If you are considering Year 7 entry to Ripon Grammar School for your child, gaining an early understanding of the 11+ process can be highly beneficial. This guide outlines the updated exam format, highlights the key changes for September 2026, explores when to begin preparation, and explains how online tutoring can support children in building confidence with unfamiliar question types.
Exam changes
From September 2026, the Ripon Grammar School 11+ reflects a more integrated testing approach. Children still sit two multiple-choice papers, but each now combines reasoning skills with Key Stage 2 content. The new format now makes the English comprehension, spelling, grammar, and Key Stage 2 maths elements much clearer than before and the test provider is GL Assessment.
The revised structure includes:
- A Verbal Skills paper, combining a reading passage followed by approximately 14 comprehension questions, approx. 12 spelling and grammar exercises and around 32 verbal reasoning questions.
- A Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths paper featuring two non verbal reasoning sections (20 questions in each section) and a Key Stage 2 maths section featuring approximately 25 questions.
North Yorkshire Council now gives more detail about the revised papers used for testing from September 2026 (see useful links below). The biggest change is that both papers now combine reasoning with familiar Key Stage 2 content. It is important to remember that this is not simply a school maths and English test. It also includes reasoning question types that many children will not have seen much in class, particularly non verbal reasoning. The underlying challenge remains the same: children must process information quickly, think logically, and adapt to unfamiliar question styles.
Preparation tips
Despite the increased presence of English and maths, this is not a standard school test. The challenge lies in applying knowledge in unfamiliar formats, particularly in reasoning questions. In our experience, the least familiar area for many children remains non verbal reasoning. Pattern sequences, visual logic, and rapid multiple choice decision making often feel very different from normal school work.
Effective preparation tends to focus on three key areas:
1. Build familiarity with question types
Many children will not have encountered verbal or non-verbal reasoning in school. Exposure to GL-style questions is essential to reduce uncertainty. A bright child can still feel thrown by code questions, visual sequences, logic patterns, or timed multiple choice formats if they have not seen them before.
2. Keep practice consistent and manageable
Short, regular sessions help build confidence without overwhelming the child. It is often better to keep momentum through the summer than to stop completely during the school holidays and try to restart in late August.
3. Prioritise technique before speed
Accuracy should come first. Once children understand how to approach questions, timing can be introduced gradually. Encourage your child to explain how they got an answer and use mistakes as learning points, rather than signs of failure.
At home, parents play a vital role by creating a consistent routine, encouraging discussion, and keeping preparation calm and structured.
When to start
There is no single “correct” timeline, but a structured approach tends to yield the best results.
A flexible timeline could include:
Year 4: Develop reading habits, vocabulary, and numerical fluency
Year 5 (Autumn–Spring): Introduce GL-style question types
Year 5 (Summer): Begin timed practice and refine technique
Year 6 (early): Focus on consolidation and confidence
Many parents worry they are behind if they have not started in Year 5. Starting earlier can reduce pressure, but a spring or summer start can still be effective for a bright, motivated child. The key is having a clear structure, realistic expectations, and some regular work between sessions. Ultimately, success depends less on how early preparation begins and more on focus, familiarity, and steady progress over time.
Schools are right to say tutoring is not essential in principle. However, many children have never seen non verbal reasoning or certain verbal reasoning question types in class. For that reason, many families choose support not because their child lacks ability, but because the format is unfamiliar.
Useful links
Ripon Grammar School admissions information
North Yorkshire Council, selective schools information
Recommended books and practice materials for Ripon Grammar School preparation
For home preparation, short and consistent practice is usually more effective than irregular longer sessions. These are strong starting points for familiarisation with the GL assessment format.
GL Assessment free familiarisation materials
GL Assessment 11+ materials
Enables parents and children to see the style and layout used in the GL assessment format. GL also advises children to become familiar with the multiple choice layout, question types, and timing before the test.
TG Jones GL 10 Minute Tests
These short tests keep practice manageable and help children build confidence through repetition.
Bond 11+ books on TG Jones
Bond books remain a familiar option for many families and provide broad practice across the main 11+ areas.
Looking for online 11+support for Ripon Grammar School?
If you live in towns such as Ripon, Harrogate or Knaresborough and would like help finding a well matched online tutor for GL 11+ preparation, early advice can make the whole process feel much more manageable. Starting with the right plan is often the difference between calm preparation and a rushed final term.
Book a short consultation about Ripon Grammar 11+ support.
