Colchester has two grammar schools: Colchester Royal Grammar School (CRGS) for boys and Colchester County High School for Girls (CCHSG). Both use the same 11+ test, set by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). Once the scores are in, though, each school decides who gets a place in its own way.
If your child is in Year 4 or Year 5, knowing those rules now helps you plan calmly instead of guessing later.
Please note: the rules below come from each school’s admissions policy for September 2027 entry, the latest published. Schools review their policies every year, so always check the current version on the school’s website before you apply.
At a glance
| CRGS | County High | |
|---|---|---|
| For | Boys | Girls |
| Places | 128 | 192 |
| Test | CSSE | CSSE |
| Priority places | Up to 12 (score above 320) | Several groups (score 320 or above) |
| Where you live | Tie-break only | 25-mile priority area |
| Tie-break | Looked-after, Pupil Premium, then distance | Pupil Premium, then distance |
One test for both schools
The CSSE guide explains: “Candidates will sit two tests. One in English and one in Mathematics. The English paper will last sixty minutes with ten minutes additional reading time. The Mathematics paper will last sixty minutes.” Each paper is worth 50% of the marks.
County High’s policy describes what the papers cover:
- English: “comprehension, grammar and vocabulary, creative/extended writing, and applied reasoning (literacy and verbal)”
- Maths: “questions consistent with KS2 National curriculum and applied reasoning (mathematical/non-verbal)”
Two things worth knowing early:
- The test is taken once. In CRGS’s words, “The test can only be taken once by any pupil.”
- Free familiarisation papers are available to download from the CSSE website.
New to the 11+? Our guide What Is the 11 Plus? The Essex CSSE Exam Explained covers the basics.
What do 303 and 320 mean?
303 is the CSSE minimum. “CSSE secondary school offers are not made to any child who has scored under a total standardised score of 303.” It is the floor for an offer (places won on appeal are the exception), not the score that secures a place.
320 is the bar for priority places. CRGS asks for “a score greater than 320” and County High asks for “320 or above” for its priority groups.
There is no fixed pass mark for other places. Places are given in score order (at County High, within each group), so the lowest score that gets a place changes every year. The CSSE says: “The actual cut off scores are only known after national offer day in March.” On results day the CSSE publishes a guidance sheet of previous years’ scores, but “There is no guarantee of a place based on the historical information supplied.”
How CRGS offers places
- Up to 12 places go to boys scoring greater than 320 who are looked after or were previously looked after, and then to boys receiving the Pupil Premium. This must be declared on the CSSE registration form.
- All other places are offered “in descending rank order of marks to the boys scoring highest in the selection tests who have named CRGS as a preferred school”, until all 128 places are filled.
In short, the highest scores win, and where you live does not set the order. The policy states that the selection procedure “is open equally to pupils in Essex and those who live outside the county.”
How County High offers places
Places are given in this order:
- Girls with an EHCP naming the school who score 320 or above
- Looked-after and previously looked-after girls who score 320 or above
- Up to 20 places for girls eligible for the Pupil Premium who score 320 or above
- Up to 10 places for girls eligible for the Service Pupil Premium who score 320 or above and live in the priority area
- Girls who live in the priority area, highest score first, until 154 places have been given
- The remaining 38 places, highest score first, “regardless of where the girls live”
The priority area is “25 miles from the school, in a straight line”, measured by the Local Authority.
Where you live and when matters. A priority-area place depends on your daughter “continuously living in their permanent home address in the priority area” from 31 October (the application deadline) until she starts Year 7. The school may ask for proof of address.
Pupil Premium and Service Pupil Premium families also send an extra form to the school by 31 October.
For a sense of competition, the policy notes: “There were 726 applicants in 2024 for entry in September 2025.”
The yearly timetable
These are the CSSE’s dates for September 2027 entry. Each year follows a similar pattern; check csse.org.uk for the current dates.
| When | What happened (2027 entry) |
|---|---|
| Year 5 Summer term | CSSE schools hold open events for Year 5 families |
| Year 5 12 May | CSSE registration opened |
| Year 5 19 June | Absolute deadline to register |
| Year 6 19 September | The 11+ tests |
| Year 6 12 October | Results emailed after the close of business |
| Year 6 31 October | Deadline to apply to your Local Authority |
| Year 6 1 March | National Offer Date |
The CSSE’s advice: “We suggest you register as early as possible.”
Can I name both schools?
Each school is single-sex, so your child will apply to one of them. You can name other CSSE grammar schools too, as long as you stay within your Local Authority’s limit: “you can name as many CSSE Schools as you like, as long as you do not exceed the number of preferences allowed by your Local Authority.”
You will receive only one offer. “The Local Authority will only offer your child one school place.” The CSSE’s advice is to list schools “in your true order of preference”.
What this means if your child is in Year 4 or Year 5
- Year 5: registration opens in the summer term, so put it in your diary now and visit the open events.
- County High families: check whether your home is within 25 miles of the school in a straight line.
- Pupil Premium or looked-after children: declare it when you register, and for County High also send the school’s form by 31 October.
- One sitting only: steady preparation over time matters more than a last-minute rush.
ILM runs small-group Year 4 and Year 5 programmes in Colchester, preparing children for the CSSE. Message us on WhatsApp to ask about places.
Frequently asked questions
Does CRGS use the CSSE test?
Yes. Admission to Year 7 “is determined by a pupil’s position within the selection procedure organised by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE).”
Is there a catchment area for County High?
There is a priority area of 25 miles in a straight line. Up to 154 of the 192 places go to priority groups and girls living there; the last 38 go to the highest scorers wherever they live.
What score does my child need?
At least 303 for an offer, except for places won on appeal. Beyond that, places go to the highest scores, and the actual cut-off is only known after National Offer Day in March.
Can my child sit the test again?
No. “The test can only be taken once by any pupil.”
Sources: CRGS Admission Arrangements 2027–2028 · CCHSG Admissions Policy 2027–2028 · CSSE Information Guide, 2027 Entry. Dates and rules can change each year, so always check the latest information from the schools, CSSE and Essex County Council.