United Kingdom · Leeds
The Grammar School at Leeds is a selective independent day school for ages 2–18. It is co-educational, although pupils in Years 7–11 are taught separately by sex for academic lessons.
The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) is an independent day school at Alwoodley Gates in north Leeds. It has Nursery, Primary, Senior and Sixth Form sections on one campus. It does not offer boarding.
The postal address is Alwoodley Gates, Harrogate Road, Leeds LS17 8GS. The school tells drivers to use LS17 9NA for satellite navigation.
GSAL describes itself as co-educational, but its Senior School uses a diamond model. Girls and boys in Years 7–11 have separate academic lessons. Their pastoral groups, social time and co-curricular activities are co-educational.
The Senior School is academically selective. Its curriculum is broadly based on England’s national curriculum, with GCSE courses in Years 10 and 11. Most pupils take ten GCSEs.
Sixth Form pupils usually study three A levels and the Extended Project Qualification. Those combining Mathematics and Further Mathematics normally take four A levels. Applicants should check subject availability and the GCSE requirement for each proposed course.
The normal Year 12 entry threshold is six GCSEs at grade 6. The school’s current Sixth Form page says this should include grade 6 or above in English and Mathematics. It also applies subject-specific requirements. An offer remains conditional on the applicant’s final GCSE results.
Nursery and Reception applications are accepted throughout the year, subject to space. For Years 1–10 and Year 12, the published deadline is 30 November in the year before entry. This makes the standard deadline for September 2027 entry 30 November 2026.
The online application carries a non-refundable £100 fee. A completed form is only the start of the process. The school also requests a confidential reference from the child’s current school and assesses applicants before making a decision.
Most assessments take place in January before entry:
The school says it normally sends outcomes within two weeks of assessment. It may consider late or mid-year applications, but only where a place is available. Families should contact Admissions before submitting a late application because many year groups are full.
There is no automatic sibling place. Each applicant is assessed separately. A family needing Child Student visa sponsorship should speak to Admissions before applying.
Means-tested bursaries are available only to new pupils entering Year 7 or Year 12. The school’s September 2026 information event gives 30 September 2026 as the bursary deadline for September 2027 entry for both year groups.
This is two months earlier than the ordinary application deadline. Applicants must submit the main application, pay the £100 fee and complete the separate financial declaration. The school also requests a supporting statement and uses an independent financial assessment.
The published maximum for household income and savings is £70,000 a year. Meeting that financial guide does not secure support. Bursaries are competitive, depend on academic performance and are reviewed annually.
Year 7 bursary applicants first take an online shortlisting test during the autumn half-term. The highest-scoring candidates then proceed to the main January assessment and interview. Year 12 bursary applicants must meet the school’s higher academic expectations as well as its financial criteria.
Bursaries can cover between 5% and 100% of tuition, although the school says it awards very few at 100%. They do not cover meals, trips or transport. Scholarships are also awarded at Years 7 and 12 on entrance-assessment performance; no separate scholarship application is required.
GSAL has an individual-needs team, but support is subject to the resources available. Families should disclose a child’s needs on the application and provide relevant reports early.
The school will discuss reasonable adjustments for the entrance assessment. It will also decide whether it can meet the child’s needs if a place is offered. This conversation should happen before a family relies on general descriptions of the school’s support.
The published fees are inclusive of VAT where applicable:
| Stage | Annual fee | Termly fee | Nine monthly payments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior School | £20,556 | £6,852 | £2,284 |
| Primary, Years 3–6 | £15,345 | £5,115 | £1,705 |
| Primary, Reception–Year 2 | £14,058 | £4,686 | £1,562 |
| Nursery, full time | £12,528 | £4,176 | £1,392 |
| Nursery, four days | £10,022.40 | £3,340.80 | £1,113.60 |
| Nursery, three days | £7,516.80 | £2,505.60 | £835.20 |
The nine monthly payments run from July to March. Termly payments are due on 31 July, 31 October and 31 January. Fees are payable in advance.
Lunch is not included. Families should also budget for uniform, travel, trips and any optional activities. The school does not accept England’s Free Early Education Entitlement for Nursery.
An acceptance deposit is payable when a family takes a place, but the public fee page does not state its amount. Ask for the deposit, refund conditions and complete first-year invoice in writing.
The school forecasts an average fee increase of 4% to 6% for 2027–28. That is not a fee table or a guaranteed increase for an individual year group. Applicants for September 2027 should obtain the final figures before accepting a place.
GSAL suits families seeking a selective day school with a single campus from Nursery to Sixth Form. The separate academic teaching of girls and boys in Years 7–11 is an important feature to understand during a visit.
Woodhouse Grove School is a different school in Apperley Bridge and offers boarding as well as day places. Compare the daily journey, teaching model, admissions route and complete current cost. Do not assume that the word “Grammar” means GSAL is a state-funded grammar school.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
Woodhouse Grove offers co-educational day and boarding education at Apperley Bridge. For 2026–27, Years 7–10 cost £6,582 per term for day pupils or £15,114 for boarders, with compulsory lunch charged separately. Year 7 assessments for 2027 entry take place in the week beginning 11 January.
LondonAlleyn’s is a selective co-educational day school for ages 4–18. This guide explains the different junior-school routes, the 11+ and 16+ processes, and the costs that sit outside tuition.
BristolBristol Grammar School is a selective, co-educational independent day school from Reception through Sixth Form. Its subject range makes it worth considering for a child who wants academic choice while living at home. Senior and Sixth Form fees are £7,422 per term from autumn 2026. Admissions pages still describe the previous entry round, so families applying for 2027 need a new timetable.
CheltenhamCheltenham College is a selective co-educational senior school for ages 13–18. It combines day places, full boarding and limited day boarding with GCSE, A-level and vocational routes.
The Grammar School at Leeds is a day school. Woodhouse Grove offers day and boarding places on the Leeds–Bradford side of the region. Decide on the weekly arrangement before comparing entrance dates and fees.
7 minStart with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.