About the school
Colchester Royal Grammar School, often known as CRGS, is a selective boys’ grammar school located on Lexden Road in Colchester, Essex, with a co-educational sixth form. It regularly tops national A-level league tables and, unusually for a state school, offers boarding for sixth form students.
Colchester Royal Grammar School traces its origins to 1206 and was granted two Royal Charters – by Henry VIII in 1539 and by Elizabeth I in 1584 – making it one of the oldest schools in England. It became an academy in 2012, has around 950 pupils aged 11 to 18, and specialises in science and languages.
As a member of the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), Colchester Royal Grammar School selects pupils through the shared CSSE 11+ examination, with admissions coordinated by Essex County Council.
School type
Boys’ Grammar (Mixed Sixth Form)
Exam date
Saturday, 19th September 2026
Exam board
CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex)
Address
Lexden Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3ND
Age range
11–18 (Years 7–13)
Our tuition for Colchester Royal Grammar School supports pupils through Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 with structured lessons, intensive courses, full-time mock exams, and free practice papers
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Admissions information
The Colchester Royal Grammar School entrance test is the CSSE 11+, sat on Saturday, 19th September 2026. Here is everything you need to know about the admissions process and exam structure.
Colchester Royal Grammar School selects pupils through the CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex) 11+ examination, a bespoke test written and set by the Consortium itself rather than by GL Assessment or CEM, and shared by the CSSE member schools, so a child registers and sits the test only once for any of them. The test consists of two written papers – English and Mathematics – each marked out of 60, with no Verbal Reasoning or Non-Verbal Reasoning component.
The CSSE 11+ is sat on a single day, Saturday, 19th September 2026, with two written papers: an English paper lasting 60 minutes plus 10 minutes additional reading time, and a Mathematics paper lasting 60 minutes. The English paper includes a reading comprehension task and writing, while the maths paper covers the Key Stage 2 curriculum. Scores are age-standardised so that younger children are not disadvantaged, and a standardised score of around 303 is typically needed to be considered for a place.
Registration for the CSSE 11+ is completed online directly with the CSSE. For 2027 entry, registration opens at 9 am on Tuesday, 12th May 2026 and closes at 5pm on Friday, 19th June 2026; late registrations are not accepted under any circumstances. Parents must also name Colchester Royal Grammar School on the Essex (or Southend) Common Application Form by 31st October 2026.
The CSSE 11+ takes place on Saturday, 19th September 2026, with results emailed to parents in mid-October, before the Common Application Form deadline. Meeting the qualifying standard does not guarantee a place, as each school applies its own oversubscription criteria. School allocations are confirmed on national offer day, 1st March 2027.
Key admissions details
Colchester Royal Grammar School has a Published Admission Number of 128 places for Year 7 each year.
Colchester Royal Grammar School is fully selective with no formal catchment area; distance from the school is used only as a tie-breaker for candidates with equal scores. After looked-after and previously looked-after children, up to 10 Pupil Premium places are prioritised for the highest-scoring eligible boys, with remaining places offered in rank order of test score, so a high score is the main route to a place.
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Colchester Royal Grammar School traces its origins to 1206 and was granted Royal Charters by Henry VIII in 1539 and Elizabeth I in 1584, making it one of the oldest schools in England. It is a selective boys’ grammar school in Colchester, Essex, with a co-educational sixth form.
Colchester Royal Grammar School has a Published Admission Number of 128 places for Year 7 each year. As one of the top-performing state schools in England, it is extremely competitive, so thorough preparation for the CSSE 11+ is essential.
Colchester Royal Grammar School uses the CSSE 11+, a bespoke test set by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex. It consists of two written papers – English (60 minutes plus 10 minutes reading) and Maths (60 minutes) – with no reasoning component, sat on Saturday, 19th September 2026.
Colchester Royal Grammar School is fully selective with no formal catchment area; places are offered in rank order of test score, with distance used only as a tie-breaker between candidates with equal scores. A very high score is therefore the key to a place.
For 2027 entry, CSSE registration opens at 9am on Tuesday, 12th May 2026 and closes at 5 pm on Friday, 19th June 2026. The test is sat on Saturday, 19th September 2026, and one registration covers all the CSSE member schools.
Yes. Colchester Royal Grammar School offers outstanding music and drama, a comprehensive sports fixture list, and a wide range of trips, exchanges and extracurricular activities, enriched by its small state boarding community.
Yes, all our tuition is available both in-person at our Edgbaston, Birmingham centre and online via live video sessions. Online tuition gives families across Colchester and the wider Essex area access to our expert tutors without the need to travel. The quality and personalisation of sessions is identical in both formats.
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