ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Please find our admissions process below for the most popular entry points, though we do take admissions in other year groups at various times, if places are available. For entry beyond September 2025, please use the below steps as a broad guideline, but note that it may be subject to small changes each year.

For immediate entry, please contact the Admissions Team for availability.
01473 326136 (UK Admissions) / +44 1473 326179 (International Admissions)

We are happy to consider late applications, subject to space being available in the relevant year group.
To discuss making a late application, please contact the admissions team directly.

Steps to Start - 2026 Entry

Use the dropdown menu to select the desired admissions steps.

year 7-9 entrance process (age 11+)

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3 Step 3

Our Admissions Team will be in touch to invite your child for a friendly interview with our Admissions Tutor. This can be conducted online but it is more preferable to undertake in person and is an opportunity for parents to ask any further questions or meet other members of staff. We keep the interview as friendly as possible so children feel comfortable and perform at their best in what could be a daunting situation. It is really an informal conversation based around what they enjoy at school and any interests or hobbies they might have.

At this point our Admissions Team will also apply for a reference from your child's current school, which forms part of the application procedure.

4 Step 4

Book onto one of our Year 7, 8 and 9 Experience Days, which are held at various points throughout the year.

Join us for an exhilarating day filled with activities! Our Experience Days offer an immersive adventure, blending academic taster sessions with thrilling events like treasure hunts and escape room games.

Explore our open classrooms and engage in a variety of fun, hands-on activities across diverse subjects such as music, science, and sports.

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6 Step 6

By this time, many of the candidates have already met other children on one of our Experience Days and so have become familiar with some of our staff and other prospective pupils. Sample papers can be found at the bottom of this page.

If you have any concerns at all, please do contact our Admissions Team for advice as we understand that children have all had different experiences of exams.

Special arrangements can be made for candidates living overseas or those unable to travel to the school.

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8 Step 8

We invite offer holders to come along to our November 2025 Experience Day, or book in for a Taster Day.

We appreciate that many of our children may be looking at several schools, so we offer every child who holds an offer from us the opportunity to spend a day and/or night with us to get to know us even better.

Your child will shadow a current Year 7 pupil for the day and experience what it is really like to be a pupil at RHS. Our Admissions Team will be in touch to arrange this with you at your convenience.

Deadline for the acceptance of offers is March 2026, or one month after an offer has been made for late applications.

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10 Step 10

START OF TERM!

All our new pupils take part in an induction so they can quickly get to know their way around our school campus and feel part of RHS.

Details will be sent to you in advance, but keep the weekend of 29/30 August 2026 free for induction activities.

Start of term for boarders is on Sunday 30 August, and for day pupils on Monday 31 August 2026.

Year 9 entrance process (age 13+)

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3 Step 3

At this point our Admissions Team will also apply for a reference from your child's current school, which forms part of the application procedure.

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6 Step 6

Our entrance assessment day takes place on Saturday 17 January 2026, where all candidates join us for the day and sit entrance assessments comprising English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning papers. We try to make the day as stress-free as possible and provide plenty of refreshments to keep everyone happy. By this time, many of the candidates have already met other children on one of our Experience Days so have become familiar with some of our staff and other prospective pupils.

If you have any concerns at all, please do contact our Admissions Team for advice as we understand that children have all had different experiences of exams.

Special arrangements can be made for candidates living overseas or those unable to travel to the school.

For late applications an individual testing day can be arranged with the Admissions Team (if places are still available).

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8 Step 8

Taster Days for offer holders. We appreciate that many of our children may be looking at several schools, so we offer every child who holds an offer from us the opportunity to spend a day and/or night with us if they have not done so already. Your child will shadow a current Year 9 pupil for the day and experience what it is really like to be a pupil at RHS. Our Admissions Team will be in touch to arrange this with you at your convenience.

Deadline for the acceptance of offers is March 2026, or one month after an offer has been made for late applications.

9 Step 9

START OF TERM!

All our new pupils take part in an induction so they can quickly get to know their way around our school campus and feel part of RHS.

