--- type: "Article" title: "Do we need to live in the catchment area for the 11+?" description: "Not always. Some grammar schools have no catchment and accept anyone; others prioritise local families. How catchment affects 11+ places." resource: https://pip11plus.com/do-we-need-to-live-in-the-catchment-area-for-the-11-plus tags: ["11+", "catchment areas", "pip"] timestamp: 2026-10-13T19:50:09Z image: https://pip11plus.com/info-hub-cards/catchment-pip.jpg --- 📋 Registration # Do we need to live in the catchment area for the 11+? ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) **By the Pip team** Updated June 2026 Not always. Some grammar schools have no catchment area at all and accept applications from anywhere in the country. Others give priority to local families when places are handed out. So in most cases your child can sit the exam wherever you live, but where you live can still affect whether a pass turns into an actual offer at a popular school. The detail sits in each school's admissions criteria, so it pays to [check the catchment for each grammar school](https://pip11plus.com/grammar-schools/) before you apply. **TL;DR** - Not always. Some grammar schools have no catchment and accept anyone. - Others prioritise local applicants when allocating places. - You can usually sit the exam wherever you live. - Location mostly affects who gets a place among children who pass. ## Do you need to live in catchment? There is no blanket rule. Catchment policies are set school by school, so the honest answer is that it depends entirely on the schools on your list. If you are moving from overseas, see [how to apply for a grammar school from abroad](https://pip11plus.com/applying-to-grammar-school-from-abroad) and what proof of address schools ask for. This is closely linked to [who is eligible](https://pip11plus.com/who-is-eligible-to-sit-the-11-plus) to sit in the first place. Eligibility to take the exam and priority for a place are two different things, and catchment usually affects the second. ## Schools with no catchment Some grammar schools have no catchment area and welcome applications from across the country. Certain Torbay grammars are well-known examples that accept children from anywhere. Our [grammar school catchment guide](https://pip11plus.com/grammar-schools/) shows which schools have a catchment and which take the top scorers from any address. For these schools, distance does not bar your child from a place, so families sometimes apply well outside their local area. It is one reason children often [sit the 11+ for several schools](https://pip11plus.com/can-my-child-sit-the-11-plus-for-multiple-schools) across different areas. ## Schools that prioritise local families Other grammars give priority to applicants who live nearby. When more children pass than there are places, distance can become a tiebreak that favours local families. That does not stop an out-of-area child sitting the exam, but it can make an offer harder to secure if the school is heavily oversubscribed. _Two kinds of grammar school: some have no catchment and accept children from anywhere, while others give priority to local families when places are oversubscribed._ **Read the oversubscription criteria** The fine print that really matters is each school's oversubscription policy. It spells out exactly how distance, siblings and other factors are weighed, so read it before deciding where to apply. ## Sitting the exam vs getting a place Keep these two ideas separate. Sitting the 11+ is usually open regardless of where you live; getting a place can depend on it. That gap is why a child can do well and still miss out at an oversubscribed school, which our guide to how you can [pass the 11+ but not get a place](https://pip11plus.com/can-you-pass-the-11-plus-but-not-get-a-place) explains. Knowing the local rules helps you apply realistically. _Where you live rarely affects sitting the 11+, but it can affect getting a place at an oversubscribed school. Read each school's distance rules._ ## How to check Go to each school's admissions page and find the catchment and oversubscription criteria. If anything is unclear, the admissions office will confirm how distance is treated. Use that to shape a sensible shortlist, mixing any no-catchment options with realistic local ones, and line them up against each school's [registration deadlines](https://pip11plus.com/when-does-11-plus-registration-open-and-close). Wherever you land, your child's job is the same: be ready for the paper, which steady [daily practice with Pip](https://pip11plus.com/index#get) takes care of. ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) Written by **The Pip team** The Pip team builds Pip, the 11+ and KS2 practice app for children in years three to six. We write these guides from real exam formats and past papers. ## Keep reading [Who is eligible to sit the 11+?](https://pip11plus.com/who-is-eligible-to-sit-the-11-plus): Registration Age, location, SEN access and resits explained. 4 min read · Registration [Can my child sit the 11+ for multiple schools?](https://pip11plus.com/can-my-child-sit-the-11-plus-for-multiple-schools): Registration Consortiums, separate entries and how it works. 4 min read · Registration [Can you pass the 11+ but not get a place?](https://pip11plus.com/can-you-pass-the-11-plus-but-not-get-a-place): Results & Scoring Why passing does not guarantee a seat. 5 min read · Results & Scoring ## Local or far, get ready Pip turns 11+ practice into five calm minutes a day across maths, English and reasoning, so your child is prepared wherever you apply. [Download Pip on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) [Get Pip on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pip11plus.app) [Available at Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HKGJ4HTP) [More 11+ guides](https://pip11plus.com/info-hub) Free forever · no sign-up