Sir Thomas Rich's School 11+ guide

Atom Learning is partnered with Sir Thomas Rich's School. You can read more about our partnership here.

Are you thinking about applying to Sir Thomas Rich's School? Find out everything you need to know about the entry process and how to prepare for the 11+ exam.

Key information for Sir Thomas Rich's School

• School type: boys' grammar school
• Location: Gloucester
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• Number of places in Year 7: 150
• 11+ exam: Gloucestershire Grammar Schools' Entrance Test
• Catchment area: no

Important dates for 2027 entry

• Monday 18th May 2026: test registration opens
• Friday 26th June 2026: test registration closes
• Saturday 12th September 2026: test day
• Mid-October 2026: parents receive test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: deadline to apply for secondary school places
• Monday 1st March 2027: secondary school national offers day

How to apply to Sir Thomas Rich's School

Sir Thomas Rich's School is selective. This means that your child will need to take the 11+ exam to be eligible for a place.

In Gloucestershire, the 11+ is known as the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test. All grammar schools in Gloucestershire use this test to select children for Year 7 places. If you would like your child to be considered for a place at more than one grammar school in Gloucestershire, they will only need to take the test once.

You must register your child for the test. A link to register will be available on the participating schools’ websites during the registration window.

The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test will take place on Saturday 12th September 2026. You’ll be emailed details about the test location, time, and what your child needs to bring before Monday 7th September.

Your child’s results will be emailed to you in mid-October. If they meet the qualifying standard for Sir Thomas Rich's School, you can apply for a place by naming the school on your common application form. This must be submitted to your local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Important note: passing the test doesn’t guarantee that your child will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Grammar schools are often oversubscribed with children who meet the qualifying standard. After the 31st October deadline, schools use admissions criteria to allocate places.

We’ve outlined the process for Sir Thomas Rich's School below.

What will my child be tested on?

The test consists of two one-hour papers. Both papers are multiple-choice. There will be a break between the two papers.

One paper tests verbal skills. This includes reading comprehension, vocabulary, and verbal reasoning. The other paper tests non-verbal skills. This covers non-verbal reasoning and maths.

For more details, take a look at our guide to the Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test.

How are places allocated at Sir Thomas Rich's School?

In mid-October, you’ll receive your child’s test results. Children who are ranked within the top 150 in the test are guaranteed a place if you list the school as your first preference on your common application form. This must be submitted to your home local authority by the 31st October.

Children who qualify and rank at 151 or lower might still be offered a place. This can depend on other factors, which are outlined in the school admissions policy.

Does Sir Thomas Rich's School have a catchment area?

Sir Thomas Rich's School doesn’t have a catchment area. If your child meets the qualifying standard, they are eligible to apply for a place regardless of where they live.

If a tie-break is needed (e.g. there is one place left and two children have the same score), the child living closest to the school will be prioritised for a place.

If you don’t live close to the school, it’s important to think about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?

A longer or more complex journey can affect your child’s daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest, and after-school activities.

It’s a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.

How can I help my child prepare for the test?

The Gloucestershire Grammar Schools Entrance Test can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s how you can help your child prepare for test day.

Stay on track with a clear plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.

A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.

Atom’s exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child’s exam date and target schools, and we’ll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they’ll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.

That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.

Build smart exam technique

As your child’s knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.

Atom’s 11+ practice papers are exact replicas of real 11+ exams. They’re also unlimited – you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.

We’ve made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child’s answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child’s standardised age score (SAS), where they’re doing well, and what they should focus on next. You’ll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.

Encourage regular reading

Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.

Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.

Over time, regular reading will:

• broaden their vocabulary
• improve comprehension and inference
• build confidence in tackling unseen texts

And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.

Looking for inspiration? Atom’s recommended reading lists have suggestions spanning fiction and non-fiction for Years 3–6.

Celebrate progress, not just scores

When you’re supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they’re moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.

Atom’s progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they’re moving in. You can see where they’re on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.

That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.