The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle: 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information

Introduction

The Royal Grammar School (RGS), Newcastle, is an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged 7 to 18. It was founded in the 16th century, initially as a boys’ school located next to St. Nicholas’ Cathedral. In 1906, it moved to its current location in Jesmond, and in 2008, it became fully co-educational.

Academic success is important at RGS. Excellent results in public examinations are a testament to the commitment of teachers and the hard work and motivation of pupils. In 2025, an impressive 80.7% of GCSE grades were in the 9-7 range, and 86.3% of A-Level grades were in the A*-B range.

The co-curricular programme is also a key part of school life. Pupils have a vast array of activities to choose from, enabling them to pursue their passions, whatever they may be. Available clubs include Climate Club, Chess Club and Apple Coding Club. Sport, drama and music all feature prominently in the programme, too.

RGS recognises that pupils need to feel happy, safe and secure to reach their full potential. Storm, the school therapy dog, does her bit for pupil wellbeing, visiting every week with a qualified volunteer. Mobile phones are banned in school, which promotes the art of conversation during break times and strengthens friendships. 

If you are interested in your child joining RGS in Year 7, please read on.

Admissions Process for 11 Plus Entry to The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle

Choosing a school for your child is a big decision, which is why visiting RGS on the Open Morning in November is a good way to start the admissions process. It will enable you to learn more about the school’s ethos, view the facilities and meet staff and current pupils, giving you a feel for the place.

The next step is to complete the registration form. This must be done by the deadline at the start of December if you are applying for a bursary and by the beginning of January if you are not. A non-refundable registration fee of £25 applies. 

In January of Year 6, your child will sit an online Quest assessment. A report from their current school will also be requested and reviewed by RGS. 

Selected candidates will then be invited to return to RGS for a group activity session later in January. If your child progresses to this stage, RGS staff will assess their interactions with others and evaluate whether they are likely to thrive at the school. 

Offers will be made at the beginning of March. If your child is offered a place and you accept it, you will be required to pay a £200 deposit.

The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle: Scholarships and Bursaries for Year 7 Entry

RGS does not offer scholarships.

Bursaries are means-tested awards and are available for children who would benefit from an education at RGS but whose families cannot afford the full fees.

To be eligible for a bursary, the following must apply:

1. You must live in the North East of England.    
2. Your child must be willing to embrace all that RGS has to offer and be capable of coping with the demands of a challenging curriculum.
3. Your household income must mean that you are unable to pay the full school fees (it is unlikely that you will be eligible for a bursary if your household income exceeds £55,000).

Please be aware that even if you are eligible for a bursary, it does not guarantee that you will be awarded one, as RGS has limited funds.

For more information about bursaries, please visit this link.

The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle: Entrance Test and Group Activity for Year 7 Entry

The RGS online Quest assessment for Year 7 entry is designed to evaluate your child’s maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English comprehension and literacy skills using the following sections:

1. Maths: The maths section will test your child’s knowledge of the Year 5 national curriculum for maths. Questions will require them to use reasoning skills and logic, sometimes having to work their way through several steps to reach the answer. The topics that can come up are:

• Number, including fractions, decimals and percentages, as well as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Measurement, including converting between different units of measurement and calculating the area of rectangles.
• Geometry, including identifying 3-D shapes and measuring angles.
• Statistics, including extracting information from a line graph and reading timetables.

2. English: The English section will comprise a passage that could be fiction or non-fiction. Your child will have to read the passage and then answer questions on it, which will evaluate their ability to:

• Extract information from the passage.
• Use the context to work out the meaning of words.
• Make inferences.
• Understand the author’s intention.

Questions may also cover spelling, punctuation and grammar.

3. Verbal Reasoning: The verbal reasoning section will consist of questions that test how well your child can solve problems that use written information. A broad vocabulary is essential for excelling in this area.

4. Non-Verbal Reasoning: The non-verbal reasoning section will analyse your child’s proficiency in solving problems using visual information, such as shapes, pictures and diagrams.

Parts of the assessment will be adaptive, meaning the questions will become easier or harder depending on whether your child answers them correctly or not. This is a way to keep all candidates motivated, ensuring the questions are at a level suitable for them. Harder questions are worth more marks.

If your child performs well in the RGS online Quest assessment, they will be invited to return to the school to participate in a group activity. Staff will be looking to see if your child can do the following:

1. Interact well with their peers.
2. Interact well with staff.
3. Work collaboratively.
4. Step up to lead the group if appropriate.  

They will use this information to determine if your child is a good fit for RGS.

Preparing for Year 7 entry to a sought-after school can be daunting, but there are plenty of things you can do to help your child feel confident and ready.

How to Help Your Child Prepare for The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, Year 7 Entrance Exam 

We recommend the following so that your child can excel in the RGS online Quest assessment for Year 7 entry and their group activity:

1. Stay on top of Year 5 work, checking your child understands each topic they have covered at school. You could ask their teacher if there are any areas they feel your child needs to spend more time on.
2. Keep study sessions to 20-30 minutes long, as that is the optimum length for your child to be able to maintain their focus. Regular breaks will help them recharge and assimilate the information they have revised.
3. Encourage them to join clubs to develop their social skills, including their ability to work as part of a group.
4. Ask for their opinions on current affairs and topical issues, appropriate for their age, so they get used to expressing their thoughts in words.
5. Play games that involve problem-solving and logical reasoning, such as chess and draughts. 
6. Give them access to a wide variety of reading material, as reading regularly is the best way to widen their vocabulary and enhance their reading comprehension skills. Ask them questions about books they have read to encourage them to think more deeply about the texts.
7. Promote a growth mindset, which is the belief that hard work pays off because we can all improve our abilities if we are prepared to put in the time and effort. 
8. Use our online Quest practice tests so that your child knows what to expect in the RGS Quest assessment. They will become accustomed to the question types, format and timings of the assessment. Additionally, they can learn from any mistakes they make, leading to a polished performance on the day.

Please look below for our resources that will help your child ace the RGS 11+ entrance exam.  

The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle: 11 Plus (11+)/Year 7 Entrance Exam Resources

Royal Grammar School 11+ Online Practice Tests

Our Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, 11+ Online Entrance Assessment Practice Tests are available on our other website, Pretest Plus, and provide realistic and highly accurate preparation for the actual exam. Each full mock test replicates the modules, timings and question types used in the real assessment, ensuring your child becomes familiar with the format and expectations. Covering Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, these tests are all pitched at the same difficulty level, allowing you to benchmark your child’s progress, track improvement and identify key areas for further practice.

11+ RGS Newcastle Practice Test 1

11+ RGS Newcastle Practice Test 2

11+ RGS Newcastle Practice Test 3

11+ RGS Newcastle Practice Test 4

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, 11+ Online Test at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:

11+ RGS Newcastle Practice Tests Bundle - Save 20%

Royal Grammar School 11+ Skill Practice

The following Skill Practice exercises focus on one module that will come up in the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, 11+ Online Test, allowing you to target the specific exam sections that your child finds challenging.

11+ RGS Newcastle Mathematics

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Please do contact us if you have any questions about our resources. We will do our best to help you. We want to take this opportunity to wish your child all the best in their entrance exam for admission to RGS.

The information provided about RGS was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware that there may be future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you need clarification on anything. School contact details are provided within the post.

Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the Quest online assessments or any other test publisher.