Applying to Woodford County High School for September 2028? This guide covers the Redbridge 11+ selection test, the qualifying score, how the 180 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.
Number of places in Year 7: 180 (2027-entry figure — Woodford County High School confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
Qualifying score: a minimum threshold score of 104 for 2027 entry. Children who reach it are then ranked by their total standardised score, so 104 alone doesn't secure a place
11+ test:Redbridge 11+ selection test (two papers: English and verbal reasoning, and maths and non-verbal reasoning)
Catchment or priority area: yes — the Redbridge 11+ Common Catchment Area (map)
Source: London Borough of Redbridge Admission Arrangements 2027-28 (selective grammar schools section). Last checked October 2026.
Key dates for September 2028 entry
The London Borough of Redbridge runs the test and confirms its exact dates in the spring before each cycle. The windows below follow the 2027-entry timetable: registration ran from Friday 1 May 2026 to 5pm on Monday 15 June 2026, the test took place on Friday 18 September 2026 and results were emailed in the middle of October 2026. We'll update this page as soon as Redbridge publishes its 2028-entry dates.
Key dates for Woodford County High School 11+ entry in September 2028, with expected windows where the school has not yet confirmed exact dates.
Date
What happens
Early May 2027
Test registration expected to open (Redbridge says registration usually runs from 1 May to 15 June)
Mid-June 2027
Test registration expected to close (5pm, no late registrations)
Mid-September 2027
Redbridge 11+ selection test
Mid-October 2027
Test results expected by email
Sunday 31 October 2027
Deadline to apply for secondary school places through your home local authority. This date falls on a Sunday.
Wednesday 1 March 2028
National offer day for secondary school places
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Woodford County High School is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.
You register your daughter for the test online through the London Borough of Redbridge, using a Redbridge account. Registration is only accepted within the published window, and Redbridge doesn't accept late registrations.
Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Woodford County High School on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.
Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.
What will my child be tested on?
Ilford County High School and Woodford County High School both use the same test, run by the London Borough of Redbridge and provided by GL Assessment. Your daughter sits it once to be considered for either school.
There are two papers. One covers English and verbal reasoning, and the other covers maths and non-verbal reasoning. Redbridge Council hasn't published the length of each paper or the question format, so check the details sent with the test invitation. GL Assessment offers free familiarisation materials, which Redbridge Council points parents to.
Scores are standardised for age and added together into a total standardised score. Any girl scoring below 104 isn't added to the ranked list or the waiting list. Before the 31 October deadline, Redbridge tells you where your daughter sits in the overall order of scores.
How are places allocated at Woodford County High School?
If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 180 Year 7 places, Woodford County High School offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027/28. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.
Woodford County High School oversubscription criteria in priority order, from the 2027/28 admissions policy.
Priority
Who it covers
1
Looked after and previously looked after children, including children adopted from state care outside England
2
45 places (25%) for children entitled to the pupil premium (including those eligible in the last six years), ranked by total standardised score
3
Other children living in the Common Catchment Area, ranked by total standardised score
4
Children living outside the Common Catchment Area, ranked by total standardised score
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Only children scoring at least 104 are ranked or placed on the waiting list. Within each group, places go in order of total standardised score, highest first. The London Borough of Redbridge, not the school, is the admission authority.
Does Woodford County High School have a catchment area?
Ilford County High School and Woodford County High School share the Redbridge 11+ Common Catchment Area. It's defined by a map rather than a list of places: open the Redbridge online map, choose the 'Education' category and select '11+ Common Catchment Area'. Children living outside it are only considered once every request from inside it has been met, and Redbridge says that only children living in the Common Catchment Area have been admitted to the grammar schools in the last 10 years.
If two girls have the same score, the girl with the shortest safe walking distance from home to the school's main entrance, measured by a Geographic Information System, is offered the place. If distances are identical, random allocation decides.
If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?
A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.
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 built to match the format, timing and question styles 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
build confidence in tackling unseen texts
And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.
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.
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Take control of your child’s 11+ preparation.
Not sure if your child is on track for the grammar school 11+? You don’t need to guess what to cover or whether they’re ready. Atom shows you exactly what to practise each week and how they’re performing, so you can stay ahead of the process without the stress.
