Your school guide
The Royal Ballet School
Royal Ballet School does not offer full-time Year 7 places from September 2026; age-11 ballet pathways are Associates and UK Scholars.
Royal Ballet School · DfE local authority Richmond upon Thames; registered address Covent Garden
Prepare with confidence.
Explore the entry route to The Royal Ballet School below. Supporting a younger child with the 11+ too? Discover Plusling’s original questions, clear explanations and friendly daily practice.
Try five free questions. See the feedback for yourself.
Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
- Location
- Registered address and Upper School: Covent Garden; younger-pupil White Lodge site: Richmond
- Department for Education
46 Floral Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DA
Plan your approach
Entry information
From September 2026, Royal Ballet School does not offer full-time places to pupils of Year 7 age. At age 11, ballet training is available through Associate and UK Scholars pathways, each with its own audition route.
Entry stage: Age 11: Associates or UK Scholars; no full-time Year 7 place from September 2026
What the assessment covers
- Classical ballet
The admissions process
- Preliminary auditions use a ballet class; selected candidates may progress to later audition stages depending on pathway.
- The 2027 London preliminary audition for 11-year-olds is 22 November 2026. UK Scholars selection is 16 February 2027 through the Mid Associate application route.
- The school plans to extend full-time entry to Year 8 from September 2027; this is a future change.
Read the official details: Admissions information from The Royal Ballet 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
Explore Plusling’s 11+ practice subjects.
For families preparing for the 11+, these four practice areas offer a useful starting point. Use the relevant official assessment guidance to choose the skills your child needs.
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 quizVerbal reasoning
A useful place to start
Talk through word relationships, letter patterns and codes. Encourage your child to explain the rule before choosing an answer.
Build on it with Plusling
Explore words and logic with Plusling’s verbal reasoning quizzes, with feedback that helps the next attempt feel clearer.
Start the 5-question verbal reasoning quizNon-verbal reasoning
A useful place to start
Look for changes in shape, position, shading and direction. Work out one rule at a time before checking it against the choices.
Build on it with Plusling
Give visual reasoning another go in Plusling, with original puzzles and explanations your child can return to.
Start the 5-question non-verbal reasoning 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.
Check fees and financial support
Look at fees, bursaries and scholarships, including any separate forms, evidence and deadlines.
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
For families preparing for the 11+
Discover a friendlier way to practise.
Try Plusling together. Five free questions, clear explanations and a useful first step for your family’s 11+ preparation.
Admissions note
- The DfE record uses the Covent Garden address and a Richmond upon Thames local-authority label. The school identifies Covent Garden as its Upper School/registered office and White Lodge in Richmond as its younger-pupil site. Full-time Year 7 entry ceased from September 2026; ask about Associate and UK Scholars options.
Plusling’s guide to The Royal Ballet 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
- The Royal Ballet School: school details Department for Education
- Auditions and current training pathways The Royal Ballet School
- Audition FAQs: full-time, Associate and UK Scholars pathways The Royal Ballet School
- Dancer training FAQs: Year 7 and Associate pathways The Royal Ballet School