Royal Grammar School, Newcastle 11+ entry guide

About Royal Grammar School, Newcastle

Royal Grammar School, Newcastle is an independent day school. The senior school is for boys and girls aged 11 - 18. It’s located in the heart of Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Also known as RGS, the school is ‘an exciting place to learn, that is forward thinking and inclusive.’ It has a strong reputation for academic, sporting and cultural activities. The school has high expectations for students both in and out of the classroom. Academic results are consistently high at both GCSE and A Level.

There are a wide variety of clubs and activities on offer. Sport, music and performing art are popular and well-catered for by the school’s facilities. There are also a number of outdoor programmes for students to get involved with, including the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Awards Scheme and Combined Cadet Force.

A strong spirit of community is present at the school. RGS is ‘characterised by an inclusive, supportive and friendly community spirit and it is normal for students to mix with others from a variety of different year groups, as well as their own.’

Located in the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne, the school benefits from good transport links by road and rail. It’s easily accessible to the centre of the city.

Royal Grammar School, Newcastle 11+ entrance exam

All children applying for 11+ entry to RGS Newcastle take the CEM Select exam. This is a computer assessment designed by the Centre of Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM). Schools use the exam to get an idea of a child’s academic potential and ability.

The CEM Select exam has a time limit of one hour and is split into six sections. This is a non-adaptive test, so all children see the same questions in the same order. Question types include multiple-choice, drag and drop, and auto-complete.

The core sections in the test are comprehension, missing words, numerical ability and pictures. These sections are often supplemented with one or two more sections which test verbal reasoning.

• Comprehension: the reading comprehension section is one of the longest in the test. Your child will need to read a passage of fiction or non-fiction text, and answer questions to assess their understanding of the text and the extent of their vocabulary.

• Missing words: your child will see two passages of text, one after the other. Both contain missing words. They will need to work out the missing words in each passage.

• Numerical ability: this section of the test assesses your child’s maths skills and knowledge. These questions are aligned to the Key Stage 2 maths curriculum.

• Pictures: the pictures section assesses non-verbal reasoning. For each question, your child will need to choose a picture to complete a set.

In addition to the CEM test, applicants sit maths and English tests as well as take part in a group activity. A school report is also requested.

Atom’s top tips for applying to Royal Grammar School, Newcastle

RGS Newcastle is a selective school, and competition for places can be high. Here are our top tips to help your child prepare for the selection process.

Bitesize learning

It’s important to build a good knowledge base before school entrance exams. Your child should have a good understanding of the content they’ve been taught at school before testing their knowledge with practice tests.

Using a ‘little and often’ approach when learning is key – our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. For children aged 10–11, child psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20–30 minutes.

With Atom Home, you don’t need to worry about creating a study schedule. When you enter your target schools, you’ll get a bespoke learning plan tailored to your schools’ entrance exams. Know exactly what your child needs to do each week to confidently pass.

Read widely

Entrance exams test children’s ability to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to help your child build these skills.

Encourage them to read books from different genres and by a diverse range of authors. Increasing the variety of your child’s reading will help them understand different styles, tones and purposes. Meanwhile, reading a little every day will help widen their vocabulary, sharpen their analytical thinking, and enhance their imagination.

Looking for reading inspiration? Check out our Key Stage 2 reading list.

Hone curiosity

Selective schools are often looking for children who are interested in learning. You can help by supporting your child’s broader learning, their intellectual curiosity, and their passion for developing an understanding of the world.

Talk to your child about the world we live in and inspire an interest in current affairs with age-appropriate journalism. It’s also a good idea to make sure they’re benefitting from a rich variety of experiences, such as visiting libraries, museums and galleries.

Refine exam technique

When your child feels confident with their knowledge of the exam topics, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.

Mock tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and refine exam technique. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning, while highlighting any knowledge gaps they might want to tackle before exam day.

When you set RGS Newcastle as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get CEM Select mock tests as part of their learning plan. Know what to expect on exam day.

Celebrate progress

Setting regular, achievable goals and celebrating your child’s progress – no matter how big or small – will help keep their motivation high.

Make sure to encourage a growth mindset. This means celebrating effort, as well as achievement! When your child makes mistakes or struggles to understand a particular topic, help them understand that they’ll improve through practice. Regular praise will help your child improve their resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.