Colchester Royal Grammar School 11+ Guide

About Colchester Royal Grammar School

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

Colchester Royal Grammar School (CRGS) is an esteemed institution that has been nurturing young minds for centuries. This prestigious boys' grammar school, situated in the heart of Colchester, Essex, offers an exceptional educational experience for students aged 11 to 18. The school takes pride in its co-educational Sixth Form, which welcomes girls and provides a diverse learning environment.

At CRGS, students are challenged to reach their full potential through a rigorous curriculum that adheres to national standards. The school's dedicated staff is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, encouraging pupils to become confident learners ready to tackle the responsibilities of university, employment, and daily life. By the end of their educational journey, students gain a comprehensive understanding of key subjects such as English, mathematics, sciences, modern languages, history, and art.

Beyond the classroom, CRGS offers an extensive extracurricular programme, catering to a wide range of interests and passions. From the Japanese club and programming club to rugby, history society, and flute group, there is something for everyone. The school's impressive facilities, including state-of-the-art music and drama spaces, as well as a comprehensive sports fixture list, provide students with ample opportunities to explore their talents and develop new skills.

CRGS is renowned for its outstanding academic achievements, with students consistently performing exceptionally well on GCSE and A-Level exams. Many graduates go on to pursue higher education at prestigious universities, a testament to the school's commitment to academic excellence. The school's unique offering of boarding options for sixth form students provides a transitional period of independence before embarking on their next chapter in life.

With its rich history, exemplary facilities, and unwavering dedication to student success, Colchester Royal Grammar School continues to set the standard for educational excellence in East Anglia. The school's ethos of hard work, ambition, and personal growth ensures that its pupils are well-prepared to become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow.

School Information

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

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:

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.

CSSE 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the CSSE 11+ tests (to get into Colchester Royal 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 Colchester Royal Grammar School as they may well change.

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

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Unfortunately, Colchester Royal Grammar School has not made any of their 11+ past papers publicly available. However, you can use our 11+ practice papers to help your child prepare.

Practice Papers for Colchester Royal Grammar School