The Ultimate Guide to Keighley Grammar School Admissions

If you live in Keighley and want a grammar school place for your child, start with this: there is no selective state grammar school in Keighley, or anywhere in the Bradford district. Schools nearby with "Grammar" in their name, such as Bingley Grammar and Ilkley Grammar, are comprehensive schools with no entrance test.

The good news is that Keighley sits between two groups of free grammar schools. To the north, about 10 miles up the A629, are the two Skipton grammar schools: Ermysted's for boys and Skipton Girls' High School. To the south, in Halifax, are North Halifax Grammar School and The Crossley Heath School, which are both mixed. There is also Bradford Grammar School, a fee-paying independent school with means-tested help.

This guide explains how each option works for a Keighley family, in plain English. It covers the tests, the Bradford Council application, the buses and trains from Keighley, the key dates for children starting secondary school in September 2027, and the rules that decide who gets a place.

🤔 Three words to know first

• Grammar school: a state school that is free to attend and picks its pupils using an entrance test (the 11+).
• Required standard: the score your child must reach in the test. It is set each year after the test. Reaching it means your child can be offered a place. It does not guarantee one.
• Home council: the council where you live. Keighley families always apply through Bradford Council, even for schools in Skipton or Halifax.

🏫 Which selective schools can a Keighley child apply to?

There are five realistic choices: two free grammar schools in Skipton, two free grammar schools in Halifax, and one independent school in Bradford. Here is what each one is like, how a Keighley child would get there, and what the admissions rules mean for you.

1. Ermysted's Grammar School, Skipton: free and selective (boys)

Ermysted's Grammar School is a free boys' grammar school on Gargrave Road in Skipton, about 10 miles up the A629 from Keighley. It is a very old school. Its history page explains that it was already teaching boys by 1492, as a chantry school next to Skipton Parish Church, and that William Ermysted re-founded it in 1548. The school calls itself the seventh oldest state school in Britain, and it moved to its present Gargrave Road site in the 1870s.

Ermysted's takes boys from 11 to 18, so your son could stay on for the sixth form. Results are strong: in the latest Department for Education performance tables, 86.7% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths, a far higher figure than most schools.

Getting there from Keighley is easier than many parents think. The pre-booked SK4 school bus starts at Exley Head, calls near Beechcliffe, Steeton and Silsden, and goes on to Ermysted's after stopping at the girls' school. The SK5 from Ingrow and Haworth also finishes at Ermysted's. Trains from Keighley to Skipton are another option.

The test is written by Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) and is sat on a Saturday in late September of Year 6. There are two papers, both testing English and maths, with multiple-choice and short written answers, and scores are adjusted for age. There is no interview. Registration opens in spring and closes at the end of August, in the summer holiday after Year 5, so it is easy to miss.

The key fact for Keighley families: Keighley is outside the Ermysted's catchment, which covers Skipton and Craven villages such as Gargrave, Embsay and Grassington. If more boys reach the required standard than there are places, priority goes to looked-after children first, then boys inside the catchment, then boys outside it, including Keighley. Inside each group, boys on Pupil Premium come first, then boys with a brother at the school, then everyone else by distance.

So for a Keighley boy, Pupil Premium can make a big difference. To claim it, you must send the school a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) with evidence, after the council deadline. If you forget, your son goes in the lowest group. The Ermysted's parents' guide explains the form, and families on Pupil Premium can also get free test practice through the school's partner, Atom Learning.

2. Skipton Girls' High School: free and selective (girls)

Skipton Girls' High School (SGHS) is a free girls' grammar school just along Gargrave Road from Ermysted's. It opened in 1886 as Skipton Girls' Endowed School, partly funded by the old Petyt Trust, a Skipton charity. The school celebrated 125 years in 2011, and you can read more on its history page. Today it is part of Northern Star Academies Trust.

SGHS has 120 places in Year 7 and its own sixth form, so girls can stay until 18. In 2025, the school reported that 94 students achieved top grades of 8 and 9 in their GCSEs, and 24 of them averaged those grades across ten subjects. See the SGHS results news.

