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 car parking on site at St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School. In the event you need to find alternative parking, it can be found within a 30 minute walk.

• Eastgate Louth, 134 Eastgate, Louth LN11 9AA (Opening Times: Mon-Sun All Day)
• Cattle Market, Linden Walk, Louth LN11 9HR (Opening Times: Mon-Sun All Day)

The Slough Consortium 11+: Overview

The Slough Consortium 11+ is a multiple choice paper with 3 key components to it; it is overseen by the CEM exam board. The Slough 11+ is a multiple choice test and will assess your child’s competency in Verbal Reasoning, Non-verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning. For an in depth breakdown of the Slough Consortium 11+, please visit our article –  ‘Selective Tests in Slough – the CEM 11+ Test’.

Overview:

The test consists of two exam papers, each taking approximately 60 minutes in length. Each test may contain a mix of Verbal Reasoning, Non-verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning, it is at the Consortium’s discretion as to which are included.

• Paper One: (A choice of) Verbal Reasoning (VR) Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) and Numerical Reasoning (NR)

• Paper Two: (A choice of) Verbal Reasoning (VR) Non-verbal Reasoning (NVR) and Numerical Reasoning (NR)

Slough Grammar Schools CEM 11 Plus Test: Pass Criteria

Test scores are received in mid-October of the preceding year of entry; for example for entry in 2023, test scores will be received by mid-October 2022. It is notable that the Slough consortium uses a method of standardised marking, meaning that younger children are not penalised for their age, the results are statistically standardised to compare any child’s score average to the average score of their school year. The ‘pass mark’ for the Sough CEM 11+ is currently an aggregate score of 111; this is the score which would make a child eligible for admission for a grammar school in Slough. However, it is notable that this is subject to change. For this reason, the ‘pass mark’ cannot be predicted for every year, but it is estimated that the top 25% of students will achieve the qualifying mark. For more information please see our article ‘Selective Test in Slough – CEM 11 Plus”

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.