Colchester Royal Grammar School 11+
Crucial 11+ info, past 11+ papers and practice 11+ papers for Colchester Royal Grammar School.
How to get into Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a selective secondary school in Essex. To get into Colchester Royal Grammar School children need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Here is the step-by-step guide to getting your child into Colchester Royal Grammar School with all the important information you need to know.
Admission Requirements
Children born between 1st September 2013 and 31st August 2014 are eligible for Year 7 entry in September 2025. Applications for Year 7 entry are open to boys who are under twelve years of age [1]. The school does not normally admit overage applicants.
Named East Anglia State School of the Decade by The Sunday Times in 2021, CRGS is a selective day school for boys aged 11 – 18 years and co-educational in the Sixth Form [1]. The school uses the CSSE 11+ examination for admissions. Admission is open to all students in Essex and testing takes place in September of the year preceding entry, while your child is in Year 6.
Families must register for the CSSE 11+ exam by 27th June 2025 and submit their Common Application Form (CAF) by 31st October 2025. For specific contact information about admission requirements, families should visit the school information section.
Application Process
The application process involves two key steps that families must complete separately. Registration is via a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) on the CSSE website. Registration for 2026 entry will open on Tuesday 13th 2025 and will close Friday 27th June 2025.
After receiving test results in mid-October 2025, families can apply through their local authority. The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2025. Families living in Essex must name Colchester Royal Grammar School as their preferred choice on the Common Application Form.
- Complete the Supplementary Information Form (SIF) on the CSSE website by 27th June 2025
- Take the CSSE 11+ exam on Saturday 20th September 2025
- Receive results in mid-October 2025
- Submit the Common Application Form (CAF) through local authority by 31st October 2025
- Contact the school information section for specific application guidance
Exam Format and Scoring
The CSSE 11+ examination consists of two papers taken on the same day. The Colchester Royal Grammar School 11+ exam consists of two tests: English – covering comprehension and creative writing · Mathematics – focusing on topics from the KS2 National Curriculum. Each test lasts 60 minutes with an additional 10 minutes reading time for English.
The test scores are age-standardised to ensure that older pupils don't have an unfair advantage. In 2023, a total standardised score of 340 was the lowest score for which boys were offered a place at Colchester Royal Grammar School [1]. This qualifying score varies each year based on competition levels.
The school operates priority admissions criteria. Admissions Priority 1: up to 12 places are offered to boys who have named CRGS as their preferred school, who qualify under the coordinated admissions arrangements, who achieve a score of 320 or greater in the selection tests, and who are either a Looked After Child, a previously Looked After Child, or are in receipt of the Pupil Premium [1].
Preparation Guidance
Families should begin preparation approximately 12-18 months before the exam date. The examination covers English comprehension, creative writing and Mathematics based on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum. Regular practice using past papers helps children become familiar with the exam format and timing.
For comprehensive preparation resources, families can access free practice papers through practice 11+ papers. Professional support is available through qualified 11+ tutoring services that specialise in CSSE 11+ preparation.
- Start preparation in Year 5 for optimal results
- Focus on English comprehension and creative writing skills
- Practise Key Stage 2 Mathematics topics thoroughly
- Use timed practice tests to build exam confidence
- Access resources through practice 11+ papers
- Consider professional support via 11+ tutoring
Important Dates and Events
The school holds its annual 11+ Open Evening typically in June each year. This provides families with an opportunity to visit the school, meet staff and see facilities. We look forward to welcoming you to our 11+ Open Evening on Tuesday 25th June, 6.30pm - 9pm. No booking required [1].
Key examination dates for 2026 entry include registration opening on Tuesday 13th May 2025 and the exam taking place on Saturday 20th September 2025. Your child's test results will be sent to you on Monday 13th October 2025.
- May 2025: CSSE registration opens
- June 2025: Annual Open Evening (exact date to be confirmed)
- 27th June 2025: Registration deadline
- 20th September 2025:CSSE 11+ exam day
- 13th October 2025: Results released
- 31st October 2025: Application deadline
- 2nd March 2026: National Offer Day
Practical Advice
On exam day, children should arrive early and bring the required identification documents. The school provides all necessary stationery, so families should not send additional equipment. Children should eat a good breakfast and get adequate sleep the night before to ensure peak performance.
For families concerned about exam stress, the school environment is designed to be welcoming and supportive. 'Pupils say school is a safe and enjoyable place to be' (Ofsted, Feb 2022) [1]. Preparation should focus on building confidence rather than creating pressure.
Alternative grammar school options in Essex include King Edward VI Grammar School Chelmsford, Chelmsford County High School for Girls, and other CSSE member schools. Each school has different qualifying scores and admission criteria, so families should research multiple options.
CSSE 11+ Information
In order to get into Colchester Royal Grammar School, children need to pass the CSSE 11+. This 11+ test is written by CSSE for use by the school's admissions process.
CSSE 11+ Subjects & Structure
The CSSE 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:
- English
- Maths
The CSSE 11 plus exam, required for entry into Colchester Royal Grammar School, is a rigorous assessment of a student's academic abilities. The examination is divided into two separate papers, each lasting approximately one hour.
The English paper evaluates the candidate's proficiency in reading comprehension and creative writing skills. This section aims to gauge the student's ability to understand and interpret written texts, as well as their capacity to express themselves effectively through original composition.
