Know exactly where your child stands for Ilford County High School
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Ilford County High School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Ilford County High School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Ilford County High School
Ilford County High School is a selective boys' grammar school in Redbridge. The 11+ entrance exam uses the GL exam board and is a single-stage process with no interview. There is a catchment area, with priority based on location and distance from the school.
Ilford County High School is a place for a hard-working boy who responds well to structure and clear, high expectations. It is a selective boys' grammar in Barkingside, in the London Borough of Redbridge, teaching around 1,130 boys aged 11 to 18, and it remains one of the most heavily over-subscribed grammars in the area. The school traces its start to 1901 and settled on its present Fremantle Road site in 1935, with plenty of on-site space that gives sport room to breathe.
The Good Schools Guide is honest about what to expect, which parents tend to appreciate. It describes a very high standard of teaching that produces young men who seem genuinely well prepared for the world beyond school. It is not for the faint-hearted, the Guide adds, with firm rules and high expectations, but a strong support system sits behind it all, and the boys it describes come across as well-adjusted, happy and hungry to learn. The school's own ethos rests on integrity, courtesy and hard work. Cricket and football are the standout sports, and there is obvious pride in a long tradition of academic achievement.
This is a school that suits a resilient child whose family wants an unashamedly academic setting with real pastoral backing rather than a gentle one. It is led by headteacher Gavin Barnett, who took up the post in 2025 after leading Stone Lodge School in Dartford. If your son is the sort who thrives on being known, challenged and held to a standard, he is likely to settle in well here and leave it ready for what comes next.
Key facts
Admissions
Admissions contact
enquiries@ichs.org.uk
Admissions phone
020 8551 6496
Registration form
https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/schools/secondary-school-places/selective-eleven-plus-tests/
Sibling policy
What this school tests
Redbridge 11 Plus
English
- Punctuation
- Reading Comprehension - Comparison
- Reading Comprehension - Evaluation
- Reading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuation
- Reading Comprehension - Inference and Deduction
- Reading Comprehension - Information Retrieval
- Reading Comprehension - Language Techniques and Imagery
- Reading Comprehension - Sentence-level Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension - Sequencing
- Reading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and Tone
- Reading Comprehension - Summarising
- Reading Comprehension - Text Classification and Purpose
- Reading Comprehension - Types of Words and Phrases
- Reading Comprehension - Word Meaning / Choice
- Sentence Completion
- Spelling
Maths
- Algebra
- Angles and Degrees
- BIDMAS
- Coordinate Grids
- Estimation and Rounding
- Factors and Multiples
- Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
- Magic squares
- Measurement
- Money
- Number and Place Value
- Number Walls
- Operations
- Perimeter, Area and Volume
- Position and Direction
- Properties of Shapes
- Ratio and Proportion
- Reflection, Rotation and Symmetry
- Sequences
- Special Numbers
- Speed, Distance and Time
- Statistics
- Time
Non-verbal Reasoning
- Extended Figure Series
- Figure Analogies
- Figure Matrices
- Figure Operations
- Figure Series
- Grid Matrices
- Horizontal Codes
- Most Like Three Figures
- Most Like Two Figures
- Odd Figure Out
- Star Matrices
- Triangle Matrices
- Triangle Series
- Vertical Codes
Verbal Reasoning
- Anagrams
- Compound Words
- Embedded Words
- Form a Word
- Insert a Letter
- Letter Analogies
- Letter Calculations
- Letter Codes
- Letter Grids
- Letter Sequences
- Move 1 / 2 Letters
- Number Analogies
- Number Calculations
- Number Sequences
- Related Words
- Rhyming Synonyms
- Shuffled Sentences
- Synonyms
- Word / Logic Puzzles
- Word Analogies
- Word Completion
- Word Match
- Word Opposites
- Word Pairs
- Word Relationships
- Words and Codes
Spatial Reasoning
- 2D Rotations
- Block Counting
- Combining Shapes
- Fold and Punch
- Folding Cubes
- Hidden Shapes
- Missing Face of Cube
- Shape Completion
Catchment area
Does Ilford County High School have a catchment area?
Yes, there is a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school.
Selection review and safety net
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 75.7 across their GCSEs. 97.2% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 74.4% achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
A-level results
In 2025 students achieved a B average grade per A-Level entry. 35.4% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does Ilford County High School use for the 11+?
Ilford County High School uses the GL Assessment exam board for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Ilford County High School interview as part of the 11+?
No, there is no interview stage as part of the 11+ entrance process for Ilford County High School.
Is Ilford County High School co-educational or single-sex?
Ilford County High School is a single-sex school for boys. It admits boys aged 11 to 18.
What is Ilford County High School's official website?
The official website for Ilford County High School is https://www.ichs.org.uk/.
Does Ilford County High School have a catchment area for 11+ entry?
Yes, Ilford County High School operates a catchment area. Priority for 11+ entry is based on location and distance from the school.
How do you get a place at Ilford County High School?
To be considered, a child first needs to reach the required standard in the Redbridge 11+ selection test. If more boys qualify than there are places, they are ranked in this order: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then a quarter of places for children eligible for Pupil Premium, then children living in the Common Catchment Area, then those living outside it, each ranked by test score. There is no sibling priority for the grammar place, and distance from home to school is used only to settle ties.
What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Ilford County High School?
The 11+ is run by Redbridge Council, not the school. If your child registers on time but cannot sit the test because they are ill, a later sitting can be arranged, but only with a doctor's certificate or other proof of why they could not attend. Note that no alternative date is offered if the clash is with another grammar school's test. For access arrangements, tell the council when you apply and supply your child's primary school care plan, as no adjustments are considered after mid-Jun.
Location
https://www.google.com/maps?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2478.704657372981!2d0.07474885176277135!3d51.59197607954927!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x47d8a6b0e4af371b%3A0x3179d31aaa15a484!2sIlford%20County%20High%20School!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sph!4v1677663774988!5m2!1sen!2sph
