School Address

Contact Information

Email Address secretary@stbernards.slough.sch.uk

Telephone (Main Office) 01753 527020

Website Address https://www.st-bernards.slough.sch.uk%20

Parking in the school

There is limited parking available on site at St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School. Parents and visitors are advised to use public transport where possible or park considerately in surrounding residential areas. On entrance test days, the school may provide specific guidance regarding parking arrangements.

The Slough Consortium 11+: Overview

The Slough Consortium 11+ is a computer-marked multiple-choice assessment provided by GL Assessment. The test assesses your child’s competency in English Comprehension, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. For an in-depth breakdown of the Slough Consortium 11+, please visit our article ‘Selective Tests in Slough – the GL Assessment 11+ Test’.

Overview:

The entrance test is composed of two multiple-choice papers created by GL Assessment, each lasting around 60 minutes. Across the two papers, pupils are assessed in English Comprehension, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. All questions are machine-marked and scores are age-standardised.

Slough Grammar Schools 11+ Test: Pass Criteria

Test scores are received in mid-October of the year preceding entry. Applicants must achieve a standardised score of 111 or above to be considered for a place. Selection is then based on this score alongside the school’s oversubscription criteria where applications exceed available places.

Catchment Area

St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School does not use a traditional catchment area in their Oversubscription Criteria in selecting students for admission. Instead, children who live in Slough and attend one of Slough’s “Catholic Primary Schools” are prioritised, followed by children of other Christian denominations and lastly children of any other faith. Notably, the admission selection process is subject to change, please follow the up to date admission policy to see a full and detailed breakdown of the school’s admission criteria. The oversubscription criteria is listed below. 

Oversubscription Criteria:

Where the number of eligible pupils reaching the required standard in the 11+ entrance examination exceeds the number of places available, places will be allocated in the following order of priority:

1. Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children*;
2. Practising Baptised Catholic Children with a Priest’s reference**;
3. Other Baptised Catholic Children;
4. Baptised or Dedicated Children of other Christian Churches with a religious leader’s reference***;
5. Baptised or Dedicated Children of other Christian Churches;
6. Children from Other Faiths****o attend a Slough Catholic Primary School within St Peter’s Pastoral Area, (an exhaustive list of these are contained in St Bernard’s 2023 Admissions Policy) and who live in Slough with a permanent Slough home address;
7. Children from Other Faiths**** who attend a Slough Catholic Primary School;
8. Children of other faiths with a religious leader’s reference
9. Children of other faiths;
10. Any other Children

*Looked After and Previously Looked After Children are in (or have previously been in) state care or international state care.

**Catholic in this sense means to be a member of the Church in full communion with the See of Rome

***A child belonging to any other Christian denomination, which confesses Jesus Christ as their god and saviour in their scriptures. Any member of the Churches Together in England are deemed to be included in this definition.

****Children of Other Faiths are children of faiths which do not fall within a Christian denomination. This definition is parallel with the definition of religion under the Charities Act 2011.

Additional eligibilities:

Children with EHC plans are admitted via separate statutory procedures. This is contained in St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar Schools 2023 Admissions Policy. Where children with an EHC plan qualify for the school for entry in year 7, they will be admitted before the allocation of other candidates, before any oversubscription criteria is implemented.