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Royal Grammar School

School typeGrammar

Also known asRGS Wycombe, RGSHW

AddressAmersham Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, HP13 6QT

Royal Grammar School (RGS Wycombe) uses the GL 11+ exam for Year 7 entry. It is a boys' grammar school, offering state-funded day places with no interview stage. A designated catchment area applies to day applicants, but not for boarding places.

If you have a boy who wants real academic stretch and somewhere to throw himself into sport or music, the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe is the Buckinghamshire name he will likely have heard. The Good Schools Guide calls it a shining example of a boys' grammar, one that competes with independents on almost level terms and strikes a good balance between strict and relaxed. It is a boys' grammar with a co-educational sixth form, state-funded so there is no fee for day places, and entry is through the county 11-plus. The school holds a royal charter granted in 1562.

What stands out, in the words of the same review, is that boys here almost all excel at something, most commonly academics, rugby and music. RGS is closely tied to rugby, with a corridor lined with the framed, signed shirts of former pupils who went on to play professionally, and three National Schools Cup wins to its name. The music department is just as strong, recently shortlisted twice for a national Music and Drama Education award. Unusually for a state school, it offers boarding, taken up mainly by weekly boarders and some international pupils.

The site near Amersham Road carries an old charm in its entrance building, the rest red brick and unfussy. The Good Schools Guide describes boys who are spirited and chatty rather than robotic, in a school that works hard on confidence and articulacy. Led since 2015 by headmaster Philip Wayne, RGS suits a boy who wants depth as well as breadth, and who might value boarding close to home.

Key facts

Gender

Boys

Year 7 places

Day: 182 Boarding: 10

Annual fees

None

Website

Visit school website

Admissions

Open day

July

Registration opens

May

Registration closes

June

CAF deadline

Oct

Admissions contact

admissions@rgshw.com

Admissions phone

0149 452 4955

Registration form

View registration details

Sibling policy

Yes

What this school tests

Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test

English16 question types

PunctuationReading Comprehension - ComparisonReading Comprehension - EvaluationReading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuationReading Comprehension - Inference and DeductionReading Comprehension - Information RetrievalReading Comprehension - Language Techniques and ImageryReading Comprehension - Sentence-level ComprehensionReading Comprehension - SequencingReading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and ToneReading Comprehension - SummarisingReading Comprehension - Text Classification and PurposeReading Comprehension - Types of Words and PhrasesReading Comprehension - Word Meaning / ChoiceSentence CompletionSpelling

Maths23 question types

AlgebraAngles and DegreesBIDMASCoordinate GridsEstimation and RoundingFactors and MultiplesFractions, Decimals and PercentagesMagic squaresMeasurementMoneyNumber and Place ValueNumber WallsOperationsPerimeter, Area and VolumePosition and DirectionProperties of ShapesRatio and ProportionReflection, Rotation and SymmetrySequencesSpecial NumbersSpeed, Distance and TimeStatisticsTime

Non-verbal Reasoning14 question types

Extended Figure SeriesFigure AnalogiesFigure MatricesFigure OperationsFigure SeriesGrid MatricesHorizontal CodesMost Like Three FiguresMost Like Two FiguresOdd Figure OutStar MatricesTriangle MatricesTriangle SeriesVertical Codes

Verbal Reasoning26 question types

AnagramsCompound WordsEmbedded WordsForm a WordInsert a LetterLetter AnalogiesLetter CalculationsLetter CodesLetter GridsLetter SequencesMove 1 / 2 LettersNumber AnalogiesNumber CalculationsNumber SequencesRelated WordsRhyming SynonymsShuffled SentencesSynonymsWord / Logic PuzzlesWord AnalogiesWord CompletionWord MatchWord OppositesWord PairsWord RelationshipsWords and Codes

Spatial Reasoning8 question types

2D RotationsBlock CountingCombining ShapesFold and PunchFolding CubesHidden ShapesMissing Face of CubeShape Completion

Catchment area

Does the Royal Grammar School have a catchment area?

Yes, RGS High Wycombe has a designated catchment area, split into Priority Area A and Priority Area B, used to prioritise qualified day applicants when the school is oversubscribed. There is no catchment requirement for boarding places. Visit Buckingham Council website for more details https://schools.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/school-admissions/nearest

Previous exam results

GCSE results

In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 73.9 across their GCSEs. 97.6% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 76.3% 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 an A- average grade per A-Level entry. 47.7% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

Frequently asked questions

What exam board does Royal Grammar School use for the 11+?

Royal Grammar School (RGS Wycombe) uses the GL 11+ exam for its Year 7 entry.

What is the 11+ pass mark for Royal Grammar School?

The specific 11+ pass mark for Royal Grammar School is not publicly disclosed.

Does Royal Grammar School interview as part of the 11+?

No, Royal Grammar School does not include an interview stage as part of its 11+ admissions process.

Is Royal Grammar School co-educational or single-sex?

Royal Grammar School is a single-sex boys' grammar school for Years 7-11, with a co-educational sixth form.

Does Royal Grammar School have a catchment area?

Yes, Royal Grammar School has a designated catchment area (Priority Area A and B) for day applicants. This does not apply to boarding places.

What is Royal Grammar School's website?

The official website for Royal Grammar School is https://www.rgshw.com/.

How do you get a place at Royal Grammar School?

Your son first needs to reach the required standard in the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test, or be deemed qualified by a Selection Review, as only qualified boys are considered. Places are then offered in priority order: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then a small number of catchment Pupil Premium boys scoring just below the threshold, then qualified catchment Pupil Premium boys, then siblings of current pupils, then boys living in the catchment area (Priority Area A before B by distance), then children of staff, and finally by distance. A qualified boy 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 Royal Grammar School?

The Secondary Transfer Test is run by Buckinghamshire Council, which administers testing for all the Buckinghamshire grammar schools, so arrangements for illness and any reasonable adjustments are handled through the council. If your son has a disability or needs special arrangements, request these in writing with supporting evidence when you register. If he can't sit the test because he's unwell, the policy points to the council's Selection Review route for boys who couldn't show their ability, so contact Buckinghamshire Council and the school as early as you can.

Location

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