Details will be sent to you in advance, but keep the weekend of 29/30 August 2026 free for induction activities.

Start of term for boarders is on Sunday 30 August, and for day pupils on Monday 31 August 2026.

Sixth Form entrance process (age 16+)

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3 Step 3

Our Admissions Team will be in touch to invite your child for a friendly interview with one of our Sixth Form Team. This can be conducted online but it is more preferable to undertake in person and is an opportunity for you to ask any further questions and to meet other members of staff. We keep the interview as friendly as possible so everyone feels comfortable and your child can perform at their best in what could be a daunting situation. It is really an informal conversation based around what your child currently enjoys at school and any interests or hobbies they might have. Sixth Form choices will also be discussed and we can advise on these based on their current studies and future career pathway ideas.

At this point our Admissions Team will also apply for a reference from your child's current school, which forms part of the application procedure.

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6 Step 6

Offer letters to successful candidates are sent out in late January/early February and within two weeks of assessment for any late entries. School references need to be received before an offer can be given and any offers are conditional upon your child achieving the necessary grades at GCSE or equivalent level.

Pupils are expected to achieve at least 33 points (average of 5.5) across their six best GCSE subjects and at least a 4 in English Language and Mathematics. In addition, they would normally be required to gain at least a 6 in any GCSE subject chosen for A Level, or a 7 in Mathematics or the sciences if a pupil wishes to study those subjects for A Level.

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9 Step 9

START OF TERM!

All our new pupils take part in an induction so they can quickly get to know their way around our school campus and feel part of RHS.

Details will be sent to you in advance, but keep the weekend of 30/31 August 2026 free for induction activities.

Start of term for boarders is on Sunday 30 August, and for day pupils on Monday 31 August 2026.

International Pupils

1 Step 1

Enquiries for international pupils should be made to the International Admissions Office in the first instance. Whether you are applying direct or through an agent, we will guide you carefully through the process. Please provide as much information as possible about your child's academic achievements, interests and aspirations as well as their date of birth, first language and current school. We will need to see copies of your child's two most recent reports together with a scan of their passport.

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3 Step 3

All pupils for whom English is not their first language are required to take our English as an Additional Language (EAL) test and an age-specific mathematics test, which may be taken in their home country, subject to prior arrangement. If your child's first language is English or if they are currently at an English-speaking school, we may recommend that they take the same assessment tests as our domestic applicants. These can also be taken in their home country.

4 Step 4

All candidates are also required to have an interview with our Admissions Tutor or Head of Sixth Form either during a visit to our school or, if this is not possible, online. We keep the interview as friendly as possible so your child can perform at their best in what could be a daunting situation. The interview is based around what they enjoy at school and any interests or hobbies they might have. Subject choices will also be discussed and we can advise you on these based on their current studies and future pathway ideas.

5 Step 5

We welcome our international families to visit the school either at one of our Open Mornings or through a private visit at your convenience. One of our International Team will welcome you and organise a bespoke visit where you will meet a housemaster or housemistress and be given a full school tour by one of our pupils. You will also be able to meet our Admissions Tutor or Head of Sixth Form to complete your child's entrance interview.

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ENQUIRE WITH RHS

To arrange a visit or discuss next steps, please fill out this form and our Admissions Team will be in touch.

ENQUIRY FORM

Register A Place At RHS

If you would like your child to be considered for a place please complete our online Registration Form.

REGISTRATION FORM

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ENTRANCE ASSESSMENT (YEARS 7 & 8): PRACTICE PAPERS/SAMPLE QUESTIONS

YEARS 7 & 8 ENGLISH PAPER 1 (READING): PRACTICE PAPER

YEARS 7 & 8 ENGLISH PAPER 2 (WRITING): PRACTICE PAPER

YEAR 7 MATHEMATICS: SAMPLE QUESTIONS

contact our ADMISSIONS TEAM

Our dedicated Admissions Team is at your disposal to respond to any enquiries you may have, providing comprehensive guidance throughout the admissions process. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.