To be eligible for a place in Year 7 at one of Lincolnshire's grammar schools, children must demonstrate that they have reached the required standard for entry as determined by 11 plus testing.

The dates are usually two consecutive Saturdays, early in September.

Candidates are asked to take a Verbal Reasoning Test and a Non-Verbal Reasoning Test, in the grammar School where they have registered, according to the area. Usually for children at school in Barrowby these schools are:

• The King’s School (Grantham)
• Kesteven and Grantham Girls School (Grantham)

These tests are prepared annually by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and are preceded at an earlier date by two practice tests. The practice tests are provided by NFER to ensure that candidates are familiar with the style of questions.

Each real test also has a short practise element; the Verbal Reasoning Test is preceded by a ten minute Preliminary Practise Test, and the Non-Verbal Reasoning Test is divided into sections each provided with a few practice questions. The answers to these practise questions are neither marked nor taken into consideration.

When the tests have been completed the marks are sent to NFER, whose statisticians standardise them, making adjustments for age difference, to produce a qualification standard identifying suitability for Grammar School education in Lincolnshire. The qualification is a total standardised score of at least 220 on the two tests, and represents the ability of the most able 25% of pupils in the age group in primary schools in the selective areas of Lincolnshire.

Attainment of the minimum qualification standard however does not itself guarantee admission to any individual school.