Redbridge has two selective grammar schools, and one shared test decides entry to both.
That is unusual for London, and it makes the borough simpler to prepare for than most.
The two schools
| School | Intake | Year 7 places |
|---|---|---|
| Ilford County High School | Boys | 180 |
| Woodford County High School | Girls | Selective, girls only |
Both are state grammar schools, so there are no fees.
Ilford County High School's own admissions page states that all admissions are based on the Redbridge 11+ examination, and that 180 boys enter Year 7 each year.
We hold catchment detail for both: Ilford County High School and Woodford County High School.
Who actually runs admissions
This is the part worth getting right, because it is where families waste time.
The London Borough of Redbridge is the Admissions Authority, not the individual schools.
That means registration, the test, and the allocation of places are handled by the council rather than by contacting the schools directly.
- London Borough of Redbridge secondary admissions is the authority for registration windows, the test date and the timetable.
- The schools' own admissions pages carry their individual criteria and any oversubscription rules.
- We deliberately do not republish Redbridge test dates here. They move every year, and a stale date on a comparison site is worse than no date at all.
What the test involves
Redbridge uses a single shared 11+ test for both schools, which means your child sits one test rather than two.
Practically, that is a real advantage over boroughs where each school runs its own paper.
The Redbridge test is a GL Assessment style selection test, so the question formats will be familiar to anyone who has looked at GL material.
Our free GL Assessment style practice papers are built to that format, and there is a fuller explanation of the board in our guide to 11+ exam types.
Preparing for a super-selective borough
Redbridge's grammars are heavily oversubscribed, which changes what preparation needs to achieve.
In a super-selective borough, being comfortably above average is not the target. Accuracy under time pressure is.
That has two practical consequences for how you prepare.
Do full papers under time, not just topic worksheets. Most lost marks in super-selective tests are timing and transcription errors, not gaps in knowledge.
Cover all four skills. GL style tests draw on maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, and children usually have one weak leg.
Every one of our free practice papers comes with a worked answer key, so a wrong answer teaches something rather than just costing a mark.
If Redbridge does not work out
Applying to a super-selective borough without a backup is a common and avoidable mistake.
Neighbouring Essex runs the CSSE test, which is written rather than multiple choice and has its own separate timetable.
Our guide on passing the 11+ but not getting a place covers why that happens and what to do about it.
Frequently asked questions
Which grammar schools are in Redbridge?+
There are two: Ilford County High School, a selective boys' grammar, and Woodford County High School, a selective girls' grammar. Both are state schools, so there are no fees, and both admit through the Redbridge 11+ examination.
Do Ilford County High and Woodford County High use the same test?+
Yes. Redbridge uses a single shared 11+ selection test for both schools, so your child sits one test rather than a separate paper for each school.
That is simpler than boroughs where each grammar runs its own exam.
Who runs Redbridge 11+ admissions?+
The London Borough of Redbridge is the Admissions Authority, not the individual schools. Registration, the test itself and the allocation of places are handled by the council, so the council's secondary admissions pages are the place to start rather than contacting the schools.
How many places are there at Ilford County High School?+
Ilford County High School's own admissions information states that 180 boys are admitted into Year 7 each year.
When is the Redbridge 11+ test?+
The registration window and test date are set each year by the London Borough of Redbridge, and they move. We do not republish them here, because a stale date is worse than no date.
Check the council's secondary admissions pages and the schools' own admissions pages for the current year.
What should my child practise for the Redbridge 11+?+
The Redbridge test is a GL Assessment style selection test, so GL format practice across maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning is the right preparation. Because the schools are heavily oversubscribed, full papers under timed conditions matter more than topic worksheets.
Free GL style practice for the Redbridge 11+
Pip builds all four 11+ skills with unlimited adaptive practice, free, no ads and no sign-up, plus every practice paper as a printable PDF.