For travel, Keighley girls have two school buses to choose from. The SK4 runs from Exley Head through Steeton and Silsden, and the SK5 starts at Ingrow and runs through Haworth, Utley, Steeton, Cross Hills and Cononley. Both reach SGHS just after half past eight. Places must be booked, so check the SGHS transport page early.

SGHS also uses the FSCE test in English and maths, on the same Saturday in late September as Ermysted's. There is no interview. Its registration closes in mid-August of the summer after Year 5, a little earlier than Ermysted's, and girls on Pupil Premium can get free Atom Learning practice too.

SGHS has a priority rule that really matters in Keighley. If too many girls reach the standard, priority goes:

1. Looked-after and previously looked-after girls
2. Girls who get Pupil Premium and/or whose family claims Universal Credit, wherever they live
3. Girls living in the school's Craven priority area
4. All other girls, nearest to the school first

So a Keighley girl from a family on Universal Credit is ranked ahead of girls who live in Skipton, as long as she reaches the standard. The SGHS admissions policy and the SGHS entry booklet explain how to tell the school.

3. North Halifax Grammar School, Illingworth: free and selective (mixed)

North Halifax Grammar School (NHGS) is a free, mixed grammar school on Moorbottom Road in Illingworth, on the northern edge of Halifax. By road it is about 11 miles from Keighley. It is one of two grammar schools in Calderdale, and about half of its places go to children from outside Calderdale.

Boys and girls learn together from 11 to 18, and there is a sixth form. In its 2026 GCSE results statement, the school said results had risen for the third year in a row, with an average grade of 7 and 94% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in English and maths. These were early figures, before the government checked them.

Travel is better than you might expect from the Worth Valley side of Keighley. The NHGS travel page lists Travel Xpress school buses, the M23 and M24, which cover Denholme, Cullingworth, Oakworth, Haworth and Oxenhope. Other school buses are run through West Yorkshire Metro.

NHGS and Crossley Heath share one test, so you register once for both. The test is written by FSCE and sat on a Saturday in mid-September of Year 6. It has three papers: two test maths and English, and the third is creative writing, so your child needs to practise writing against the clock. Registration closes at the end of June in Year 5, which is much earlier than the Skipton schools.

Places mainly go by score. After looked-after children and children on Pupil Premium or Service Premium, children are ranked by their test result, although NHGS keeps up to one in ten places for its own local priority area. Read the NHGS admissions policy and the Halifax admissions timeline for the full rules.

4. The Crossley Heath School, Halifax: free and selective (mixed)

The Crossley Heath School is a free, mixed grammar school at Savile Park, about 14 miles from Keighley. Its large Victorian building began life in 1864 as an orphanage paid for by the Crossley brothers. The school as it is today was formed in 1985, when Crossley and Porter School joined Heath Grammar School, which had more than 400 years of history behind it. The school history page tells the full story.

Crossley Heath teaches boys and girls from 11 to 18, with a sixth form. Its exam results page reports that in 2026, two thirds of all grades were grade 7 or above.

This is the hardest of the four grammar schools to reach from Keighley. The Crossley Heath bus page lists routes from the Leeds, Huddersfield, Brighouse and Bradford areas, but we could not find one from Keighley itself. By public transport, the journey usually means changing in Bradford, so try it at school time before you decide.

Your child sits the same Calderdale test as for North Halifax, with the same three papers on the same Saturday in September. You do not need to register twice. Think of the two Halifax schools as one test, but two separate choices to rank on your Bradford Council form.

Here is why Crossley Heath suits many Keighley families: it has no local priority area at all. After looked-after children and children on Pupil Premium or Service Premium, places go purely by score, so living in Keighley does not count against your child. Check the joint Halifax timeline for when results are sent.

