About Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School (CRGS) is a selective grammar school in Clitheroe, Lancashire, admitting 180 pupils per year. Note: CRGS uses the FSCE entrance exam — two papers covering English and Mathematics from the KS2 curriculum. The exam takes place on Saturday 26th September 2026. Bursaries are available and Pupil Premium students receive free familiarisation materials.
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 67.7%. A-Level A*–B: 61.2%.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Admissions Criteria
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School (CRGS) is a selective grammar school in Clitheroe, Lancashire, admitting 180 pupils per year. Note: CRGS uses the FSCE entrance exam — two papers covering English and Mathematics from the KS2 curriculum. The exam takes place on Saturday 26th September 2026. Bursaries are available and Pupil Premium students receive free familiarisation materials.
- ✓Applications for the entrance exam open 1st June 2026 at noon and close 12:00 noon on Friday 4th September 2026.
- ✓Sit two FSCE papers on Saturday 26th September 2026: Paper 1 (English + Maths, multiple-choice) and Paper 2 (English + Maths, short written answers).
- ✓Papers assess knowledge and skills from the KS2 curriculum up to the end of Year 5.
- ✓Complete the Lancashire LA Common Application Form by 31st October 2026.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Children within the school's catchment area who achieve the qualifying score.
- ✓Children from primary schools with a strong historical link to CRGS.
- ✓All other qualifying children, ranked by distance from the school.
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the None Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Final ranking uses the standardised score achieved in the Independent 11+ entrance test.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Clitheroe Royal Grammar School)
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Clitheroe Royal Grammar School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 (varies by school) |
| 📌 Independent 11+ Entrance Test | September 2026 (English, Maths and Creative Writing) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2026 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2026 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
How to Apply to Clitheroe Royal Grammar School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the Independent 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Lancashire) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026 (varies by school). There is no fee to sit the Independent 11+ test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the Independent 11+ Entrance Test
Your child sits the Independent 11+ in September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics and Creative Writing, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026, BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Clitheroe Royal Grammar School as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2026. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 1 March 2027. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Clitheroe Royal Grammar School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
Subjects Tested at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School runs its own entrance examination rather than a shared consortium test. It is now set by an external provider, Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE), usually sat in late September of Year 6 and covering English, mathematics and reasoning — and the format is changing for 2027 entry, so confirm the current arrangements with the school.
- English: comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and writing.
- Mathematics: Key Stage 2 problem-solving and numerical fluency.
- Reasoning: verbal (and, in previous years, non-verbal) reasoning.
Independent 11+ Practice Papers for Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School uses the Independent 11+ format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Clitheroe Royal Grammar School 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
Academic Performance at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School has a strong academic reputation built over centuries, welcoming pupils aged 11–18 into a supportive and ambitious environment with excellent pastoral care and exceptional attendance. It achieves strong results at GCSE and A-Level, and holds specialist language status.
- GCSE & A-Level: consistently strong results across a broad curriculum.
- Sixth form: a dedicated Sixth Form Centre on York Street.
- Progression: strong progression to leading universities.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
Unlike most local grammar schools, Clitheroe Royal runs its own entrance examination and is not part of a consortium, so its admissions are handled independently. The test usually takes place in late September of Year 6 and covers English, mathematics and reasoning. Importantly, the exam is now set by an external provider, Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE), and the format is changing for 2027 entry (broadly a multiple-choice paper plus a written, non-multiple-choice paper), so families should confirm the current format and provider directly with the school. Children at the school's partner primaries are auto-registered unless parents opt out; those at independent schools or living outside Lancashire apply to the Testing Administrator.
The school has an immediate and wider catchment area across the Ribble Valley and surrounding districts, but a qualifying score in the entrance test comes first. Where oversubscribed, priority runs through looked-after children, then catchment children eligible for Pupil Premium, then by score, with out-of-catchment children considered thereafter. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Founded in 1554, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School is a co-educational grammar in Clitheroe, Lancashire, with the motto 'Founded on Rock'. It operates across two sites — the Main School on Chatburn Road (BB7 2BA) for Years 7–11 and a Sixth Form Centre on York Street — with around 810 pupils in the Main School and a Pupil Admission Number permanently set at 180; pupils join from more than 40 primary schools within the catchment and beyond.
CRGS blends a long tradition of academic excellence with modern values, offering a broad curriculum and a rich range of extracurricular opportunities including sport, music, drama and student leadership. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply to Clitheroe Royal Grammar School for Year 7?
Register with the school for its entrance test (sat in September) and name Clitheroe Royal on your Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October 2026. Clitheroe Royal runs its own admissions, independent of any consortium.
What entrance test does Clitheroe Royal Grammar School use?
Its own entrance examination — it is not part of a consortium. The exam is now set by FSCE (Future Stories) and the format is changing for 2027 entry, broadly a multiple-choice paper plus a written (non-multiple-choice) paper covering English and Mathematics, based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum. Confirm the current format with the school.
Is Clitheroe Royal Grammar School selective, and is it free?
Yes. Clitheroe Royal Grammar School is a selective state grammar school (co-educational) and, as a state-funded school, charges no fees.
When does the entrance test take place?
In September. For September 2027 entry it falls in the autumn of 2026. The test is usually in late September; confirm the exact date with the school.
When are the results released?
In October 2026, before the Local Authority application deadline, so you can list Clitheroe Royal on your CAF in time.
When is National Offers Day in 2027?
National Offers Day is 1 March 2027, when Local Authorities tell families which secondary school place their child has been allocated.
Does Clitheroe Royal Grammar School have a catchment area?
Clitheroe Royal admits qualifying candidates by rank of test score, handled independently of any consortium; distance features in tie-breaks. Check the current admissions policy.
How many Year 7 places does Clitheroe Royal Grammar School offer?
About 180 places.
How can my child prepare for the Clitheroe Royal entrance test?
Because the FSCE test is built on the Key Stage 2 curriculum (up to the end of Year 5) and avoids verbal and non-verbal reasoning, focus on applying English and maths skills and timed creative writing rather than drilling reasoning. No past papers are published and the format changes yearly, so practise broadly. ExamTutor offers practice papers with full video explanations.