The North Yorkshire 11+
North Yorkshire has three grammar schools and two kinds of test. Ripon Grammar School’s, run by North Yorkshire Council, is set by GL Assessment in a new format from September 2026; Ermysted’s and Skipton Girls’ High School each run their own FSCE test.
At a glance
- The test
- The Ripon Grammar School entrance test (run by North Yorkshire Council); Ermysted's Grammar School and Skipton Girls' High School each run their own entrance test
- Set by
- GL Assessment (Ripon Grammar School); FSCE (Ermysted's Grammar School and Skipton Girls' High School)
- Subjects
- English, maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning
- Answers
- Some multiple choice, some written, depending on the paper
The papers
Ripon Grammar School (new format from September 2026, all multiple choice, produced and marked by GL Assessment): a Verbal Skills paper in two parts, English (25 minutes, 26 questions on a reading passage then spelling and grammar) and verbal reasoning (20 minutes, 32 questions); and a Non-Verbal Reasoning with Mathematics paper of two non-verbal sections (20 questions, 10 minutes each) and a maths section of about 25 questions (25 minutes). English and maths content goes up to the end of Year 5. Until September 2026 Ripon set a 50-minute verbal reasoning paper (80 questions) and a four-section non-verbal paper. Ermysted's Grammar School (FSCE): two papers of English and maths questions, one with multiple-choice answers and one with short written answers, each typically 45 to 60 minutes, with no non-verbal reasoning or creative writing. Skipton Girls' High School (FSCE): two tests, maths and English, with multiple-choice and written-response questions, all on one day.
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Dates, results and scores
When is the 11+ in North Yorkshire (Ripon and Skipton)?
The 2027 test: not published yet. The 2026 test: Ripon Grammar School: Saturday 12 September 2026 at the school. Ermysted's Grammar School and Skipton Girls' High School: both on Saturday 26 September 2026, each at its own school with its own registration (neither says results are shared).
How do you register for the 11+ in North Yorkshire (Ripon and Skipton)?
For the 2027 test (2028 entry): not published yet. For the 2026 test (2027 entry): Ripon Grammar School: Thursday 30 April to Tuesday 30 June 2026, on North Yorkshire Council's online form. Ermysted's Grammar School: 12 noon on Monday 13 April to 12 noon on Monday 31 August 2026, with the school. Skipton Girls' High School: with the school, closing at midnight on Wednesday 19 August 2026.
When do 11+ results come out in North Yorkshire (Ripon and Skipton)?
For the 2026 test: Ripon Grammar School: written results no later than Friday 16 October 2026. Ermysted's Grammar School: week commencing Monday 12 October 2026. Skipton Girls' High School: by email by Monday 19 October 2026.
What score qualifies in North Yorkshire (Ripon and Skipton)?
Ripon Grammar School: the age-standardised verbal skills score and non-verbal reasoning with maths score are added together, and the cut-off is set each year to take the highest-scoring 28% (or as close as possible) of the Year 6 cohort living in the Ripon area. Published cut-off marks: 203 for 2026 entry, 196 for 2025 entry, 195 for 2024 entry. Ermysted's Grammar School: the two papers are standardised (average 100 each) and added, and the Admissions Committee sets the required standard each year from the main cohort's results; no figure is published. Skipton Girls' High School: a girl must reach the required standard in each of the tests; papers are age-standardised and eligible girls ranked, with no figure published. At all three, reaching the standard does not guarantee a place.
Not confirmed yet
- How many children sit each of the three tests a year is not published on the council or school pages read.
- No numeric required standard is published for Ermysted's Grammar School or Skipton Girls' High School.
- Skipton Girls' High School's registration opening date for 2027 entry and the length of its papers are not stated (its policy says registration closes in early September, its 2027 booklet says midnight on Wednesday 19 August 2026).
- Ermysted's policy says late-test registration opens on 'Tuesday, 5 April 2027', but 5 April 2027 is a Monday.
- Dates for the tests to be sat in September 2027 (2028 entry) are not yet published for any of the three schools.
- The Lancashire schools' FSCE documents treat Lancaster Girls' Grammar School, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, Ermysted's Grammar School and Skipton Girls' High School as one FSCE group sitting the same test on Saturday 26 September 2026 (see lancashire-cumbria); neither Skipton school says whether results are shared with the others.
Check these on the official page: northyorks.gov.uk/selective-schools
Good to know
Late testing and moving to the area
Ripon Grammar School: a January date for children moving into the Ripon area or with a reason the council accepts; other late tests on set dates in April, June or August 2027 (after National Offer Day). Ermysted's Grammar School: a late registration received before Friday 27 November 2026 with exceptional circumstances (such as moving into the area) can be treated as on time; otherwise testing is in the summer term before entry, with registration opening on 5 April 2027. Skipton Girls' High School: late applications are considered only after places are allocated in March, with testing in May if places remain; a girl too ill to sit is tested within a week.
Who runs admissions
Each school sets its own arrangements: North Yorkshire Council organises Ripon Grammar School's entrance test and publishes its admission policy; the governing body is the admission authority at Ermysted's Grammar School (a voluntary aided school); Northern Star Academies Trust is responsible for Skipton Girls' High School (an academy). Families apply through their home local authority by Saturday 31 October 2026.
Grammar schools in North Yorkshire (Ripon and Skipton)
Each school sets its own admissions rules: check its admissions policy for places and priority areas.
More on the 11+
Sources
Every fact here comes from the official pages below. Dates and scores change from year to year, so check them there before you rely on them.
- northyorks.gov.uk/selective-schools
- northyorks.gov.uk/your-council/consultations-and-engagement/current-consultations/proposed-school-admission-arrangements-community-and-voluntary-controlled-schools-2027-2028/proposed-admissions-policy-ripon-grammar-school-boarding-2027-2028
- ermysteds.uk/admissions
- ermysteds.uk/admissions/admission-into-year-7
- ermysteds.uk/our-school/school-policies
- ermysteds.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2027-28-Admissions-Policy.pdf
- sghs.org.uk/our-school/admissions
- nst-skiptonhigh.reactfiles.co.uk/uploads/document/SGHS-Admissions-Policy-2027-Entry.pdf?t=1772194637
- nst-skiptonhigh.reactfiles.co.uk/uploads/document/SGHS-Admissions-Entry-Booklet-2027.pdf?t=1772194154
Checked 2 November 2026.
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