5. Bradford Grammar School, Frizinghall: independent and selective (mixed)

Bradford Grammar School (BGS) is a mixed independent school on Keighley Road in Frizinghall, about 8 miles from Keighley. Its records go back to 1548, and King Charles II gave it a Royal Charter in 1662. The school moved to its present site in the 20th century, and the main building was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1949. Its history page also explains that BGS chose to stay independent when the government stopped funding direct grant schools.

BGS has a Junior School for children from Reception to Year 6, a Senior School from Year 7, and a sixth form, all for boys and girls. Its GCSE results page says that 75% of all GCSE exams taken in 2026 were graded 9 to 7, compared with 22% nationally.

For Keighley families, BGS is the easiest school here to reach. Trains run from Keighley to Frizinghall station, the station for the school. BGS also runs a school bus route from Oxenhope and Haworth through Cullingworth, Bingley and Saltaire. See the BGS transport page for details.

BGS sets its own entrance exam, which children sit in January of Year 6, so it is still possible to apply this autumn. The school does not publish its past papers, but it sends specimen questions to families after they apply. Results come out in early February, followed by a taster day. The application deadline is in early January.

BGS offers means-tested Assisted Places, which can pay part, or sometimes all, of the fees. They are competitive: the school says there can be around 10 applicants for each Year 7 Assisted Place. The Assisted Places application closes before the main exam application, and there is a separate assessment in November. Read the BGS Assisted Places guidance and the BGS fees and Assisted Places page early.

🔍 Skipton, Halifax and Bradford Grammar: at a glance

Road distances are rough, measured from the centre of Keighley. We checked these details in October 2026, but schools can change their rules, so confirm on each school's website.

🚌 Getting there from Keighley

• To Skipton (both schools): pre-booked Transdev school buses run from the Keighley area. The SK4 starts at Exley Head and calls near Beechcliffe, Steeton and Silsden. The SK5 starts at Ingrow and runs through Haworth, Utley, Steeton, Cross Hills and Cononley. Both reach SGHS just after 8:30am, and both then continue to Ermysted's. Check the SGHS transport page for booking. Trains from Keighley to Skipton are another option.
• To Halifax: we could not find a dedicated school bus from Keighley to North Halifax Grammar or Crossley Heath, so plan this journey carefully and ask each school about public transport.
• To Bradford Grammar: trains run from Keighley to Frizinghall, the station for the school. BGS also runs a school bus route from Oxenhope and Haworth through Cullingworth, Bingley and Saltaire. See the BGS transport page.

Will Bradford Council pay for travel? Usually not. Free travel is mainly for children going to their nearest qualifying school, so most families pay for grammar school travel themselves. Read the Bradford Council travel assistance rules to check your own situation.

📆 Key dates for September 2027 entry (children now in Year 6)

If your child is in Year 6 now, the grammar school tests have already happened. The Bradford Council deadline of Saturday 31 October 2026 has now passed. If you missed it, you can still make a late application to Bradford Council using its Late Y7 Application Form, so do this as soon as possible. The Bradford Grammar dates are still ahead.

If your child is in Year 5: registration for the tests opens in spring and summer, and some windows close early. Here are this year's windows as a guide. Expect similar timings in 2027, but always check the new dates.

Dates accurate as of October 2026. Always confirm on the school websites and the Bradford Council school admissions page.

✅ How places are given out

There is no fixed pass mark. Each school sets its required standard after the test, based on how all the children scored. Then, if there are more qualified children than places, the priority rules above decide who is offered a place.

A lot of grammar school places go to children who live outside the school's own council area, which is exactly where Keighley families are.

In the latest Department for Education school-level admissions data (CSV file, large download), Ermysted's offered 69 of its 127 places to boys living outside North Yorkshire. Skipton Girls' High offered 51 of 120. In Halifax, North Halifax Grammar offered 92 of 180 places, and Crossley Heath 104 of 177, to children from outside Calderdale.

One Bradford rule to remember: you can name up to five schools on your Bradford form, but not private schools like BGS. If your child can be offered more than one of your schools, the council offers the one you ranked highest. So put the schools in your true order of preference, and always add a local school as a back-up.

