11 Plus Maths Tuition North Yorkshire | Ripon and Skipton Tests

Is there maths in the North Yorkshire 11 plus?

Yes, at all three grammar schools, though not in the same test. North Yorkshire Council says that from September 2026 the Ripon Grammar School test is a verbal skills paper and a non-verbal reasoning with mathematics paper, supplied and marked by GL Assessment, and that "the mathematics section has approximately 25 questions (25 minutes)" with content up to the end of Year 5. The 2026 sitting for September 2027 entry was on Saturday 12 September. Ermysted's Grammar School in Skipton uses an FSCE test of two English and maths papers, sat on Saturday 26 September 2026, and Skipton Girls' High School runs its own selection tests. Modern Age Coders teaches the Year 5 and 6 maths behind these tests live online, in a group or 1-on-1, through our 11 plus maths preparation course.

Where to start

Three courses for a North Yorkshire Year 5 or 6

The first is the direct one. The other two help a child who needs number confidence first, or who is already secure and ready for Year 7 work. Each card opens a syllabus.

NYORKS / 01

11 plus maths preparation

The Year 5 curriculum the Ripon and Skipton papers draw on, taught with estimation and checking built in.

Open the syllabus →

NYORKS / 02

Mental maths, number sense first

For a child who needs rounding, place value and quick recall to feel easy before a timed section.

Open the syllabus →

Middle School Mathematics Mastery course thumbnail

NYORKS / 03

Lower secondary maths

Pre-algebra and geometry for a secure child heading into Year 7 at any school.

Open the syllabus →

Three schools, two tests

Which grammar schools are there in North Yorkshire?

Three, and the council names them on its own selective schools page: Ripon Grammar School, Ermysted's Grammar School and Skipton Girls' High School. Only the Ripon test is the council's to run.

Who sets which test, from North Yorkshire Council and the schools, read 31 October 2026
School	Test run by	Paper supplier	Maths in the test?
Ripon Grammar School (mixed, day and boarding)	North Yorkshire Council	GL Assessment	Yes: a maths section of about 25 questions inside the non-verbal reasoning with mathematics paper, from September 2026
Ermysted's Grammar School, Skipton (boys)	The school	Future Stories Community Enterprise Ltd (FSCE)	Yes: English and maths questions run through both papers
Skipton Girls' High School (girls)	The school, as an academy	The school links FSCE familiarisation guides	The school says girls sit "a set of selection tests"; check its admissions booklet

What the council does and does not do

The council's page is direct about its role: "We are only responsible for organising entrance tests for Ripon Grammar School." For the two Skipton schools it says they "arrange and run their own selection tests", with their own application processes, timescales and deadlines.

Whatever the school, the council makes one point that catches families out every year: "Registering for and sitting an entrance test is not an application for a place at the school." The common application to the council is a separate step, due by 31 October of Year 6.

Why the split matters for maths

A child sitting only the Ripon test meets maths as one timed multiple-choice section after two blocks of non-verbal reasoning. A boy sitting at Ermysted's meets maths mixed with English across two papers, half of it answered by writing short answers rather than choosing.

Some families near the middle of the county consider both towns. If so, the two tests need slightly different practice habits, which we come to below, and two separate registrations with two separate deadlines.

Sources: North Yorkshire Council, Selective schools; Ermysted's, Admission into Year 7; Skipton Girls' High School, Admissions. We are independent: Modern Age Coders is not linked to the council, GL Assessment, FSCE or any of the three schools.

What changed in 2026

What is in the new Ripon Grammar School 11 plus maths section?

A block of about 25 multiple-choice maths questions in 25 minutes, drawn from the national curriculum up to the end of Year 5. The council adds that "There are no practice questions for this section."

