Best Grammar Schools in Wolverhampton in 2026

There is one state grammar school in Wolverhampton: Wolverhampton Girls' High School. It is free, selective, for girls aged 11 to 18, and it has 180 Year 7 places for September 2027. So it is both the best grammar school in Wolverhampton and the only one. Wolverhampton Grammar School is a different thing: despite its name, it is a fee-paying independent school. Boys can look at nearby grammar schools that share the same entrance test, such as Queen Mary's Grammar School in Walsall and Haberdashers' Adams in Newport. 

Searching for the best grammar school in Wolverhampton? The honest answer is a little surprising, and it is worth knowing before you plan. This guide gives you the full list of grammar schools in Wolverhampton, which ones are free, the key dates for 2027 entry and exactly how places are given out. 

Best grammar school in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Girls' High School

Wolverhampton Girls' High School, often called WGHS, is a selective state grammar school for girls aged 11 to 18, on Tettenhall Road. It was founded in 1911. The school's own website says it regularly achieves results that place it at or near the top of national league tables, and that it has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted in four successive inspections.

It also looks beyond exam results. The school lists a house system, sport, music, drama, debating, charity work and trips abroad, and it says many students go on to study subjects such as medicine and law, including at Oxford and Cambridge.

How many grammar schools are there in Wolverhampton?

This surprises many parents. Although people often search for "grammar schools in Wolverhampton" as if there were several, there is only one state grammar school in the city of Wolverhampton, and it is for girls.

Wolverhampton did once have other grammar schools, such as Wednesfield Grammar School, but these closed or changed long ago. Today, there is no state grammar school for boys in the city.

The confusion comes from the name Wolverhampton Grammar School. We explain that next.

List of grammar schools in Wolverhampton

Here is the full list of grammar schools in Wolverhampton, including the school that only has the word "grammar" in its name.

1. Wolverhampton Girls' High School

Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton · Girls, 11 to 18 · State funded, free · Founded 1911

The only state grammar school in the city. It selects students by entrance test, has 180 Year 7 places for September 2027, and welcomes applications from families living inside and outside Wolverhampton.

2. Wolverhampton Grammar School

Compton Road, Wolverhampton · Co-educational · Independent, fee paying · Founded 1512

A well-known independent day school. It has "grammar" in its name for historical reasons, but it is not a state grammar school and it charges fees. It became fully co-educational in 1992. Entry is through the school's own process, so check the school’s website for details.

Free grammar schools in Wolverhampton

If you are looking for free grammar schools in Wolverhampton, there is one. Wolverhampton Girls' High School is state-funded, and its admissions policy says there is no charge or cost related to the admission of a pupil.

"Free" means no tuition fees. Like any school, families still pay for things such as uniform, trips and music lessons, so ask the school what to expect. Wolverhampton Grammar School and Tettenhall College, another independent school in the area, charge fees.

Nearby grammar schools that share the same test

Families in Wolverhampton are not limited to one school. Wolverhampton Girls' High School belongs to the Shropshire, Walsall and Wolverhampton group of the West Midlands Grammar Schools partnership. Five schools in this group share one entrance test, so your child sits it once.

The wider partnership has 19 grammar schools in total, including King Edward VI schools in Birmingham, and the same test result can be shared with them, with parental consent. If you are also thinking about Birmingham, our guide to the 11 plus in the West Midlands is a good place to start.

How to apply to a grammar school in Wolverhampton

Applying to Wolverhampton Girls' High School takes two separate steps, and you need both.

1. Register for the entrance test

In Year 5 or early Year 6, register your daughter for the entrance test by the date the school sets. For 2027 entry, registration ran from 5 May to 26 June 2026. The test is open to girls born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016.

2. Sit the test

The shared test for 2027 entry took place in mid September 2026. There are two papers, set by GL Assessment.

3. Get your results letter

The school sends parents a letter in October 2026 with information about their daughter's performance, and the qualifying score is shared too.

4. Complete your Local Authority form

This is also called the Common Application Form. It must be sent to your home council by 31 October 2026, and it must name the school.

Wolverhampton 11 plus dates for 2027 entry

How places are given out at Wolverhampton Girls' High School

For September 2027, Wolverhampton Girls' High School has 180 Year 7 places. Only girls who reach the required standard in the entrance test can be considered, and the school says it gives out places in two stages when it has more applications than places.

1. Stage 1: Looked after children and Pupil Premium

Looked after children who reach the qualifying score are offered places first. Then the first 25 Pupil Premium girls who reach the qualifying score, ranked by test score, are offered places. The school sets this qualifying score in October, and it is expected to be lower than the score other girls need.

2. Stage 2: Strict order of test score

The remaining places go in strict order of merit, which means by test score. Any other Pupil Premium girls are placed back into this main order.

3. If scores are tied

When girls share the last score, the school looks at things such as Pupil Premium status and then how close they live to the school, measured in a straight line. This can matter, so living nearby can help in a very close finish.

Waiting list and appeals: Girls who score within 2 percent of the last automatic place can join the waiting list, which the school keeps until the end of the Autumn Term 2027. If you are not offered a place, you have the right to appeal to an independent panel.

How to prepare for the Wolverhampton grammar school test

The shared West Midlands test covers four areas: English comprehension, verbal reasoning, maths, and non-verbal or spatial reasoning. All questions are multiple choice. There is no writing.

• Practise all four areas evenly, so there are no weak spots

• Get used to timed, multiple choice questions with a separate answer sheet

• Try the school's own familiarisation portal, which it lists on its website

• Keep practice short, calm and regular, rather than rushed near the date

Our free 11+ practice papers are a gentle way to see where your child is now, and our 11+ past papers give practice with the style of questions used in GL Assessment tests. Like most schools, Wolverhampton Girls' High does not publish real past papers, so these are exam style papers, not copies of the real test.

1. Build a proper, steady plan

Our 11 plus tuition covers English, maths and both kinds of reasoning, so your daughter builds real confidence without last minute cramming.

2. Get friendly, experienced help

Our 11 plus tutors in Birmingham support families across the West Midlands, and they know how the shared grammar school test works.

3. Practise in real test conditions

Our 11 plus mocks help your child get used to timing and pressure, so test day feels familiar.

Our 11 plus intensive summer course gives focused, friendly practice in the school holidays, which is a lovely way to get ready well before the test.

Final thoughts

The best grammar school in Wolverhampton is also the only state one: Wolverhampton Girls' High School. That makes the search simpler than it first looks, and it also means there is no need to compare long lists. The most important things to remember are that Wolverhampton Grammar School is fee paying and different, that the Local Authority form must name the school, and that places are decided mainly by test score.

If you have a son, or you would like more choice, the shared test also opens the door to nearby grammar schools in Walsall and Newport. Whichever route your family chooses, steady, calm preparation and plenty of encouragement matter far more than last minute pressure. We are always here to help along the way. Get in touch with us today.