Colchester Girls 11 Plus Guide
It might be difficult to find your way around the 11 Plus the first time as a parent. How do you aid your kid in getting ready for the Colchester County Girls 11 Plus Exam? What kind of exam structure is it? What stores sell test papers? We’ve provided parents with a “Colchester County Girls 11 Plus Tips” in this article that seeks to address all of your concerns.
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Colchester County High School for Girls
Colchester County High School for Girls is an all-girls grammar school in Colchester, Essex. The school ranks as one of the highest in the UK for GCSE and A-LEVEL results and its Progress 8 score. Scroll down for more information about the school’s admissions process, how to get prepared for the 11 plus exam, and frequently asked questions from parents.
School details:
Address: Colchester County High School for Girls, Norman Way, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3US
County: Essex
Type of school: Girls’ Grammar School (Academy Converter)
Age range: 11-18
Ofsted rating: Outstanding
Number of pupils: 1,033
Admissions to Year 7: 192
Open evening (2024 entry): TBD.
11+ exam date (2024 entry): 18th September 2023
Exam board: CSSE Essex Test
Admissions phone number: 01206 576973
Admissions email address: office@cchsg.com
A Brief Overview of Colchester County High School for Girls’ School Performance
In 1909 the school was established as a grammar school for girls in North Essex. Today, it is a Grammar Academy and part of the Alpha Trust, a multi-academy trust of schools including The Gilberd School, Manningtree High, and Home Farm Primary School. The trust’s goal is to expand the academic resources and opportunities available to its schools, helping students achieve academic excellence.
In 2019, 74% of pupils achieved grades 8-9 at GCSE, and almost 60% achieved A* – A grades at A-LEVEL, with Year 12 students receiving offers from the nation’s top universities. Data from the government website highlights that the school’s pre-pandemic Progress 8 score is 1.01. This means that pupils achieve a whole grade higher at GCSE than predicted based on their primary school attainment. And while the school ranks as the joint highest performing grammar school, it ranks highly amongst all schools in its local authority. When it comes to specialist subjects, the school was one of the first specialist science schools in the UK. It also specialises in modern foreign languages.
In 2022, 96% of all grades were at the new Grade 4+ compared to a National Average of 73%, 40% 40% of grades were 7 or above compared to a National Average of 26%, 25% 25% of our pupils gained 7 or more grades at 7-9.
Colchester County Girls 11 Plus Admission Process: 2024 Entry
For the 2024 entry to this school, your child should now be preparing to sit the Colchester County Girls 11 Plus this September. Colchester County High School for Girls is part of the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), and the 11 plus exam date for the CSSE test is 18th September 2023. Scroll down to view upcoming events and key dates for getting prepared.
For more information about admissions for the 2024 entry, you can view the school’s Admissions Policy for the academic year 2024/2023.
Colchester County Girls 11 Plus Admission 2024 Timeline
| June 2023 | Open Day |
| 16 May 2023 | 11+ registration opens |
| End of June or early July 2023 | 11+ registration closes |
| 23 September 2023 | 11+ Exam Date |
| 31 October 2023 | Common Application Form (CAF) deadline |
| 1 March 2024 | National Offer Day |
Preparing for Colchester County Girls 11 Plus Exam
With places available for prospective pupils, successful candidates will be selected based on their performance in the CSSE’s 11 plus exam. As the exam is now scheduled for September, your daughter should be getting prepared. If she has not started preparing yet, it is not too late. Discover Help your Child Become 11 Plus-Ready in the Six-Month Countdown to the exam for support in approaching exam readiness and preparation. For parents who are unsure where to begin, you might like to check out this Top 10 Tips to Pass the 11+ Exam guide.
Colchester County Girls 11 Plus Exam Sample Test Papers and Resources
The CSSE is the provider of the 11 plus exam tests for this school. There are two equally weighted parts to the exam; English (50%) and maths (50%). Your daughter will be required to sit both tests on the same day.
The English test includes questions about grammar and vocabulary, comprehension, creative writing, and ‘applied reasoning’ (literacy and verbal). Questions included in the maths test are similar to those your daughter will be familiar with from the KS2 new national curriculum. However, it will also have some ‘applied reasoning (maths/non-verbal).
Below you will find a selection of CSSE’s familiarisation papers from previous tests. It would help if you encouraged your daughter to practise using these, as it will help her get used to the question style. You can download the papers and the mark scheme for free, and you can refer to the mark scheme to check their answers.
2017
English Continuous Writing Paper
2016
English Continuous Writing Paper
2015
English Continuous Writing Paper
You can also order test paper packs from the CSSE website. Each pack contains two papers and costs £15.50 each. Alternatively, there are additional 11+ resources available to download digitally for free. You can easily print these at home to support your daughter’s study plan.
Additional Information about Colchester County High School for Girls
Strong academic performance is not the only reason for choosing a school. For many parents, the facilities, and extracurricular activities available are equally important. Students enjoy opportunities for two language exchange trips per year to France and Germany. For students interested in drama and theatre, the school puts on two annual productions. Year 7 pupils are encouraged to partake in productions about Dickens and Shakespeare as part of their curriculum. For the musically gifted (and those who aspire to be), there are opportunities to learn the recorder, flute, guitar, and more!
The school competes in most sports on a local, regional, and national level. Students can choose from various extracurricular PE activities and sports clubs, including athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, dance, fitness, football, netball, running, rounders, swimming, table tennis, tennis, trampolining, yoga, and Zumba.
Social media
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Colchester County High School for Girls Parent FAQs
What is the school’s Ofsted rating?
The school’s current Ofsted rating is ‘Outstanding’. You can access the full report here.
Colchester County High School for Girls fees
This school is a selective grammar school and is non-fee paying.
Where is the catchment area for Colchester County High School for Girls?
The school will accept admissions from pupils who live in Essex and outside of the county.
What score do 11+ candidates need to achieve to receive an offer for admission?
320 is the score most candidates will need to achieve to receive an offer of a place at the school. The school will offer a proportion of the 192 places available to select students who scored 320 and are from disadvantaged backgrounds. This includes children who receive free school meals or are/have previously been in care.
How should I submit an appeal?
If you haven’t been offered the school place you wanted, Essex County Council advises parents/guardians to watch this video before making any decision on what to do next. You should then lodge an appeal via their online form, in the first instance. Or complete the admission appeal form (Word, 43KB) and email it to statutoryappeals@essex.gov.uk
Is there a waiting list?
In the event that you are advised of your child’s place on the waiting list, please refer to this page for advice from Essex County Council. Please note that it is ultimately the school’s decision as to where on the waiting list your child is placed.
What is the oversubscription criteria?
The following information is from the 2024 Admissions Policy: The CSSE operates a co-ordinated testing system providing access to selective places for all CSSE schools via a single set of tests. The local authority will be notified of the Order of Merit score of all candidates who have expressed a preference for this school so that it can decide whether to offer a place on the basis of satisfying the highest preference of school indicated by the candidate on the LA’s application form. Places will be allocated in the following order:
(i) Looked After Children (LAC) or Previously Looked After Children (PLAC) who score 320 or above in the selection test.
(ii) Up to 20 places will be allocated to the highest-scoring candidates on the Order of Merit List who are eligible for the pupil premium on the date that the 11+ test is taken and who achieve a standardised test score of 320 or above.
(iii) Places will then be allocated in descending score order from the Rank Order of Merit List, highest-scoring first, until all PAN places are filled.
Colchester County High School for Girls School Uniform
You can find all the details related to the requirements for the school uniform here.
Where can I view GCSE and A-LEVEL results in further detail?
Results by subject and exam year, in addition to other metrics, can be viewed here.
You can also access further 11 plus exam resources below:
A Guide to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests
Best Private Schools in the UK: Top 100 in 2022
11+ Maths Exam: Helping Your Child to Prepare and Pass in 2021
Meet the 11+ Online Tutors Delivering Results
When Should you Start to Prepare Your Child for the 11 Plus Exam
King Edward Five Ways 11 Plus Exam