📚 Your 11+ preparation timeline

Year 4: reading and number confidence

Read every day and talk about the book together. Learn times tables well. All of these tests check English and maths from the primary curriculum, so strong basics matter most.

Year 5: choose your tests and register on time

Visit open evenings, which are often in the summer term. Decide whether to try Skipton, Halifax or both, because the tests are on different days. Remember that Halifax registration closes in June. If you are thinking about Bradford Grammar, look at its Assisted Places guidance early.

Summer before Year 6: practise calmly

Short, regular practice works better than long sessions. Practise both multiple-choice and written answers. For Halifax, add timed creative writing every week.

Year 6: test day and the council form

Sit the tests in September, wait for results in October, and complete your Bradford form by the deadline. For Ermysted's, remember the extra SIF form. For a full overview of how the 11+ works, see our complete guide to 11+ exams.

🌟 Give your Keighley child the best chance, whatever your budget

Aiming for Skipton, Halifax or Bradford Grammar? Our Keighley learning centre on Devonshire Street, behind the Civic Centre, runs 11+ mock exams and practice in the skills these tests check: reading, written English, creative writing and maths problem-solving. Find out more about our 11+ tuition support and tuition in Keighley.

We teach in small groups of no more than six, with one-to-one help where it is needed. Learning Cubs is Ofsted-registered (registration number 2597663), and many families qualify for funded or subsidised places.

Step 1: Check if your family qualifies for a funded place (it takes about two minutes).

Step 2: Book a free assessment, so we can build the right plan for your child.

Have family over the border in Lancashire? Our guide to Blackburn grammar school admissions explains how things work there.

Keighley grammar school admissions FAQs

Are there grammar schools in Keighley?

No. There are no selective state grammar schools in Keighley or the Bradford district. Bingley Grammar and Ilkley Grammar are comprehensive schools with no test. The nearest grammar schools are in Skipton and Halifax.

When is the 11+ exam for Keighley children?

The Halifax and Skipton tests take place in September of Year 6, on different Saturdays. Bradford Grammar School holds its own entrance exam in January of Year 6.

Can my child sit both the Skipton and Halifax tests?

Yes. The tests are on different days, so your child can sit both if you register for each one on time. You then list your choices on your Bradford Council form.

What is a good 11+ score?

There is no fixed pass mark. Each school sets a "required standard" every year after the test. Reaching it means your child can be considered, but at Ermysted's and SGHS, priority rules such as Pupil Premium and distance then decide who gets a place.

Does living in Keighley count against my child?

At the Halifax grammars, hardly at all, because places mainly go by score. At Ermysted's, Keighley boys are outside the catchment and are ranked by Pupil Premium, then brothers, then distance. At Skipton Girls' High, girls on Pupil Premium or Universal Credit get priority wherever they live.

How long does 11+ preparation take?

Most children do well with steady practice across Year 5, building on good reading and maths habits from Year 4. Starting early and practising little and often is better than cramming.

Sources and useful links

• Ermysted's Grammar School: Admission into Year 7
• Ermysted's Grammar School: Admissions Policy 2027–28
• Ermysted's Grammar School: Parents' Guide, Year 7 September 2027 entry
• Skipton Girls' High School: Admissions
• Skipton Girls' High School: Admissions Policy 2027 entry
• Skipton Girls' High School: Admissions Entry Booklet 2027
• Skipton Girls' High School: Transport to school
• North Halifax Grammar School: Admissions policy for entry in 2027
• North Halifax Grammar School: Timeline for main school admissions in 2027
• Bradford Grammar School: Admissions process
• Bradford Grammar School: Assisted Places Award guidance 2027–28
• Bradford Grammar School: Fees, scholarships and Assisted Places
• Bradford Grammar School: Transport information
• Bradford Council: Apply for a place at a Bradford district school
• Bradford Council: Applying for a secondary school, detailed guide for September 2027 entry (PDF)
• Bradford Council: Travel assistance to school
• Department for Education: Applications and offers 2026, school-level data (CSV)
• Department for Education: Primary and secondary school applications and offers