Registration for Rossall School 11+ closes in 9 days, on 7 November 2026. A free consultation now leaves time to plan the preparation before the assessment.
Book a free consultationKey Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, 4 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Fleetwood, Lancashire |
| Entry points | 11+, 12+, 13+, 14+, 16+ |
| Assessment | Rossall School Entrance Examination: written tests in English, Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning |
| Test provider | The school's own Rossall School Entrance Examination; scholarship applicants also take CAT4 remotely |
| Day fees (2026/2027) | £6,435 per term (Years 7 and 8, VAT-inclusive); £6,984 per term from Year 9 |
| Boarding fees (2026/2027) | Years 7 and 8: £15,318 per term full boarding, £10,770 weekly boarding. Year 9 and above: £19,128 full boarding, £12 |
| Registration deadline | Scholarship application deadline 7 November 2026 and means-tested bursary deadline 12 November 2026, for entry in 2027; the senior school page states scholarship applications close at the end of Michaelmas Term in the year before entry |
| Assessment date | Scholarship Assessment Day 21 November 2026 (football assessment day 13 November 2026); dates for the entrance examination are not published on the pages read |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Academic, sport, music, arts scholarships at Years 7 and 12; means-tested bursaries up to 100% of tuition fees |
| A level average point score per entry (DfE, 2024/25) | 40.21 (average grade B) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly. Compare fees at other independent schools.
How do you get into Rossall School? Children usually join the senior school in Year 7 (11+) or Year 9 (13+) by sitting the Rossall School Entrance Examination, which consists of written tests in English, Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning, followed by an interview with the Headmaster and a handwritten personal statement. Year 8 and Year 10 entrants sit placement tests in English and Mathematics, and the sixth form asks for GCSE or iGCSE grades and a school report.
The Pre-Prep and Prep School, for ages 4 to 11, admits without a formal assessment. Offers at every stage depend on the space and capacity available, so the steps below follow the order in which the school's own pages set them out.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11+ | Year 7 | Rossall School Entrance Examination: written tests in English, Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning | Interview with the Headmaster and a handwritten personal statement of no more than two sides of A4 | Not published |
| 12+ | Year 8 | Placement tests in English and Mathematics | Interview with the Headmaster and a handwritten personal statement of no more than two sides of A4 | Not published |
| 13+ | Year 9 | Rossall School Entrance Examination: written tests in English, Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning | Interview with the Headmaster and a handwritten personal statement of no more than two sides of A4 | Not published |
| 14+ | Year 10 | Placement tests in English and Mathematics | Interview with the Headmaster and a handwritten personal statement of no more than two sides of A4 | Not published |
| 16+ | Year 12 | No entrance papers for standard entry; five GCSE or iGCSE passes at grades 5 to 9 and a satisfactory school report; scholarship applicants sit an essay and a critical thinking paper | Scholarship applicants are interviewed by the Headmaster and/or a Senior Leadership Team member | Not published |
Entry points and places
Rossall admits at ages 4 to 11 into the Pre-Prep and Prep School, at Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 into the senior school, and at Year 12 into the sixth form. Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+) are the entrances that carry the full Entrance Examination, whilst Years 8 and 10 use shorter placement tests.
The school does not publish a number of places or forms of entry; its pages say only that offers depend on having the space and capacity to accept a child. Families wanting a figure for a particular year group can ask the Admissions Team through the enquiry form.
- Pre-Prep and Prep, ages 4 to 11: no formal assessment, references from the previous school
- Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+): Entrance Examination, Headmaster interview, personal statement
- Year 8 and Year 10: placement tests in English and Mathematics
- Year 12 (16+): GCSE or iGCSE grades and a school report
How the 11+ and 13+ entrance examination works
The Rossall Entrance Examination for Year 7 and Year 9 consists of written tests in English, Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning, set by the school itself. The pages read do not publish paper lengths or question types.
Children who apply for a scholarship also take CAT4, which the scholarships page says all external applicants complete remotely. Year 8 and Year 10 entrants sit placement tests in English and Mathematics only, which means the Non-Verbal Reasoning element is specific to the two main entry years.
11+ tutors
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Master TutorI'm a qualified teacher in a London classroom every day, with a BSc in Computer Science from Brunel and a PGCE with QTS. I teach Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science to A-Level, plus 11+ preparation, through project-based work that suits SEND learners well.
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Robert
Master TutorI am a qualified teacher with over twenty years' experience in the UK, Gulf and New Zealand, holding an MA in History and PGCE. I teach English, History, Geography and French from KS2 to A-Level and IB, preparing 11+/13+ candidates. My approach is student-led, focused and diagnostic.
Enquire about this tutorRegistration and the admissions timeline
Registration at Rossall follows six steps, and the school's senior and sixth form pages list them in the same order. The pages give no fixed assessment dates for standard entry, so families confirm timings with the Admissions Team.
Scholarship applications close at the end of Michaelmas Term in the year before entry, and results reach families soon after assessments and interviews finish. Offers for standard entry are sent as soon as space is confirmed.
- Enquiry, through the enquiry form to the Admissions Team or the Headmaster
- Registration form, with a copy of the child's passport and the last two school reports, plus a non-refundable registration deposit paid at registration or on accepting an offer
- Visit, at an Open Day or an individual visit
- Assessments, scholarship process if applying, and the Headmaster interview
- Optional free taster day, arranged through the Admissions Team
- Offer and acceptance, which requires a further deposit, followed by a welcome pack and forms
Interviews, personal statements and references
Every senior school applicant has an interview with the Headmaster and supplies a handwritten personal statement of no more than two sides of A4. Both sit alongside the written tests, so the statement is worth drafting by hand with time to spare.
