Registration Process

Registration for the grammar school test (2027 entry) has now closed. If you missed the test registration window, please download the following document for more information:

• Missed Test Registration 2027 Entry

Test day

The entrance test took place on the morning of Saturday, 12th September 2026.

Results

Parents/carers will be informed of their child’s result by email in mid-October. Results will be sent home before parents/carers have to make a decision on which schools to put on their Local Authority Common Application (CAF) Form.  If parents/carers have elected (on the Grammar School Registration Form) to share their child’s results with more than one school, a separate result email will be sent from each school.  

Test information

The test assesses students’ verbal and non-verbal abilities, English skills and mathematics, and is provided by GL Assessment. All questions are multiple choice style questions.

In one paper, students will be tested on their verbal skills (including comprehension, vocabulary and verbal reasoning). The other test paper assesses non-verbal reasoning and mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding. 

Each test session will take around an hour. At the beginning of each session, there is time built in for the sharing of instructions and, for the non-verbal reasoning element, some worked examples. Students are allocated a total of 45 minutes to complete the tests themselves.

GL Assessment is the largest independent provider of educational assessments in the UK, also providing assessment materials to schools in over 100 countries worldwide.  They have been developing selection assessments for over 40 years and provide tests to the majority of grammar schools in the country.  GL Assessment works hard to develop its material such that all children are able to demonstrate their levels of attainment and academic potential without excessive preparation. 

Please note: On 15 April 2026, we shared a press release along with the 6 other Gloucestershire Grammar Schools about changes to the admission process for students starting school in 2028. These arrangements will take effect from summer 2027 for first entry into Year 7 (September 2028). More information will be published in September 2026. You can read our latest update about the test on our News page.

Grammar School Entrance Test Familiarisation Material

The test provider for the entrance test for entry into Year 7 in September 2027 will be GL Assessment. For familiarisation materials, please click on the following link: GL Familiarisation Material. As 11+ tests vary from one area to another, it’s important to note that the free familiarisation materials are generic and may differ from your own test’s exact specifications.  These differences may include the length of papers, the types of questions covered, and/or the level of difficulty.

Free 11+ Preparation for Pupil Premium Students 

Ribston, along with the other six grammar schools in Gloucestershire, welcome pupils from all backgrounds. In order to ensure that the grammar school testing process is open and inclusive, we work in partnership with Atom Learning to offer free preparation materials for Pupil Premium students.

Atom Learning is the leading online 11+ preparation and Key Stage 2 learning platform. Via our partnership, Pupil Premium students can access free 11+ preparation and KS2 learning resources. If your child has been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years, and you would like to access this support, please visit the Atom Learning website to sign up. Once your child's Pupil Premium status has been verified by their primary school, they will be given free access to the platform.

Useful Dates

Years 7 to 11

All our year groups are currently full and oversubscribed. If you would like to express interest in your daughter joining our school as an in-year admission, please complete our Register an interest form.

We will contact you if a space becomes available in your daughter’s current academic year and invite her to sit the Grammar School In Year Admissions test.  Students must meet the qualifying standard to be considered for a place at Ribston.

Places will be offered to suitable applicants in accordance with our over-subscription criteria, provided:

1. There is space available in that year group.
2. The applicant has achieved an appropriate level using the Cognitive Ability Test (CAT) scores, i.e., a minimum mean score for Ribston Hall High School is 110.

Due to the high volume of enquiries we receive daily, testing will not be carried out until a space becomes available. We do not expect any preparation to be made for this test, given it is an assessment of your child’s current academic level. However, at the time of your application, please do prepare your daughter as the request to sit the test may come at short notice. 

You can apply for a place for your child at any point within the academic year and your child will remain on the waiting list until July of that academic year, should a place not become available. The waiting list is fluid, with your child potentially moving up and down, dependent on the oversubscription criteria met by other applicants also on the list, even once CAT scores are received. 

Please see our Admissions Policy for more information. 

Sixth Form in-year admissions

For Sixth Form admissions, please visit our Sixth Form page.

Join us for one of our Open Events – 15th October 2026

We are pleased to offer families three open events this year. These events are for current Year 6 students, as well as prospective Year 5 students who are at the start of their grammar school journey. For security reasons, you must register to attend these events. Please only book one open event per family. If you have any questions about our open events, please don't hesitate to contact us by emailing rhhs@ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk.

