Ilford County High School 11+ guide

Are you thinking about applying to Ilford County High School? Find out everything you need to know about the entry process and how to prepare for the 11+ exam.

Key information for Ilford County High School

• School type: boys' grammar school
• Location: Barkingside, East London
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• Number of places in Year 7: 180
• 11+ exam: Redbridge 11 plus selection test
• Catchment area: yes

Important dates for 2027 entry

• Friday 1st May 2026: test registration opens
• Monday 15th June 2026: test registration closes (5pm)
• Friday 18th September 2026: test day
• Mid-October 2026: parents receive test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: deadline to apply for secondary school places
• Monday 1st March 2027: secondary school national offers day

How to apply to Ilford County High School

Ilford County High School is selective. This means that your son will need to take the 11+ exam to be eligible for a place.

In the London Borough of Redbridge, the 11+ is known as the Redbridge 11 plus selection test. All grammar schools in the London Borough of Redbridge use this test to select children for Year 7 places.

You must register your son for the test. Registration opens on Friday 1st May 2026 and closes at 5pm on Monday 15th June 2026. A link to register will be available on the participating schools' websites during the registration window.

The Redbridge 11 plus selection test will take place on Friday 18th September 2026. You'll be emailed details about the test location, time, and what your son needs to bring before the exam.

Your son's results will be emailed to you in mid-October. If he meets the qualifying standard for Ilford County High School, you can apply for a place by naming the school on your common application form. This must be submitted to your local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Important note: passing the test doesn't guarantee that your son will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Grammar schools are often oversubscribed with children who meet the qualifying standard. After the 31st October deadline, schools use admissions criteria to allocate places.

We've outlined the process for Ilford County High School below.

What will my child be tested on?

The test consists of two multiple-choice papers. There will be a break between the two papers.

One paper tests English and verbal reasoning (1 hour). The other paper tests maths and non-verbal reasoning (1 hour).

For more details, take a look at our guide to the Redbridge 11 plus selection test.

How are places allocated at Ilford County High School?

In mid-October, you’ll receive your child’s test results. These will confirm whether your child has met the required standard for admission.

If your child’s results meet the required standard, you must name Ilford County High School as a preferred school on your common application form to be considered. This must be submitted to your home local authority by the 31st October.

Places are allocated in a particular order. This is known as ‘Oversubscription Criteria’ and is specific to each grammar school you apply to. Details are available in your target school’s admissions policy.

Does Ilford County High School have a catchment area?

Yes. Ilford County High School has a catchment area known as the Redbridge common catchment area. It covers an area from Woodford to the north, Goodmayes to the east, Ilford to the south and Wanstead to the west.

No child who lives outside of this area, regardless of their score, has ever been offered a place at Ilford County High School.

How can I help my child prepare for the test?

The Redbridge 11 plus selection test can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's how you can help your child prepare for test day.

Stay on track with a clear plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.

A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.

Atom's exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child's target schools and exam dates, and we'll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they'll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.

That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.

Build smart exam technique

As your child's knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.

Atom's 11+ practice papers are exact replicas of real 11+ exams. They're also unlimited — you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.

We've made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child's standardised age score (SAS), where they're doing well, and what they should focus on next. You'll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.

Encourage regular reading

Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.

Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.

Over time, regular reading will broaden their vocabulary, improve comprehension and inference, and build confidence in tackling unseen texts.

Looking for inspiration? Atom's recommended reading lists have suggestions spanning fiction and non-fiction for Years 3–6.

Celebrate progress, not just scores

When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.

Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they're moving in. You can see where they're on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.

That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.