Sir Thomas Rich's School 11+ Guide

About Sir Thomas Rich's School

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

Nestled in the heart of Oakleaze, Gloucestershire, Sir Thomas Rich's School is a distinguished grammar school that has been nurturing young minds for centuries. This esteemed institution welcomes boys aged 11 to 18 and girls aged 16 to 18, providing them with an exceptional educational experience. The school's unique house system, comprising Northgate, Eastgate, Southgate, and Westgate, fosters a sense of belonging and healthy competition among its students.

At Sir Thomas Rich's School, the curriculum is meticulously crafted to empower students with essential skills and knowledge across a wide array of subjects. The school's dedicated faculty creates a disciplined and stimulating learning environment, encouraging pupils to pursue academic excellence. Beyond the classroom, students have the opportunity to explore their passions through a diverse range of extracurricular activities, including sports, music, coding, and debating, which promote personal growth and community engagement.

The school's motto, "Garde Ta Foy," which translates to "Keep the faith," encapsulates its core values of democracy, tolerance, individual freedom, the rule of law, and mutual respect. By upholding these principles, Sir Thomas Rich's School cultivates a caring and inclusive community where every student feels valued and supported in their journey to reach their full potential. With its outstanding Ofsted ratings and consistent placement among the top grammar schools in the country, Sir Thomas Rich's School takes immense pride in its students' remarkable achievements and the unwavering loyalty they demonstrate towards their alma mater.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Sir Thomas Rich's School together with their admissions contact details.

Sir Thomas Rich's 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).

In total 1,226 pupils attend Sir Thomas Rich's School and it's led by the Headteacher, Mr Matthew Morgan.

Sir Thomas Rich's 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 Sir Thomas Rich's School for the 2022-23 academic year.

Gloucestershire 11+ Information

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

Gloucestershire 11+ Subjects & Structure

The Gloucestershire 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• Reading Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-Verbal Reasoning
• Maths

The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Entrance Test is a crucial assessment for students seeking admission to selective grammar schools in Gloucestershire, including Sir Thomas Rich's School. This comprehensive examination is designed to evaluate the academic potential and aptitude of prospective students.

The entrance test is divided into two distinct papers, each lasting one hour. Paper 1 focuses on assessing the candidate's verbal skills, encompassing reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and verbal reasoning abilities. Paper 2, on the other hand, concentrates on evaluating the student's non-verbal skills, which include non-verbal reasoning and mathematical proficiency.

Throughout both papers, candidates are presented with a series of multiple-choice questions, requiring them to demonstrate their understanding, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills across various domains. The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Entrance Test aims to identify students with the necessary academic foundation and potential to thrive in the challenging and stimulating environment offered by Sir Thomas Rich's School and other prestigious grammar schools in the region.

Other Schools using Gloucestershire 11+

As well as Sir Thomas Rich's School, several other schools also use Gloucestershire 11+. These are:

• Denmark Road High School
• Marling School
• Pate's Grammar School
• Ribston Hall High School
• Stroud High School
• The Crypt School

Gloucestershire 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Sir Thomas Rich's 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!

Gloucestershire 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Gloucestershire 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 Sir Thomas Rich's School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Gloucestershire 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Gloucestershire 11+ tests (to get into Sir Thomas Rich's 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 Sir Thomas Rich's School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Sir Thomas Rich's School was last inspected by Ofsted on 06/10/2021 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 22/11/2021, 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 Sir Thomas Rich's School on 6 October 2021 resulted in an overall outcome of Good. The quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision were all rated as Good. The school's behaviour and attitudes were deemed Outstanding.

The report highlights the school's strengths across various areas, with a particular emphasis on the exceptional behaviour and attitudes of the students. The Good ratings in quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision indicate that the school is performing well in these aspects.

The inspection outcome suggests that Sir Thomas Rich's School provides a positive learning environment for its students, with effective teaching, leadership, and support for personal growth. The school's Outstanding rating in behaviour and attitudes further underscores the positive culture and atmosphere within the school community.

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Sir Thomas Rich's 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 Sir Thomas Rich's 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 Sir Thomas Rich's School currently uses.

The exam board that Sir Thomas Rich's 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 Gloucestershire 11+ Ensure you double-check with Sir Thomas Rich's School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.