• Open Morning, 15th October 2026, 9am to 11:30am - Our Open Morning will include a talk from our Headteacher, who will also share some information about the new Grammar Schools Test for 2027. Following the talk, you will be able to participate in a student-guided tour to see what it's like during a normal school day here at Ribston. Our Senior Leadership Team and Admissions Team will be available to answer any questions you may have after the tours. Refreshments will be provided. Doors will open at 9am for a prompt start at 9:30am. Book Now: Ribston Hall High School Open Morning. Thursday 15th October 2026, 9am to 11:30am
• Open Evening, 15th October 2026, 4:30pm to 7pm - Our Open Evening will include a talk from our Headteacher, who will also share some information about the new Grammar Schools Test for 2027. Following the talk, you will be able to participate in a student-guided tour to explore our school and speak to our staff team and students in our curriculum areas. Our Senior Leadership Team and Admissions Team will be available to answer any questions you may have. Doors will open at 4:30pm. We will serve refreshments from 4:30pm for a prompt 5pm start. Book Now: Ribston Hall High School Open Evening. Thursday 15th October 2026, 4:30pm to 7pm
• Open Evening, 15th October 2026, 5:30pm to 8pm - Our Open Evening will include a talk from our Headteacher, who will also share some information about the new Grammar Schools Test for 2027. Following the talk, you will be able to participate in a student-guided tour to explore our school and speak to our staff team and students in our curriculum areas. Our Senior Leadership Team and Admissions Team will be available to answer any questions you may have. Doors will open at 5:30pm. We will serve refreshments at 5:30pm for a prompt start at 6pm.  Book Now: Ribston Hall High School Open Evening. Thursday 15th October 2026, 5:30pm to 8pm

To be notified about other open events, and to receive information about admissions as/when it becomes available, please join our open day and admissions mailing list: Ribston Hall High School Open Days and Admissions Mailing List Registration Form.

You can also find out more about our school and up-coming events on our socials. Please follow us on Facebook: @RibstonHallHighSchool and Instagram: @ribstonhallhighschool.

How does my child gain admission to Ribston Hall High School?

Ribston Hall High School is a selective school. To gain a place, your child must first sit and achieve the required standard in the Grammar School entrance test. Registration for the exam is open between May and June.  Information and specific dates for the entrance test are published on the Ribston Hall High School website at the appropriate time.

How do I apply to sit the grammar school entrance test?

You must complete the Grammar School Registration Form to enable your child to sit the entrance test. The link is above.

Once you have registered online, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive this confirmation email within a few hours of registering, you must contact the school. At the beginning of the school term in September, you will receive a letter detailing the timings of the day and what your daughter should bring.

What is the format of the test?

The test consists of multiple choice style questions on verbal ability (comprehension, vocabulary and verbal reasoning), numerical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. There are two papers each lasting 50 to 55 minutes with additional time for instructions and some worked examples. There will be a break between the papers.

Why has the test been changed?

The seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools are concerned by the amount of tutoring that currently takes place. CEM is one of the largest independent providers of educational assessment and monitoring systems in the world. They have been developing selection assessments since 1999, and provide tests for a number of grammar schools in other counties. CEM design their tests to enable all children to demonstrate their academic potential without excessive preparation.

Is it possible to obtain some practice papers/sample questions beforehand?

Familiarisation booklets are available on our website which give examples of the sorts of questions used in the test. CEM does not produce commercially available practice materials. Please be aware that materials sold on the internet or provided by tutors, other than CEM familiarisation and practice materials, are not genuine CEM samples.

How should my child prepare for the test?

Beyond the familiarisation materials, the best preparation for the tests is to read books and use mathematics on a regular basis.

When will I get the results?

The results will be sent via email in October (date and time to be confirmed). Results are published in good time for you to be able to complete the Local Authority’s Common Application Form (CAF).

If my child reaches the qualifying standard, how do I apply for a place at Ribston Hall High School?

If your daughter meets the qualifying standard, you will be informed and can apply for a place at Ribston Hall High School by completing the Local Authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) for allocation of school places. The deadline for this is 31st October.

Does the school have a catchment area?

Ribston Hall High School does not have a catchment area.

This information is based on the most up-to-date information available to us at this time and may be subject to change.