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Ribston Hall High School

Ribston HallHigh School

School Tours & Open Days

Admissions Information Morning - Year 5 - Friday 12th April 2024

Ribston is a thriving, successful and inclusive school. We know that every child is different and our ethos is to enable and empower young women to discover their own unique potential. As part of our commitment to ensure all students have the opportunity and information to understand how they can apply for, and attend Ribston Hall High School, we will be running an Admissions Information Morning (AIM) on Friday 12th April 2024, 9am arrival for a 9.15am Talk, followed by tours and refreshments. This is a bookable event only.

                  

The morning is a perfect opportunity for families who have not had experience with grammar schools and are not familiar with the grammar school process. The AIM morning is designed to help families better understand this.

We are very excited to be able to share our unique Admissions Information Morning with you. Dedicated to enabling more students to attend from the local Gloucester area, our AIM morning is open specifically for Year 5 families.

This morning is a step away from our normal Open Days which we offer. The intention of the Admissions Information Morning is a specific opportunity to learn more about the Grammar School admissions process, how to register for the test as well as offering advice on how to support your child’s preparation by hearing from the Maths and English teams.

"We really enjoyed finding out about the school and our guided tour. The young lady who showed us around was a delight and made my daughter feel at ease. She was so chatty and reassuring. I was wonderfully impressed with her (and everyone else for that matter)." Year 5 Parent

There will be a talk from our Headteacher in the main school hall, student-guided tours of the school, and refreshments served in the hall. The Senior Leadership Team along with the Admissions Team will be available for Q&A during this time.

Due to it being a normal school day and for security reasons you must book for this event. We are unable to allow entry to people who have not registered in advance.

Please click here for the bookings form

Frequently Asked Questions 

How does my daughter 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. For 2025 entry, the test will be held on Saturday 14th September 2024

How do I apply to sit the grammar school entrance test?
You must complete the Grammar School Registration to enable your child to sit the entrance test. Information on this will be found on the Ribston Hall High School website www.ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk at the appropriate time. Registration for 2025 entry will be open on 20th May at 12 noon and close 28th June 2021 at 12 noon. 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 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 45 to 50 minutes with additional time for instructions and some worked examples. There will be a break between the papers.

Who is the test provider?
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.

Is it possible to obtain some practice papers/sample questions beforehand?
There is a wealth of familiarisation material available on GL Assessment’s website. Please click the link GL Assessment Since 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.

How should my daughter prepare for the test?
Beyond the familiarisation material, 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.

If my daughter 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.

When is National Allocation Day?
March 1st is National Allocation Day. Your local County Council admissions department will offer out places for Ribston Hall High School. Our current cohort for Year 7 is 150 places.

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

Timings of the school day 

Registration and Assembly

8:40am

Period 1

9.00am – 10.00am

Period 2

10.05am – 11.05am

Break

11.05am – 11.25am

Period 3

11.25am - 12.25pm

Period 4

12.30pm – 1.30pm

Lunch

1.30pm – 2.25pm

Period 5

2.25pm – 3.25pm

Final Bell

3.30pm

Class size 

We have five tutor groups in each year, which are of mixed ability with a class size of 30. Girls are taught in tutor groups in year 7 and 8. As a student progresses through the school, and specialise into option subjects, the class sizes are smaller.

Curriculum information 

All information can be found on our website here:

House 

All girls will be assigned to a house either Britons, Celts, Danes, Romans or Saxons. If there is a family reason to join a house we will always accommodate this. During the year there are various house competitions, including house rounders, quiz and a talent contest, culminating in sports day, and the awarding of the house cup on the final day of term. The house system is a great way to cultivate friendly competition in school.

Special Educational Needs 

Please contact our SENCO on ab@ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk if you need further information.

Transport 

At Ribston we have a longstanding relationship with a number of independent bus companies who are running transport to and from school. The present timetable can be found here:

Please contact the companies directly to see if they can cater for your specific needs.

Extra-Curricular Activities and Clubs 

Below is a list of clubs and activities that are generally available to Y7 students. This list does alter each year, and quite often we can cater for specific groups of students if they want a club to run.

Monday

Dance Club

Rugby (PE)

Junior Choir (Music)

Writing Club (English)

Senior Orchestra (Music)

Tuesday

Chess

Netball (PE)

German Conversation

Music Theory Grades 4/5

Ukulele

Wednesday

Scrabble Club (English)
Guitar group (Music)
Dance Club (Dance)
Graphics Club (Graphics Week A)

Spanish Rumba

Junior Choir

Thursday

Drama Club

Orchestra

Football (PE)

Hockey (PE)
Computing Club (ICT1)

Friday

Music Theory Grades 1/2/3

Art and Photography

Hockey (PE)

Trips 

The whole of year 7 embark on a trip early in the academic year to Croft Farm, where they get to spend time with their peers and start to feel part of the Ribston Family! Many of our older students remember this trip fondly, and it is an important part of the school calendar. There are many trips arranged throughout the year groups, and we will share information on this when it is available. These trips range from day trips, trips within the UK to far-flung destinations and ski trips.

Admissions 

The Gloucestershire Grammar School Entrance Test registration is open in May through to June. The seven Gloucestershire Grammar Schools hold the Entrance Test during September, the year prior to entry. 

There are a range of familiarisation materials and support guides to aid you through the testing process. Please follow this link to find some further information:

Homework 

Homework enables an enhanced learning experience. This is set using the Show My Homework app, something parents can also access. Typically, homework is of 30 mins duration and students can expect between two and three pieces per night. This varies between subjects, with some setting regular shorter pieces of work whilst others lend themselves to extended projects that are less frequent and will take longer, for example in subjects such as Textiles.

After School 

After school, the library remains open Monday to Friday until 4pm to access books or for students to get ahead with their homework. After this time students can remain in school in the canteen unsupervised.

Mobile Phone Policy 

Our Mobile Phone Policy can be found in the Policy area of our website. All students can bring a phone into school but it must be switched off and away in school, unless teachers request they use them.