By 
Stratford’s two grammar schools want to keep more of their Year 7 places for children who live within 13 miles of the town. King Edward VI School (KES) plans to grow from 87 to 116 places a year and give all 29 new places to local boys, while Stratford Girls’ Grammar School (SGGS) would set aside up to 99 of its 120 places for girls inside the same 13-mile circle. The changes would apply from September 2028, and both schools are asking for views until midday on Friday 27 November.
Who it affects
Children joining Year 7 in September 2028 are in Year 5 now. They would register for the 11+ by 30 June 2027 and sit it that autumn, with offers on 1 March 2028. Both schools measure their circles from the fountain in Rother Street, Stratford: an inner circle of 13 miles and an outer one of about 17 miles, to the county boundary south of Long Compton. SGGS has published a map of its proposed circle with the draft policy.
King Edward VI School
KES says the Secretary of State for Education has approved its Year 7 intake rising from 87 to 116. Under its draft 2028 policy, the number of places for boys in the 13-mile circle who reach the qualifying score would go from 70 to 99. Places for boys eligible for the pupil premium through free school meals, who can get in with up to 20 marks below the qualifying score, would go from 13 to 19.
Stratford Girls’ Grammar School
SGGS keeps its intake at 120 but would bring in an inner priority circle for the first time, which KES already uses. In its letter to parents, the school says girls now travel from further afield, which affects its finishing time, clubs, fixtures and support sessions, and has cut attendance at weekday parent events. It says a more local intake would leave students more time for homework, rest and friendships, and mean shorter journeys. Up to 19 places would go to girls eligible for the pupil premium, and girls inside the 13-mile circle who miss out on the first 99 places would then compete for the remaining places with girls in the wider circle.
How to comment
- KES: write to the Clerk to the Governors at King Edward VI School, Chapel Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BE, or email clerk@kes.net. Details are on the KES admissions page.
- SGGS: email governorsclerk@sggs.org.uk or write to the Clerk to the Governors, Shottery Manor, Shottery, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 9HA, marked “Admissions Consultation 2028”. The draft policy and map are on the SGGS admissions page.
Each school’s governors will decide after the consultation closes and publish the final arrangements on their websites. The plans were first reported by the Stratford Herald. For other plans and changes near you, see our villages near Stratford pages.
Alex Harrington
Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.
