Ashlawn School is not a grammar school. It is a co-educational secondary academy in Rugby with a selective cohort inside it, and that distinction changes everything about how you apply.
It is the only school in the West Midlands partnership that works this way, and it is widely misunderstood.
What partial selection actually means
Most of Ashlawn's places are allocated like any other comprehensive, on the usual oversubscription criteria. A minority are allocated on aptitude, through two separate routes:
- a selective route, for children reaching the Automatic Qualifying Score in the 11+ test, and
- a Modern Language aptitude route, through a separate aptitude test.
So a child can arrive here three different ways, and they are genuinely different applications with different deadlines. Check the current policy with Ashlawn School for the exact number of places in each route, because the split is reviewed annually.
The priority circle comes first
Here is the detail that decides selective applications, and it catches people out.
Selective places are allocated first to children who achieve the Automatic Qualifying Score or above and live in the eastern priority circle, which is defined as a radius of 10.004 miles from the Rugby Water Tower.
Reaching the score is not enough on its own. Living inside that circle is doing as much work as the mark is, exactly as catchment does at the King Edward VI schools.
Who this school is for
| If you are... | Then |
|---|---|
| In Rugby, child reaches the AQS | The selective route is the strongest option |
| In Rugby, child is near but under the AQS | You still have the ordinary route, unlike at a grammar school |
| In Rugby, child is strong at languages | The Modern Language aptitude route is worth a separate look |
| In Birmingham | Roughly 35 miles. Not realistic daily |
That second row is the real advantage of a partially selective school and the reason it is worth understanding. At a grammar school, missing the score ends the application. Here it does not, because the ordinary route still exists.
Applying
- Register for the 11+ test in May or June if you want the selective route, and share the result with the school.
- Apply separately for the Modern Language aptitude test if that route interests you. It is not automatic.
- Name the school on your local authority preference form by 31 October regardless of route.
- Check the priority circle against your address with Warwickshire School Admissions.
See our guide to the Warwickshire schools and our guide to all nineteen.
See where your child stands today
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Missing the score does not end it here
This is the one school in the partnership where a near miss is not the end of the application, and that is worth understanding properly rather than lumping it in with the grammar schools.
At a grammar school, if your child does not reach the qualifying score, that is the answer. At a partially selective school most of the places are allocated the ordinary way, so a child who falls short of the selective threshold can still be offered a place through the normal route.
What I would check carefully is the priority circle, because selective places go first to children who reach the score and live inside it. Reaching the mark is not sufficient on its own. That is the same lesson as catchment in Birmingham, in a different costume.
Mushtaque Ahmed, Founder of GrammarPath and Bright Mentors
Frequently asked questions
Is Ashlawn School a grammar school?
No. It is a co-educational secondary academy in Rugby with a selective cohort inside it, which makes it partially selective. Most places are allocated like any other comprehensive, with a minority allocated on aptitude.
How do you get a selective place at Ashlawn School?
By reaching the Automatic Qualifying Score in the 11+ test. Selective places are allocated first to children who achieve that score or above and live in the eastern priority circle, defined as a radius of 10.004 miles from the Rugby Water Tower.
What is the Modern Language aptitude route at Ashlawn?
A separate route to a place, allocated on performance in a modern languages aptitude test rather than the 11+. It needs its own application, so it is not something a child is automatically considered for.
What happens at Ashlawn if my child misses the qualifying score?
Unlike at a grammar school, the application does not end. Most of Ashlawn's places are allocated on ordinary oversubscription criteria, so a child who misses the selective threshold can still be offered a place through the normal route.
Can a Birmingham child apply to Ashlawn School?
They can, but Rugby is roughly 35 miles from Birmingham and is not a realistic daily journey for most families. The selective route also gives first priority to children inside the eastern priority circle around Rugby.