Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Ribston Hall 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 Ribston Hall High School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
If your daughter is ambitious but happiest learning at her own pace, Ribston Hall is the Gloucester grammar that tends to feel right to families the moment they walk in. The Good Schools Guide records exactly that, a comment it heard again and again, that it felt right. It calls Ribston a friendly girls' grammar where pupils quickly find kindred spirits, and notes it is on an upward trajectory academically. The school opened in 1921 and is one of seven grammars across Gloucestershire, with girls joining Year 7 through the county 11-plus and no fee to pay.
The character of the place is calm rather than pressured. The Good Schools Guide describes girls who are motivated but do not feel under strain, and praises a focus on wellbeing that runs through the school. Music has grown lively in recent years. New staff have brought in jazz, with performances at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, alongside rock bands, a whole-school orchestra and several choirs. Sport is described by pupils as inclusive rather than elite, with plenty of room on teams for those who want to play.
The school sits on Stroud Road and takes a broad view of what a girl can do, valuing each subject and the person alongside the score. Pastoral care has a warm reputation you feel in the everyday detail of school life. Led since February 2024 by headteacher Alec Waters, Ribston Hall suits a girl who wants strong teaching without the temperature being turned up, and who will settle quickly among others who feel the same.
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Does Ribston Hall High School have a catchment area?
No. The school states it does not have a catchment area. Girls must reach the qualifying standard in the Gloucestershire entrance test, and places are then offered by rank order after priority for looked-after and Pupil Premium pupils, with distance used only as a tie-break.
Ribston Hall High School uses the GL 11+ exam for its Year 7 entry.
No, Ribston Hall High School does not have an interview stage as part of its 11+ admissions process.
Ribston Hall High School is a single-sex school for girls.
The official website for Ribston Hall High School is https://www.ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk/.
No, Ribston Hall High School does not have a catchment area. Places are offered by rank order after achieving the qualifying standard, with distance used only as a tie-break.
Ribston Hall High School is a grammar school in Gloucestershire.
Your daughter first needs to reach the qualifying standard in the school's entrance test, as only girls who meet that standard can be considered. Places are then offered in priority order: children in care or previously in care first, then a set number of Pupil Premium places (girls in Gloucester postcodes GL1 to GL4 first, then those outside), then all other girls by rank order in the test. If two girls tie, the place goes to whoever lives closest. A girl with an EHC plan naming the school is admitted first. The qualifying standard isn't a fixed pass mark; it's set after the test and depends on demand each year.
If your daughter can't sit the test on the day because of illness, accident or sudden bereavement, the school may arrange a similar replacement test, normally no later than the end of September. You'll need to contact the school's Admissions Officer before the normal test day to discuss it, and the school will ask for proof of illness or other evidence. The policy also asks you to flag any disability or specific need when you register, so facilities can be put in place for the test.
