applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 | 149 | 119 | 0.8 | 1,066 |
| Sept 2025 | 146 | 126 | 0.9 | 1,170 |
| Sept 2024 | 149 | 105 | 0.7 | 1,188 |
| Sept 2023 | 151 | 131 | 0.9 | 1,179 |
| Sept 2022 | 147 | 127 | 0.9 | 1,159 |
| Sept 2021 | 121 | 282 | 2.3 | 1,757 |
Source: DfE, secondary school applications and offers. Places offered on National Offer Day; first preferences are families who put the school first on their council application.
Exam results
GCSE, 2024/25 · 150 pupils
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Grade 4 or above in English and maths
Attainment 8 (average across 8 subjects)
| Year | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 98.7% | 75.8 | — | 7.25 |
| 2023/24 | 99.4% | 75.4 | +0.76 | 7.21 |
| 2022/23 | 99.0% | 76.2 | +0.74 | 7.26 |
A level, 2024/25 · 148 students
- Average grade
- B+
- England: B-
- AAB or better*
- 40%
- England: 18%
- Value added
- -0.11
*AAB or better, with at least two in facilitating subjects. Value added compares students’ results with others who started from similar GCSEs; above 0 is better than expected.
Source: DfE school and college performance tables. England figures are for all state-funded schools. Progress 8 was not published for 2024/25.
Where students go next
- University
- 70%
- Apprenticeship
- 6%
- Employment
- 9%
- Any sustained destination
- 87%
Source: DfE 16–18 destination measures, students who left after A levels or equivalent, destinations measured in 2022/23 (155 students). Categories overlap slightly and do not sum to 100%.
Key facts
- Admits at 11
- Co-educational
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Pupils
- 1,062 (capacity 900)
- Free school meals
- 6.8% of pupils eligible
- School type
- Academy converter
- Trust
- The Schelwood Trust
- Local authority
- Slough
- Constituency
- Slough
From the Department for Education’s register (URN 137726), October 2026.
Thinking about Herschel Grammar School?
See where your child stands with our free 15-minute 11+ readiness check — a score for Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, judged against their year.