The Maths paper assesses the candidate's mathematical knowledge and problem-solving skills, based on the Key Stage 2 maths curriculum. This section challenges the student's understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts and their ability to apply this knowledge to solve a variety of problems.
Other Schools using CSSE 11+
As well as Colchester Royal Grammar School, several other schools also use CSSE 11+. These are:
- Colchester County High School for Girls
- King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
- Southend High School for Boys
- Southend High School for Girls
- Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
- Westcliff High School for Girls
CSSE 11+ Marking Process
The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Colchester Royal Grammar School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.
Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.
Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.
It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!
CSSE 11+ Pass Mark
The pass mark for the CSSE 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).
Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at Colchester Royal Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.
Key Dates for the Colchester Royal Grammar School 11+ Entrance Tests
Here are all the important dates for the 11+ tests (to get into Colchester Royal Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.
| Date | Event | Calendar Link |
|---|---|---|
| 13/05/2025 | Registration Opens For The Csse 11 Plus | Add Dates to Calendar |
| 27/06/2025 | Registration Closes For The Csse 11 Plus, And Deadline For Requests For Special Adjustments | |
| Early July | Parents Receive Test Centre Information By 16th July | |
| 20/09/2025 | Csse 11 Plus Exam | |
| Mid October | Parents Receive Csse 11 Plus Results | |
| Late October | Secondary School Applications Close At 5pm | |
| 02/03/2026 | Secondary School National Offers Day |
Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Colchester Royal Grammar School as they may well change.
11+ Tutor for Colchester Royal Grammar School
As the CSSE 11+ entrance process is particularly gruelling, we would highly recommend using an 11+ private tutor.
Why use a private 11+ tutor?
Personal tutors have the experience and expertise to help children pass their 11+ exams. They know the requirements of the CSSE 11+ tests inside-out and can provide tailored support to give children the best possible chance of success. It's also important to bear in mind that plenty of other children will be using private tutors too.
11+ tutors don't need to be face-to-face, plenty of children use online 11+ tutors.
11+ tutors can also provide regular progress reports and feedback, helping parents to monitor their child's progress and make any necessary adjustments to their preparation.
Most importantly, using an 11+ tutor helps ensure that the preparation work gets done!
Private 11+ Tutors for the Colchester Royal Grammar School 11+ Tests
We have a range of private tutors who specialise in preparing children for the Colchester Royal Grammar School 11+ entrance tests. Please click here to be put in touch with a range of excellent 11+ private tutors from our friends at exams.courses.
11+ Past Papers for Colchester Royal Grammar School
Unfortunately, Colchester Royal Grammar School has not made any of their 11+ past papers publicly available. However, you can use However, you can use 11+ practice papers from other exam boards (such as GL Assessment, CEM and CSSE) to help your child prepare.
11+ Practice Papers for Colchester Royal Grammar School
11+ Practice Papers for Colchester Royal Grammar School by CSSE
These Free CSSE 11+ Practice Papers were published by the 11+ exam board CSSE.
| Exam Board | Subject | Question Booklet | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSSE | Writing | ||
| CSSE | English | ||
| CSSE | Maths |
School Information
Below you will find further information about Colchester Royal Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.
| Address | Colchester Royal Grammar School, Lexden Road, Colchester, CO3 3ND |
|---|---|
| School Website | https://www.crgs.co.uk/ |
| Telephone | |
| Email Address | office@crgs.co.uk |
| Gender | Boys only |
| Total Year 7 Places | 128 |
| Total Pupils (Girls/Boys) | 0 (0 Girls / 0 Boys) |
| Mr John Russell |
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a boys only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).
Notably, Colchester Royal Grammar School is one of very few English grammar schools to also offer boarding facilities.
In total 0 pupils attend Colchester Royal Grammar School and it's led by the , Mr John Russell.
Colchester Royal Grammar School Location
Below you will find a map showing the school's location:
Ofsted Information
Colchester Royal Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 11/05/2021 and the inspection lasted 2 days. Ofsted published their report on 08/07/2021, declaring that the school was ''. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.
Last Ofsted Report Data
| Date Inspected | Inspection Duration (Days) | Reporting Date | Rating | Full Report | 11/05/2021 | 2 | 08/07/2021 | Full Report |
|---|
FAQ
Is Colchester Royal Grammar School hard to get into?
Yes, Colchester Royal Grammar School is hard to get into! Children need to pass their challenging 11+ entrance test (with a high pass mark) and there's tough competition with many other children trying to get a place for Year 7.
Is Colchester Royal Grammar School a private school?
No, Colchester Royal Grammar School is one of the few remaining academically selective, state-funded grammar schools left in England.
Is Colchester Royal Grammar School free?
Yes, Colchester Royal Grammar School is free, there are no school fees. Thus, sending your child to Colchester Royal Grammar School won't cost you any money.
How do I get my child into Colchester Royal Grammar School?
You need to apply to take the school's 11+ test. Contact Colchester Royal Grammar School for how up to date information on how to apply (it may be automatic or it may require some forms to be filled in). More information on their 11+ entrance test can be found here.
Is Colchester Royal Grammar School a boys-only school?
Yes, Colchester Royal Grammar School is a boys-only school.
