Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact Royal Russell 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 Royal Russell School 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
If your child would be happier in a warm, all-round community than in a hothouse, Royal Russell is worth a close look. The Good Schools Guide paints a picture of happy, busy people and a buzzy feeling all over, with something going on round every corner, in grounds it calls heavenly. It is a co-educational day and boarding school in Croydon, taking children from nursery age right through to eighteen, and it is ten minutes from East Croydon by tram, so the green setting comes without a long commute.
The school was founded in 1853 at New Cross as the Warehousemen and Clerks' Schools, set up to care for orphaned and needy children, and became one of the earliest co-educational schools in the country. In 1924 it moved to the wooded 110-acre Ballards estate, where it has stayed ever since. The Guide describes it as inclusive, family friendly and, it adds, dog friendly. Children follow individual pathways with a wide choice of subjects, and the list of things to do beyond lessons runs long, from drama where everyone can try acting, lighting or set design to virtually every sport going across floodlit pitches and the school's own cross-country track. Boarders are handed a soft lion mascot called Roary when they arrive and settle into a relaxed set-up with their own house games and sitting rooms. Means-tested bursaries and scholarships open the doors wider.
This suits a child who will do well in a kind, busy place that cares about the whole of them, whether boarding or coming in by day. Led since 2011 by headmaster Chris Hutchinson, it is a school built around understanding each child rather than pushing them through.
Royal Russell School uses the Quest Admissions exam board for its 11+ entrance exam.
Yes, an interview stage is part of the 11+ admissions process at Royal Russell School.
Royal Russell School is a co-educational school, accepting both boys and girls for Year 7 entry.
You can find 11+ admissions information on the Royal Russell School website at https://www.royalrussell.co.uk/admissions/welcome/year-7-entry-11.
Royal Russell School is an independent day and boarding school.
Yes. Royal Russell runs a means-tested bursary programme to help families who meet the school's entry requirements but need support with fees. To be considered, tick the box on the registration form; both parents then complete a Statement of Financial Circumstances form and provide proof of income and assets. The level of help depends on your circumstances and can go up to full fee remission in cases of proven need. Bursaries are reviewed every year, are offered from Year 7 upwards, and are only available to families resident in the UK.
Royal Russell offers academic scholarships and scholarships in Drama, Music, Sport and Art. Every child is automatically considered for an academic scholarship based on their entrance exam or GCSE performance, so there's no separate form for that one. For Drama, Music, Sport or Art you apply with a specific form and your child attends an audition or assessment in that area. Scholarships are awarded as a percentage off tuition fees, up to a maximum of 35%, regardless of family income, and are reviewed each year.
Every child applying for Year 7 has an individual interview with a senior member of staff, alongside the entrance exam. You're asked to bring a small sample of school work or an object of interest, which is often used as a starting point for the conversation. Interviews can be in person or online. The school also looks at the report from your child's current school and how they get on during the day. It isn't something to cram for; the aim is to get a rounded picture of your child, not to catch them out.
