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Ripon Grammar School
Ripon Grammar School is a free, co-educational selective grammar school that uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entrance exam. There is no interview stage, and the school operates a catchment area with priority given based on location and distance.
If you have an academically able child and you want somewhere that cares about the whole of them, not just the marks, Ripon Grammar is worth a serious look. The Good Schools Guide describes it as "forward thinking, down to earth and pupil focused", a school that makes sure children leave well rounded and ready for the next step rather than simply well drilled. It is a free, co-educational selective grammar in Ripon, North Yorkshire, with roots that run a long way back. Queen Mary signed a royal charter in 1555 founding the Free Grammar School of Queen Mary, meant to be free of charge to local children, and the old Yorkshire motto translates as eager to learn and seek after righteousness.
What sets Ripon apart from most day grammars is its boarding. It is the only state-maintained boarding school in Yorkshire, a tradition that grew out of a real practical need, reaching children on outlying farms and villages who could not travel in each day. Boarding sits alongside ordinary day places, and pupils from further afield live on site during the week, which gives the school a slightly different rhythm and a strong sense of community.
Originally a boys' school, it merged with Ripon Girls' School to become co-educational in 1962, and that grounded, friendly Yorkshire character still comes through, ambition and warmth held in the same hand. It suits a child who would value a selective grammar with a settled, caring atmosphere, and the boarding option opens it to families well beyond easy daily travel. The head is Jonathan Webb, a Yorkshireman in post since 2017, and what families tend to remember is how at home their child felt here.
Key facts
Admissions
Registration form
View registration detailsSibling policy
No
What this school tests
Entrance Test
English15 question types
Maths23 question types
Non-verbal Reasoning14 question types
Verbal Reasoning26 question types
Catchment area
Does Ripon Grammar School have a catchment area?
Yes, Ripon Grammar School has a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school. Please visit North Yorkshire Council website for details https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-admissions/finding-school
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 70.9 across their GCSEs. 93.7% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 53.2% 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. 35.5% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does Ripon Grammar School use for the 11+?
Ripon Grammar School uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Ripon Grammar School interview as part of the 11+?
No, there is no interview stage as part of the 11+ admissions process at Ripon Grammar School.
Is Ripon Grammar School co-educational or single-sex?
Ripon Grammar School is a co-educational school, admitting both boys and girls.
Does Ripon Grammar School have a catchment area?
Yes, Ripon Grammar School has a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school. Further details are available on the North Yorkshire Council website.
What is Ripon Grammar School's official website?
The official website for Ripon Grammar School is https://www.ripongrammar.co.uk/.
How do you get a place at Ripon Grammar School?
Your child first needs to reach the prescribed academic standard in the selection test, as this is a selective school and the standard comes first. For day places, every child who reaches the standard is offered a place, up to the school's admission number. Boarding places are ranked separately, in priority order: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then children of UK Armed Forces families who get MOD boarding support, then children with a recognised boarding need, then termly and weekly boarding applications, with siblings and distance used as tie-breaks. A child with an EHCP naming the school is admitted first. There's no fixed pass mark; it depends on demand each year.
What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Ripon Grammar School?
This boarding admissions policy doesn't set out a separate procedure for a child who falls ill on the test day itself. If your child has a disability or specific need, flag it with the school as early as you can so any reasonable arrangements can be considered. If your child can't sit the test on the day because of illness, contact the school's admissions office straight away to ask what options are open, since the policy doesn't describe a reserve test.
Location
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