Ripon Grammar School 11+ Guide

About Ripon Grammar School

Ripon Grammar School is a selective secondary school in North Yorkshire. For children to get into Ripon Grammar School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Ripon Grammar School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled in the picturesque cathedral city of Ripon, North Yorkshire, Ripon Grammar School is a beacon of academic excellence. This selective, co-educational institution has garnered a reputation as one of the premier schools in the United Kingdom, consistently ranking among the top 50 nationwide. With a rich history spanning centuries, Ripon Grammar School has evolved to provide an exceptional learning environment for both boys and girls.

The school boasts a diverse student body, welcoming over 900 pupils from the local community and beyond. While the majority of students attend as day pupils, Ripon Grammar School also offers the unique opportunity for a select number of students to board on campus, fostering a tight-knit and supportive community. This arrangement allows students to immerse themselves in a rich educational experience while forging lifelong friendships.

In its pursuit of academic excellence, Ripon Grammar School has continually invested in its facilities and infrastructure. Recent improvements include the construction of a state-of-the-art sports hall, a dedicated sixth form block, and modern laboratories. These enhancements provide students with the tools and resources necessary to excel in their studies and explore their passions.

As a catchment school, Ripon Grammar School takes great pride in its commitment to serving the children of the local community. The school's dedicated faculty and staff work tirelessly to nurture the intellectual curiosity, creativity, and character of each student. Through a comprehensive curriculum and a wide array of extracurricular activities, Ripon Grammar School aims to develop well-rounded individuals who are prepared to make a positive impact on the world.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Ripon Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.

Ripon Grammar School is a mixed (i.e. both girls and boys) school. It is also a local authority maintained school, meaning the local authority oversee the funding, admissions, and overall performance of the school.

Notably, Ripon Grammar School is one of very few English grammar schools to also offer boarding facilities.

In total 919 pupils attend Ripon Grammar School and it's led by the Headteacher, Mr Jonathan Webb.

Ripon Grammar School Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Ripon Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.

Ripon Grammar School 11+ Information

In order to get into Ripon Grammar School, children need to pass the Ripon Grammar School 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

Ripon Grammar School 11+ Subjects & Structure

The Ripon Grammar School 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-Verbal Reasoning

The 11 plus exam at Ripon Grammar School is a competitive assessment designed to evaluate the academic potential of prospective students. The exam consists of two distinct papers, both of which are multiple-choice and provided by GL Assessment, a leading 11 plus provider in England.

The first paper is a Verbal Reasoning test, which spans 50 minutes and includes 80 questions. This test assesses a child's capacity to apply logic and reasoning skills to solve problems involving written information, such as letters, words, symbols, or numbers. The second paper is a Non-Verbal Reasoning test, divided into four sections, each with a 10-minute time limit and 20 questions. This test evaluates a child's ability to use logic and reasoning to tackle problems featuring visual information, including shapes, diagrams, or pictures.

As Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning are not part of the national curriculum, children may be unfamiliar with these question types. To build confidence and preparedness for the exam, it is recommended that children engage in regular, bite-sized practice sessions leading up to the assessment.

Ripon Grammar School 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Ripon 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!

Ripon Grammar School 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Ripon Grammar School 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 Ripon Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Ripon Grammar School 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Ripon Grammar School 11+ tests (to get into Ripon Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Ripon Grammar School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Ripon Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 25/01/2023 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 27/04/2023, declaring that the school was 'Good'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

Ofsted Report Summary

The inspection of Ripon Grammar School on 25 January 2023 resulted in an overall outcome of Good. The school received a Good rating for the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. Personal development and sixth form provision were both rated as Outstanding.

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Ripon Grammar School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are all available past 11+ papers for Ripon Grammar School. Please note that this may include past 11+ papers, past familiarisation booklets, past practice materials published by third parties and past 11+ exam guides written by the school. These materials are provided 'as-is' and may no longer reflect the subjects, format, structure or exam board that Ripon Grammar School currently uses.

The exam board that Ripon Grammar School chooses to use for their 11+ entrance tests can change and we encourage you to check directly with the school.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the Ripon Grammar School 11+ Ensure you double-check with Ripon Grammar School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.