The Ripon test from September 2026, as North Yorkshire Council describes it
Paper	Section	Questions	Time
Verbal Skills	English: a passage, then spelling and grammar, to the end of Year 5	26	25 minutes
Verbal Skills	Verbal reasoning	32	20 minutes
Non-Verbal Reasoning with mathematics	Non-verbal reasoning, first section, with practice questions before it	20	10 minutes
Non-Verbal Reasoning with mathematics	Non-verbal reasoning, second section	20	10 minutes
Non-Verbal Reasoning with mathematics	Mathematics, to the end of Year 5, no practice questions	About 25	25 minutes

Source: North Yorkshire Council, "Changes to the Ripon Grammar School entrance test from September 2026", read 31 October 2026. Every question on both papers is multiple choice.

Before and after

Until the September 2026 sitting, the council says, there was no maths at all: a 50-minute verbal reasoning paper of 80 questions and a non-verbal paper of four ten-minute sections of 20 questions each. A Ripon family who prepared an older sibling for that format is now preparing for a different test.

The council gives its reason for the change. The reasoning elements keep testing potential "irrespective of schooling and background", while "By adding a new Key Stage 2 element, the tests will also respond to the teaching and learning which is conducted in your child's school."

What "no practice questions" means in practice

In the non-verbal sections the instructions come with worked practice items before the clock starts. The maths section has none, so a child must already know how a multiple-choice maths question looks and how to mark the answer sheet before the day.

GL Assessment's free familiarisation booklets, which the council links, are the right place to see the format. The council notes they "are not definitive", and that including a question type does not guarantee it will appear.

The clock is part of it

The council puts it bluntly: "It is essential that your child attempts to complete all the questions within the time allowed". It adds, "The time element is part of the test."

Year 5 content only

Both the English and the maths sections stop at the end of the Year 5 national curriculum, because the test falls in the second week of Year 6.

Marked by GL

The council says the papers are "produced, marked and standardised by GL Assessment", and trained invigilators run the day at Ripon Grammar School.

The Ripon calendar

When is the Ripon Grammar School 11 plus for 2027 entry?

For children starting Year 7 in September 2027 the test was on Saturday 12 September 2026, at Ripon Grammar School. Registration closed on 30 June 2026.

North Yorkshire Council, Ripon Grammar School key dates for September 2027 entry
Date	What happens
30 April 2026	Online entrance test registration form opens
30 June 2026	Registration deadline, and the closing date for special arrangement requests
Week of 25 August 2026	Invitations confirming test day arrangements are sent
Saturday 12 September 2026	Test day for Year 6 children, at Ripon Grammar School
By 16 October 2026	Results issued in writing; the council will not give results by phone or email
31 October 2026	Common application to the council closes
April, June and August 2027	Late tests on set dates, with a January date for families moving into the Ripon area

If registration was missed

The council says a late application means the child cannot sit the test before National Offer Day, and late testing then happens in April before the September start. The exceptions are a serious illness backed by medical evidence and a family moving into the Ripon catchment area.

A child can sit the Ripon test only once in a school year. A Year 7 pupil who has already sat it waits for the Year 8 entry test.

Illness on the day

Families who think a child is unwell must tell the admissions team before the day, or ring the emergency number on the letter on the day and confirm in writing by 5pm on the following Monday. A child absent without notice is withdrawn from testing.

The council also says that bringing a child to the test confirms they are fit and well, so a family in doubt should ask rather than sit and hope.

The cut-off

What is the Ripon Grammar School 11 plus pass mark?

There is no fixed pass mark. The council finds the highest scoring 28 per cent, or as close as possible, of Year 6 children living in the Ripon area, and that number sets the cut-off for the year.

Ripon Grammar School cut-off marks published by North Yorkshire Council
Year of entry	Cut-off mark
2026	203
2025	196
2024	195

How the total is built

The council says the marks are first standardised to allow for each child's age, and then "your child's verbal skills and non-verbal reasoning and mathematics scores are added together to give a total score which is used to determine whether they have reached the cut-off mark."

So from 2026 the maths section sits inside one of the two scores that are added. It is not a separate hurdle with its own pass line.

Reading the three numbers honestly

All three published cut-offs come from the older test, which had no maths section. The September 2026 sitting is the first on the new papers, so nobody can say yet where its line will fall, and we would not guess.

Reaching the cut-off makes a child suitable for entry; it does not secure a place. The council says plainly that if the school is oversubscribed "the normal oversubscription criteria will apply". Ripon's published admission number is 117, which includes 14 boarding places.

