Your school guide
Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School uses the CSSE English and Maths papers for Year 7. The September 2027 test has taken place; candidates now need a separate school-place application.
Grammar school · Colchester, Essex
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Use Plusling to prepare for 11+ entry to Colchester Royal Grammar School. Build skills with original questions, understand the answers and turn tricky topics into your next step forward.
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Colchester Royal Grammar School free practice papers
Original subject practice with space to work and answers to talk through together.
English papers
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Maths papers
Explore the papersCreate a free Plusling account and answer a few quick questions, and we'll email you a link to these papers in your Parent Hub. These are Plusling skills practice, not official school papers.
Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
Lexden Road, Colchester, CO3 3ND
Plan your approach
Year 7 entry
For September 2027 entry
Colchester Royal Grammar School uses the CSSE English and Maths papers for Year 7. For September 2027, CSSE registration closed on 19 June 2026 and the test took place on 19 September; results were sent on 12 October. Families who sat it must make a separate home local-authority school application naming CRGS. Essex and Southend applications close on 31 October 2026; other authorities set their own deadlines.
- Assessment
- Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE)
What the assessment covers
- English
- Mathematics
Each member school has its own admission policy; check the school before applying.
CSSE’s member list also includes partially selective schools outside this index.
The free CSSE papers are historical 2021–2023 exams; the consortium says applied reasoning was removed from English from the 2025-entry test, so older papers do not exactly model 2027.
Explore this shared admissions route →
The admissions process
- 2027 entry: CSSE registration closed on 19 June 2026; English and Mathematics testing took place on 19 September and results were sent on 12 October.
- 2027 entry: submit the separate home local-authority secondary application naming Colchester Royal Grammar School; Essex and Southend close on 31 October 2026.
- Read CRGS’s admission criteria for place allocation. From 2025 entry, the CSSE English paper omits applied reasoning.
Read the official details: Admissions information from Colchester Royal Grammar School
Go to the source
Official links for your shortlist
Use the school’s current admissions information to check which sample papers or familiarisation materials apply to your child’s entry year.
From subjects to skills
Turn the assessment subjects into a practice plan.
Start with these core skills from the published subject list. Pair the official assessment material with regular Plusling practice.
English
A useful place to start
Read a short passage together. Ask your child to find evidence for an answer and explain unfamiliar words in context.
Build on it with Plusling
Build on that reading with Plusling’s English questions and explanations, then choose a topic to practise again.
Start the 5-question English quizMaths
A useful place to start
Ask your child to explain their method, estimate the answer and check the final calculation. Notice which step needs more practice.
Build on it with Plusling
Use Plusling’s original maths questions and worked explanations to make those next practice sessions count.
Start the 5-question maths quizKeep the practical steps clear
Your application starting points
Use the official links on this page to answer these questions for your child’s entry year.
Check the entry point and eligibility
Confirm the year group, age requirements and any conditions that apply to your child.
Put the right dates in your diary
Note any published registration, assessment, application and offer-response dates that apply to your child’s route. They may be separate steps.
Check the assessment guidance
If an assessment applies, look for official examples, question formats, timings and answer instructions to help plan your child’s preparation.
Read the school’s admissions criteria
Check catchment, oversubscription rules and any supplementary form alongside the test registration.
Picture your child’s everyday life here.
An open day is a chance to look beyond the exam. Useful questions to take with you:
- How do you help new pupils settle in and make friends?
- Who can a child turn to when they feel worried or stuck?
- How do you help pupils recover from a setback and discover their strengths?
Know where to focus
Give their preparation a clear direction.
See the topics your child has practised, revisit questions that need another look and choose a focus for the next session. Plusling helps you put your time where it can be useful.
- Topic summaries and practice history
- Choose topics in Focus Practice
- Progress to discuss with the adults helping them
Their next step starts here
Give their 11+ preparation a confident start.
Try Plusling together. Five free questions, useful feedback and a first look at a friendlier way to practise.
Assessment notes
- The September 2027 CSSE test cycle has finished. If your child sat it, follow your home authority’s school-place deadline and read CRGS’s criteria.
Plusling’s guide to Colchester Royal Grammar School is independently written. The school and its admissions authority publish the official arrangements.
Contains government school-register data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Primary sources
- Colchester Royal Grammar School: school details Department for Education
- Schools - CSSE Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex
- CSSE examination resource index Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex
- Science in Year 7 - Colchester Royal Grammar School Colchester Royal Grammar School
- 11+ Familiarisation - Colchester Royal Grammar School Colchester Royal Grammar School
- CSSE consortium website Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex
- CSSE information guide for September 2027 entry Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex