Rugby school is a historic, well-established, co-educational school that is steeped in tradition and is probably best known as the birthplace of the sports that shares its name. The school has been educating children since 1567 and went fully co-educational in 1992. Rugby has always been at the forefront of innovation in teaching methods. The popular Extended Project Qualification was developed here, and academic facilities are outstanding, in particular for Languages and Sciences. Rugby has recently started to offer the IB Diploma in the sixth form alongside A Levels. The school has two main entry points, at 13 plus and 16 plus.
Entering Rugby School in Year 9 (13 plus):
Rugby accepts 160 pupils each year into Year 9.
13 Plus Entrance Process for Rugby School:
It is advised to visit Rugby school during Year 5 or Year 6 and make a registration before the end of Year 6. Rugby begins to consider a ‘first wave’ of registered applicants during Year 7. At that stage the school requests a comprehensive report and the most recent verbal reasoning test (VRT) score from your child’s current school. If the school cannot provide these scores Rugby will arrange a test at the school. Your child will be asked to complete a pre-interview questionnaire and during the assessment they will be interviewed by a Housemaster or Housemistress. Rugby will also ask to see your child’s recent Maths and English exercise books along with a piece of Year 7 work they are most proud of. This will form the basis of a further 20 to 30-minute discussion to help them assess your child’s academic ability.
If a conditional place is offered, the next step is to pass either Common Entrance (with an average of at least 55 per cent) or meet their entrance requirements in English and Maths for children whose schools do not prepare for Common Entrance, or to meet our entrance requirements in the Academic Scholarship examinations.
Registered candidates who are at a prep or primary school are invited to our 13+ Day assessment sessions in the Lent Term of Year 6.
Registered candidates who are at a local secondary school, independent or grammar school, who study the National Curriculum, are invited to our 13+ Day assessment sessions in the Lent Term of Year 8
Entering in Year 12 (Sixth Form Entry):
Rugby has an intake of 40 pupils (mainly girls) into Year 12.
16 Plus Entrance Process:
Applications must be made by September prior to the year of entry. You should inform the head teacher of your son or daughter’s present school before submitting your application. Registered applicants will then be invited to be assessed by entrance tests and interviews in the November of Year 11.
Offers of places at 16 plus are conditional on applicants achieving the required grades at GCSE, IB MYP or the equivalent foreign examinations. Rugby asks for three 7 grades (or grade A) and above and another three 6 grades (or grade B) and above at GCSE or for IB MYP they require three 6 grades and three 5 grades. These should include English and mathematics and, where applicable, the subjects chosen for IB Higher Level or A-Level. Rugby will allocate places on academic merit, considered alongside the potential to contribute to their co-curricular programme.
Specimen papers for the 16 plus entry tests.
Scholarships at Rugby School
Academic Scholarships are offered at 13 plus (there are separate assessments for those studying the ISEB and National Curriculum) during the Lent term. At 13 plus, there are also scholarships for art, computer science, DT, music, performing arts and sport.
Is there a 16 plus scholarship for Rugby School?
Scholarships are on offer at 16 plus entry for art, computer science, DT, music, performing arts and sport.
What questions does Rugby School ask at interview?
Like many school interviews the Rugby School interview seeks to explore the following about each student:
- Family (e.g. What do you like to do on the weekend as a family?)
- School (e.g. What do you most enjoy about your current school?)
- Academic Learning (e.g. What is your favourite subject and why?)
- Reading (e.g. Do you enjoy reading?)
- Extracurricular (e.g. What activities do you get involved in at school outside of the classroom?)
- Hobbies (e.g. What do you do in your spare time at outside of school?)
- Rugby School (e.g. Why would you like to come to Rugby School?)
Why is Rugby School so popular?
Rugby School is highly regarded for its academic results, strong sport and historic traditions. Education at Rugby is particularly progressive - the EPQ was developed at the school, and they have recently introduced the IB diploma in the sixth form (as an alternative to A Levels). The school is largely paperless, pupils don’t use textbooks or ring binders, their source materials are on electronic whiteboards and laptops. Rugby boasts a very high standard of music, 500 individual music lessons take place every week with a myriad of concerts regularly taking place. The school also offers over 200 different extracurricular activities. Rugby has a full boarding culture (no weekly/flexi boarding) which appeals to some families.
The school’s academic results have been on a steady upward trend and their A level results are now particularly impressive partly due to small class sizes, close academic monitoring of pupils’ progress and intake of academically strong pupils into the sixth form. In 2023, results were 2023 A Level 56.2% A* or A and GCSE 75.5% Grade 9-7. 93 pupils went onto popular Russell Group universities such as Durham, Newcastle, UCL, Bristol and Edinburgh being popular choices.
Is Rugby School hard to get into?
Owing to its academic reputation and success Rugby attracts a lot of applications so parents are advised to plan ahead. Entrance at 13 plus is very competitive and there are few places available at 16 plus entry (mainly girl places available).
Rugby School Famous Alumni
Deliciously Ella founder Ella Mills, Neville Chamberlain, Lewis Carroll.
Tutors for Rugby School Entrance
Keystone has over a decade of experience providing tuition to families who wish to send their children to some of the leading UK independent schools including Rugby School.
The tutors we work with are experienced in the intricacies of the 13 plus common entrance, preparation for verbal reasoning tests and the 16 plus entrance to Rugby School.
For more details on how Keystone can help with preparation for entry to Rugby School, please call the office for a chat with one of our client managers, or contact us via our request a tutor form.