Source: North Yorkshire Council, Selective schools, frequently asked questions, read 31 October 2026. We print no prediction for any child.

The Skipton test

How is the Ermysted's and Skipton 11 plus different?

Ermysted's Grammar School sets an FSCE test of two papers, each mixing English and maths questions. One paper is multiple choice; the other asks for short written answers.

Ermysted's Grammar School, entry to Year 7 in September 2027
Item	What the school publishes
Registration	Opened 12:00 noon Monday 13 April 2026, closed 12:00 noon Monday 31 August 2026
Who registers	Everyone, including families in the catchment area; nobody is entered automatically
Eligible	Boys born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016
Test day	Saturday 26 September 2026
Provider	Future Stories Community Enterprise Ltd (FSCE)
Format	Two papers of English and maths: one with multiple choice options, one with short written answers
Scoring	Standardised and age-weighted; the required standard is set by the Admissions Committee from the cohort's results
Outcome	Week commencing 12 October 2026, before the 31 October council deadline
Places	Published admission number of 128

What the written half changes

With options on the page, a careful estimate can rule out wrong answers. With a blank box, there is nothing to rule out: the child must reach the number. Our lessons for a Skipton boy therefore pair the estimation habit below with a written calculation that the estimate then checks.

Because English and maths share the same papers, a question may also hinge on reading the wording closely. The school asks for no special subject outside the primary curriculum.

Skipton Girls' High School

The school says that, as an academy, it is responsible for its own admissions, and that girls who wish to join in Year 7 "sit a set of selection tests". Its admissions page links FSCE familiarisation guides for parents and for children, and a free online preparation offer for disadvantage-funded pupils through Atom Learning.

We could not open the school's 2027 entry booklet (its file host refused our request), so this page gives no format or dates for the girls' test. Read the booklet on the school's site.

Sources: Ermysted's Grammar School, Admission into Year 7 (September 2027) and Skipton Girls' High School, Admissions, read 31 October 2026.

Our lesson family

How can a child answer a maths question in about a minute?

Twenty-five questions in 25 minutes is roughly a minute each, with no warm-up. The single most useful habit at that pace is a quick estimate made before any working. The examples and practice set below are ours, written for this page; they are not GL or FSCE questions.

Round first, then look

Before reading the options, round each number to one or two significant figures and get a rough answer in your head. The rough answer tells you which options are even possible.

Cross out the impossible

With five options, an estimate often removes two or three at once. What is left needs only a last digit, or a check of whether the answer is a little above or below the estimate.

Know which way you rounded

If both numbers were rounded up, the true product is smaller than the estimate. Saying that aloud is what turns rounding from a guess into reasoning.

Worked examples (ours), at Year 5 level
Question (ours)	Estimate first	Then finish
4,987 + 3,106 = ? Options: 7,093; 8,093; 8,193; 9,093; 81,093	5,000 + 3,100 is about 8,100, so 7,093, 9,093 and 81,093 go at once	The last digits 7 + 6 end in 3, and 4,987 is 13 short of 5,000: 8,100 minus 7 is 8,093
38 x 21 = ? Options: 598; 698; 798; 898; 7,980	40 x 20 = 800, and one number went up while the other went down, so the answer is near 800	38 x 20 = 760, plus 38 is 798
A school trip of 196 children fills coaches of 49. How many coaches?	200 divided by 50 is 4	49 x 4 = 196 exactly, so 4 coaches and no seats left over
Which is closest to 3.9 x 6.2?	4 x 6 = 24	Both numbers are near whole numbers, so 24 is the closest option; the exact value, 24.18, confirms it
712 minus 289	700 minus 300 is 400, and both numbers were rounded down a little, so the answer is a bit above 400	712 minus 300 is 412, add back 11 to get 423

Our practice set, for the kitchen table. Estimate each answer in under ten seconds, write the estimate down, then work it out properly and compare. (1) 6,050 minus 2,980. (2) 51 x 19. (3) 1,203 divided by 4, to the nearest whole number. (4) 7.8 + 12.4 + 0.9. (5) A bag holds 48 sweets; how many bags for 1,000 sweets? (6) 299 x 3. Answers, ours: (1) about 3,000, exactly 3,070; (2) about 1,000, exactly 969; (3) about 300, exactly 300.75, so 301 to the nearest whole number; (4) about 21, exactly 21.1; (5) about 20, and 20 bags hold 960, so 21 bags; (6) about 900, exactly 897.

