RGS Guildford 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

About RGS Guildford

RGS Guildford is a boys’ independent day school for ages 11 to 18 on the High Street in Guildford, Surrey.

In December 2025 the school announced a move to co-education, though the change reaches Year 7 later than the rest of the school, which we explain below.

Key information for 2027 entry to RGS Guildford at 11 Plus (11+)

• School type: currently a boys’ independent day school, ages 11-18; girls join Year 12 (Lower Sixth) and RGS Prep’s Nursery, Reception and Year 3 from September 2027
• Places: around 150 places in the First Form (Year 7) each year, from over 400 applicants across more than 130 schools; roughly 45% of the intake comes from state primary schools
• Assessment: a confidential school report first, then ISEB Common Pre-Tests (English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning) on a Saturday in November, plus a piece of creative writing and a staff interview on the day
• Registration deadline: 15 October 2026. Fee £100 (UK), £200 overseas
• Entrance assessments: 7 November 2026; ISEB Common Pre-Tests: 13 November 2026
• Second interviews (where called back): 13 January 2027; offer date mid-February 2027
• Acceptance: digital form via DocuSign; deposit 25% of the first term’s fees, refunded at the end of your child’s time at the school
• Contact details: 01483 880 600; [email protected]

Admissions information for 2027 entry to RGS Guildford at 11 Plus (11+)

RGS Guildford shares a genuinely strong, specific statistic direct from its own FAQ page: around 150 places in the First Form each year, drawn from over 400 applicants at more than 130 different schools, with roughly 45% coming from state primary schools. That’s a useful number to have in mind when weighing the odds here against a smaller intake elsewhere.

The school also runs a reassuring three-tier outcome after the first round of assessment: candidates are sorted into clear offers, clear declines, and a ‘remaining’ group called back for a second interview in January before a final decision. Most candidates in that middle group aren’t simply rejected outright, worth knowing if your son doesn’t hear a firm yes or no straight away.

On co-education: RGS Guildford announced in December 2025 that girls will join Year 12 and RGS Prep’s Nursery, Reception and Year 3 from September 2027, with Year 7 co-education following in what the school’s own site describes only as ‘a subsequent year’. Some press coverage has named September 2028 for Year 7, but that date doesn’t appear on RGS Guildford’s own website, so we’re not treating it as confirmed. If you’re considering RGS Guildford for a daughter at 11+, this school isn’t there yet, and the exact year it will be isn’t stated by the school itself.

How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exams at RGS Guildford?

1. Register by 15 October 2026. The fee is £100 for UK applicants, £200 overseas.
2. A confidential report is requested from your child’s current school.
3. Entrance assessments run on 7 November 2026, and the ISEB Common Pre-Tests follow on 13 November 2026, alongside a piece of creative writing and a staff interview on the day.
4. Candidates in the ‘remaining’ group after marking attend a second interview on 13 January 2027.
5. Offers arrive in mid-February 2027; accept via the digital DocuSign form, with a deposit of 25% of the first term’s fees.

What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for RGS Guildford?

The process runs in stages:

• A confidential school report, requested first.
• ISEB Common Pre-Tests in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, online and multiple-choice, on 13 November 2026.
• A piece of creative writing and a staff interview, both on the same day as the entrance assessments.
• For the ‘remaining’ group after marking, a second interview in January.

Currently, this whole process applies to boys only. Girls don’t yet sit the Year 7 entrance process, since RGS Guildford’s co-education change reaches the Sixth Form and Prep first, with Year 7 following in a year the school hasn’t yet named.

RGS Guildford 11 Plus (11+) top tips for your child

• Practise ISEB-style multiple-choice papers across English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, since that’s the entrance test itself.
• Keep creative writing sharp too. It sits alongside the Pre-Tests on the same day, not as a separate paper weeks apart.
• Prepare for a real interview, not just a formality. Every candidate is interviewed on the day, and a further group is interviewed again in January.
• Don’t assume a slow first response is a rejection. RGS Guildford’s ‘remaining’ group goes to a second interview before any final decision.
• If you’re weighing RGS Guildford for a daughter, be aware Year 7 co-education is announced but not yet dated by the school itself; confirm current admissions policy directly before assuming she can apply.

How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) RGS Guildford exam

Preparation for RGS Guildford is ISEB-style multiple-choice practice across all four subjects, plus regular creative writing and interview practice, since all three happen on the same November day. With assessments in mid-November, the autumn term of Year 6 is the working window, and it’s worth easing off enough that your son arrives fresh on 13 November.

For RGS Guildford 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs: