Status and Character: 11-18 boys' selective foundation school with sixth form girls, and some boarding provision for boys.

Colchester Royal Grammar School’s Admissions Arrangements September 2012

 i) Year 7 (eleven plus)  

Admission to Year 7 is determined by a pupil’s position within the selection procedure organised by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). This position is decided on the basis of the pupil’s performance in three tests: i.e. Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics and English. The selection procedure is open equally to pupils in Essex and those who live outside the county. Applications must be submitted to the pupil’s home LEA by the published deadline. In addition, applicants to CRGS must also submit a supplementary information form (SIF) to the CSSE office by the same date. In the case of oversubscription places will be offered to the 96 boys scoring highest in the selection tests who have named CRGS as a preferred school and who qualify to be offered a place under the co-ordinated admissions arrangements. If there are applicants with an equal ranking on the School’s Order of Merit competing for the last available place, preference will be given to (i) to a ‘looked after’ child (ii) the applicant living closest to the school by straight line distance as supplied by the LA and set out in the Secondary Education in Essex 2012/13 booklet. This booklet also details how late applications will be handled.

The published admission number for Year 7 is 96. The selection test is available to children registered in Year 6 and under twelve years of age on the following 31^st August, immediately prior to admission in September. The school does not normally admit overage applicants. The school will hold a waiting list for the Autumn Term following the September entry.

ii) Years 8 to 10

Occasionally vacancies occur in other years, for example due to family relocation. In addition, the school is normally able to admit a small number of external students (4) into Year 9 each year if they are of the required academic standard. Selection tests take place in the March or April preceding the September of entry. Applications should reach the school by 1^st February 2012. Where vacancies occur, a recent report is sought on all pupils who have applied for a place. Those who apply are tested in the school on the set date. The tests seek to establish whether the applicant can sustain the pace of the school's classroom education and has sufficient knowledge and understanding to undertake the relevant year group's existing programmes of study. The tests are in English, Mathematics, Science and a Modern Language. Places will be allocated on the basis of performance in the tests. If a number of applicants are tested at the same time for a single place and the results show that it is not possible to discriminate between them, preference is given to a ‘looked after’ child. If this does not resolve the matter, preference is given to the applicant living closest to the school, as defined above.

iii) Mid Year Applications

For mid year applications, a mid year application form needs to be completed and returned directly to School Planning and Admissions, who will reply to all the schools listed, including CRGS, on the pupil’s behalf. A copy of the application form is available from the school, or can be requested from School Planning and Admissions, at Essex County Council (Tel: 0845 603 2200). Full details of the mid year application process are provided in the mid year application form’s accompanying booklet.

iv) Sixth Form  

A number of external day students (50) are admitted into Year 12 each year. Up to 15 places are reserved for boarders each year. Offers of places are made subject to satisfactory performance at GCSE or equivalent examination. The minimum grade requirement for entry into the Sixth Form is AAABB; A*/A grades are expected in the subjects to be studied at A-level. This is also the requirement for internal students. External students must complete and submit the school’s official application form. References will be sought on all applicants and predicted GCSE grades will be requested. Those applicants judged potentially suitable will be invited to the school to discuss their application, choice of subjects and academic progress. Academic performance is the key criterion in selection. In the case of oversubscription, places will be offered to those judged most suited to the sixth form in this selective school on the basis of the information available, especially anticipated performance at GCSE. Where predicted grades are not provided by the school, performance in trial examinations will be considered. If discrimination is necessary, preference will be given to a ‘looked after’ child. If further discrimination is necessary, preference will be given to applicants living closest to the school. The school admits a number of girls into the sixth form, and the criteria for selection are as above. Students from overseas who do not follow the British curriculum are admitted on the basis of their academic performance in their current school and where appropriate their performance in the school’s entrance tests, an academic and character reference from their school and, in the case of boarding applicants, an interview. The interview will seek to establish whether the applicant is suitable for a boarding place at CRGS. Overseas applicants must hold a full British or EU passport. All applications to the Sixth Form should be submitted to the school by 1^st December 2011.

Sixth Form 2012 Entry - Click here for more information

 v) Appeals

Applicants who are not awarded a place have the right to appeal. Appeals should be addressed to the Clerk to the Independent Appeals’ Panel c/o the school.