Why estimation, of all topics

Year 5 of the national curriculum asks pupils to round any number up to a million to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000, and to use rounding to check answers. It is on the syllabus that both North Yorkshire tests cap at, and it speeds up nearly every other topic on it.

It also protects a child from the most common timed-test error: a slip that produces an answer ten times too big, which a ten-second estimate would have caught.

What we do not do

We do not reproduce GL or FSCE questions, and we do not sell the idea that a shop-bought test predicts a score. The council warns that the standardised marks for "off the shelf" tests are not comparable with the marks achieved in the tests designed for North Yorkshire.

On coaching, the council writes: "Coaching for the tests is not required. However, we cannot prevent this." We teach Year 5 and 6 maths that stands on its own, test or no test.

Year by year

A steady route from Year 4 to the test in Year 6

Both North Yorkshire tests are sat in September of Year 6 and stop at Year 5 content, so the work that counts happens in Year 5.

Our plan for a North Yorkshire child, built around the Ripon and Skipton calendars
When	Maths focus (ours)	Secure when
Summer of Year 4	Times tables to 12 and place value to 10,000	Recall is instant and numbers can be partitioned at sight
Autumn of Year 5	Rounding to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000 and beyond	An estimate is made before every calculation, without being asked
Spring of Year 5	Fractions, decimals, written methods; register for Ermysted's from mid-April	Long multiplication is set out correctly every time
Summer of Year 5	Mixed timed sets at about a minute a question; Ripon registration closes 30 June	A full timed set ends with the clock, not with a stall
September of Year 6	Rest, light revision, and the GL or FSCE familiarisation material	The child knows the answer sheet and the day's routine

If the result is not the one hoped for

The Ripon line is set to admit around the top 28 per cent of the area's Year 6, so most children will not reach it. That is how the test is built.

The maths learned on the way serves Year 7 at any school.

After the 11 plus

Our GCSE maths page covers the next exam that every child sits.

Puzzle lovers can look at the UK competitions calendar.

All related courses

Maths and coding courses for North Yorkshire children

Grouped by age. Each card opens its full syllabus.

I

Primary maths

Years 3 to 6

UK / PTN / 01

11 plus maths preparation

Year 5 maths for the Ripon and Skipton tests.

Open the syllabus

UK / PTN / 02

Mental maths for kids

Rounding and recall until they are automatic.

Open the syllabus

UK / PTN / 03

Primary maths, Years 1 to 5

The foundations, for a younger brother or sister.

Open the syllabus

UK / PTN / 04

KS2 SATs maths

The national tests in May of Year 6.

Open the syllabus

II

Into secondary

Years 6 to 8

UK / PTN / 05

Lower secondary maths

Pre-algebra and geometry for Year 7.

Open the syllabus

UK / PTN / 06

Competition maths

Harder problems for children who want them.

Open the syllabus

III

Maths in code

Ages 8 and up

UK / PTN / 07

Maths through coding

Rounding, patterns and number explored in Python.

Open the syllabus

UK / PTN / 08

Scratch coding for kids

Logic and sequencing, built visually.

Open the syllabus

How lessons run

Live online, from the Dales to the coast

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Our teachers work from India, where the clocks never change, so India time runs four and a half hours ahead of UK time in summer and five and a half in winter. Every booking is made in UK time.

After school

An early-evening hour for Year 5 and 6.

Weekend morning

For farming families and busy weeknights.

Summer of Year 5

Timed sets in the weeks before the test.

Curriculum first

Year 5 maths taught properly, with estimation in every lesson.

No long drives

The same class in Settle, Thirsk or Whitby, with no trip to town.

