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Sir Thomas Rich's School
Sir Thomas Rich's School (STRS) is a selective boys' grammar school in Gloucestershire, admitting around 150 boys into Year 7. The 11+ entrance exam uses the GL assessment, and there is no interview stage. The school is heavily oversubscribed, with a mixed sixth form.
If your son is academically able and loves his sport, Sir Thomas Rich's is one of the schools Gloucester families chase hardest. Known locally as STRS, it is a selective boys' grammar that takes around 150 boys into Year 7 through the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Admissions Test, and it is heavily oversubscribed. Boys stay through to 18, and the sixth form opens to girls as well, so the older years are mixed. It is a busy, traditional school with a strong sense of where it has come from.
That sense of history goes back to 1666, when Sir Thomas Rich, a Gloucester man, left his house and a sum of money to educate twenty poor local boys. The school opened as the Blue Coat Hospital, run along the lines of Christ's Hospital, and only took its founder's name in 1882. Today it is best known for sport, and rugby above all. The Good Schools Guide says rugby is king here, with one of the strongest school clubs in the county, and it is a big part of why many boys choose the place. The Guide also describes a school less worried about neat handwriting and spelling than about the thinking behind the work, with eight short lessons a day to keep the boys' attention sharp.
Sir Thomas Rich's suits an able, sporty boy who will enjoy a lively, traditional grammar school that wears its long history with pride. It has been led since 2024 by headteacher Matthew Lynch, who taught here for years before becoming deputy and then head, so he knows the place inside out.
Key facts
Admissions
Registration form
View registration detailsSibling policy
No
What this school tests
Gloucestershire Grammar Schools’ Entrance Test
English16 question types
Maths23 question types
Non-verbal Reasoning14 question types
Verbal Reasoning26 question types
Spatial Reasoning8 question types
Catchment area
No
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 77.2 across their GCSEs. 98.7% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 42.9% 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. 32.5% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does Sir Thomas Rich's School use for the 11+?
Sir Thomas Rich's School uses the GL assessment for its 11+ entrance exam.
Does Sir Thomas Rich's School interview as part of the 11+ process?
No, there is no interview stage for the 11+ admissions process at Sir Thomas Rich's School.
Is Sir Thomas Rich's School a single-sex or co-educational school?
Sir Thomas Rich's School admits boys into Year 7. The sixth form is co-educational, admitting girls as well.
How many Year 7 places are available at Sir Thomas Rich's School?
Sir Thomas Rich's School admits around 150 boys into Year 7 each year.
What is the official website for Sir Thomas Rich's School?
The official website for Sir Thomas Rich's School is https://strschool.co.uk/.
Are there annual fees for Sir Thomas Rich's School?
As a grammar school, Sir Thomas Rich's School does not charge annual fees.
Location
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