The Wirral 11+ Entrance Examination is sat in September of Year 6 for entry into the peninsula's four state grammar schools.
The Wirral peninsula maintains a four-school grammar system covering boys' and girls' schools in West Kirby and Bebington. A single Wirral Selection Test feeds admissions to all four.
Wirral 11+ is significantly less competitive than London or Buckinghamshire — the qualifying rate is comparatively generous and oversubscription differs by school. That makes it a strong system for families willing to commute within the peninsula.
The Wirral Local Authority selection — Wirral's four grammar schools cooperate on a shared Selection Test administered by the local authority.
The Wirral Selection Test uses GL Assessment papers covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics, and English.
All four areas are tested via multiple-choice timed papers. Results are standardised by age and the qualifying threshold is set against each year's cohort.
Wirral's test is broad rather than tricksy — children who are solid across all four subjects do well. Don't over-tune to one area.
Free GL-format papers cover almost everything the Wirral test asks for. Build comfort with the question types and time pressure rather than chasing exotic content.
Calday Grange and the Wirral Boys' / Girls' grammars are usually oversubscribed; West Kirby Grammar fills more comfortably. Specific oversubscription depends on the year — check each school's admissions data.
Yes — Wirral grammars admit children from outside the peninsula. Distance from the school is a major oversubscription factor, so a Liverpool address may rank lower than a Wirral one for the same school.
No — registering for the Wirral Selection Test gives access to all four schools. Parents then list school preferences on the standard secondary application form.
Children typically sit the Wirral test in late September of Year 6. Exact dates are published each summer by the local authority.
Free taster papers in Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics. Worked answers on every question. No payment needed to start.