Group or 1-on-1

A class of 15 to 20 at one level, or one teacher for one child.

Questions we wrote

Practice sets are drafted by our teachers and never copied from a paper.

Short reports

A line or two after each block: what has stuck, what still wobbles.

No promises

Cut-offs and places are decided by the council and the schools.

Student work

What our students go on to make

Projects from children who learned with us, many of them now older. See more on student labs.

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees for 11 plus maths lessons

A single monthly fee in the currency we bill UK families in, paid one month at a time with no upfront block. Your first class costs nothing.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

A full lesson pitched at your child's level
An honest read on where their maths stands
Just a phone number to book

Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

A class of 15 to 20 at one level
One teacher for the whole year
Homework marked and discussed
A certificate on completion

Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

One teacher, one child
Planned around a single test or gap
Suits a child who freezes under a timer

Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

What parents wrote on our Google profile.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

North Yorkshire 11 plus questions

What North Yorkshire parents ask

Is there maths in the Ripon Grammar School 11 plus?

From the September 2026 sitting, yes. North Yorkshire Council says the non-verbal reasoning with mathematics paper ends with a maths section of approximately 25 questions in 25 minutes, with content up to the end of Year 5 and no practice questions.

When was the Ripon 11 plus for September 2027 entry?

On Saturday 12 September 2026, at Ripon Grammar School. Registration ran from 30 April to 30 June 2026, and the council says results are issued no later than 16 October.

What is the Ripon Grammar School pass mark?

There is no fixed mark. The council sets the cut-off at the score that picks out the highest scoring 28 per cent, or as close as possible, of Year 6 children living in the Ripon area. Published cut-offs were 203 for 2026 entry, 196 for 2025 and 195 for 2024, all on the older format.

Who writes the North Yorkshire 11 plus papers?

For Ripon, GL Assessment produces, marks and standardises the papers, and the council organises the test. Ermysted's Grammar School uses Future Stories Community Enterprise Ltd (FSCE), and Skipton Girls' High School runs its own selection tests.

What is in the Ermysted's Grammar School entrance test?

Two papers of English and maths questions from FSCE. One uses multiple choice answer options and the other asks for short written answers. The scores are standardised and age-weighted.

Does passing the test guarantee a grammar school place?

No. The council says reaching the cut-off does not guarantee a place, and the oversubscription criteria apply if the school has more qualified applicants than places. You must still apply to the council by 31 October.

Can my child sit the Ripon test twice?

Not in the same school year. The council says a child can sit the Ripon test only once per school year, and a Year 7 pupil who has sat it would next try for Year 8 entry.

Should I pay for 11 plus coaching in North Yorkshire?

The council says coaching for the tests is not required, though it cannot prevent it, and that shop-bought practice test scores are not comparable with its own. We teach Year 5 and 6 maths, never test items, and make no promise about any score.

Are the Ripon practice papers official?

The council links GL Assessment's free familiarisation booklets and online material. It says they show the range of skills and how answers are marked, but are not definitive.

When are your maths lessons?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. We book every lesson in UK time.

Related pages

More for North Yorkshire families

Other areas' tests, coding near you, and our UK hub.

11 plus maths tuition

Our national page on 11 plus maths.

11 plus maths in Reading

Another area where an FSCE test sets maths.

Coding classes in North Yorkshire

Live coding lessons across the county.

Coding classes in Ripon

For families in and around the city.

KS2 SATs maths papers

The tests every Year 6 child sits in May.

Coding classes in the UK

The hub for all our UK pages.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+

11+ by area

Tests by provider and entry point

Northern Ireland transfer test

More guides: UK maths exam boards and specification codes · UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11 · UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications · UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils

Start here

Book a free maths lesson

Let us know the year group and whether Ripon or Skipton is in mind. We will pitch the first lesson at the Year 5 maths that school's test draws on.

Prefer to read first? Each course page lists its full syllabus, and how we teach describes a typical lesson.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

WhatsApp is the fastest route and costs nothing from a UK phone. Replies come from India, from a +91 number; we have no office in North Yorkshire.

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.

Book a priority demo