For the Pre-Prep and Prep School, the school obtains references from each child's previous school and asks parents to liaise with the Admissions Team on timing. Registration at every stage includes the last two school reports. Scholarship applicants for entry to the first senior year can bring an item they would like to discuss at interview.
Scholarships and bursaries
Rossall offers scholarships for entry to Year 7 and Year 12, awarded in academics, sport, music, art and performing arts or drama, and reviewed annually on achievement, effort, attitude and behaviour. Scholarships are open to UK residents only, and applications close at the end of Michaelmas Term in the year before entry.
Assessment varies by award. The academic route uses an academic assessment at Year 7 and a subject interview at Year 12, music requires grade 3 standard at Year 7 and grade 6 at Year 12, and drama involves an audition with two memorised monologues. Named awards include the Trapnell Scholarship for maths and science aptitude.
Means-tested bursaries include the Changing Lives Bursary for sixth form day pupils, covering up to 100% of tuition fees, and the Jackson Bursary, covering up to 80% of school fees. The Forces Bursary reduces the parental contribution for Ministry of Defence CEA families to a minimum of 10%. Bursaries are open to new pupils and not to current pupils.
Fees and what they include
Fees at Rossall are published per term on the school's fees page, with separate rates for day, weekly boarding and full boarding that rise at Year 7, Year 9 and for the International Baccalaureate. Day fees cover tuition in the standard curriculum including sports, arts and activities, whilst boarding fees add accommodation, supervised prep, meals and laundry.
Lunches are compulsory for day pupils and charged separately, as are the Football, Piano and Dance academies, learning support and textbooks, examinations, trips and the school bus. The page also lists sibling and Old Rossallian discounts, and fees can be paid in ten monthly direct debits.
Where pupils join from
Rossall has its own Pre-Prep and Prep School for ages 4 to 11, which many families will consider as a route into the senior school. Entry there involves no formal assessment, though references are requested from the previous school.
The admissions pages read do not describe how Prep pupils transfer into Year 7, and they name no feeder or partner schools. Families already at the Prep School can ask the Admissions Team how the Year 7 process applies to them.
Sixth form entry requirements
Sixth form entry at Rossall requires at least five GCSE or iGCSE passes at grades 5 to 9, or equivalent qualifications, and a satisfactory report from the current school. Certain subjects ask for a grade 6 or 7 in that subject or a related one.
Registration also asks for predicted GCSE grades where available. Scholarship applicants sit two papers, a discursive or argumentative essay and a critical thinking paper, then meet the Headmaster and/or a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The Year 12 academic scholarship interview is held in the subject chosen on the application.
How to prepare
Preparation for the 11+ and 13+ is most useful when it matches the three named tests: written English, written Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Since the school sets its own papers and publishes no lengths or question types, practice that builds fluency across all three areas tends to serve better than drilling one format.
The handwritten personal statement and the Headmaster interview reward early drafting and a conversation about the child's own interests. For scholarships, preparation follows the specific award, such as the remote CAT4, an audition piece or a practical assessment day, and the Admissions Team can confirm what to bring.
Related guides
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- 13+ Common Entrance explained
- The 11+ entrance exam explained
- 11+ and 13+ scholarship exams explained
- What is a bursary? Private school bursaries explained
- Boarding schools in the UK
Preparing for the Rossall School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
The Rossall School 11+ rewards steady preparation over a year or so, with the last term given to timed practice and interview confidence. Having prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools, with placements including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, our tutors match the programme to the school's assessment format and to where the child is starting from.
Because the pool includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools, and more than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status, families get a tutor who understands what the assessors are looking for. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.
Families work with us online from anywhere in the UK or abroad, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, with no registration fee and a free initial consultation to talk through your child's current level and the timeline to the 11+. Families receive progress reports after sessions and have a dedicated point of contact.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Rossall School entrance exam?
- For Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+), the Rossall School Entrance Examination consists of written tests in English, Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Year 8 and Year 10 entrants sit placement tests in English and Mathematics. Every senior school applicant also has a Headmaster interview and provides a handwritten personal statement.
- How much are Rossall School fees?
- Fees are published per term on the school's fees page, with separate day, weekly boarding and full boarding rates that rise at Year 7, Year 9 and for the International Baccalaureate. Day fees include tuition, sports, arts and activities. Lunches, academies, learning support and other extras are charged separately.
- Does Rossall offer scholarships and bursaries?
- Yes. Scholarships are offered for entry to Year 7 and Year 12 in academics, sport, music, art and performing arts or drama, and are open to UK residents. Means-tested bursaries include the Changing Lives Bursary, covering up to 100% of tuition fees for sixth form day pupils, and the Jackson Bursary, up to 80% of school fees.
- How can a child be registered at Rossall?
- Start with an enquiry to the Admissions Team, then submit the registration form with a copy of the child's passport and the last two school reports, plus a non-refundable deposit. Next come a visit, the assessments and Headmaster interview, an optional taster day, and finally an offer and acceptance.
- What are the sixth form entry requirements at Rossall?
- Applicants need at least five GCSE or iGCSE passes at grades 5 to 9, or equivalent, and a satisfactory report from their current school. Some subjects require a grade 6 or 7 in that subject or a related one. Scholarship applicants also sit an essay and a critical thinking paper.
- Is there an assessment for the Rossall Prep School?
- No. The school states there is no formal assessment for entry to the Pre-Prep and Prep School, which takes children aged 4 to 11. It does obtain references from each child's previous school and asks for the last two school reports at registration.
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