State boarding - admissions procedures

The majority of boys enter the school at 11+, but arrangements are made for entry at any stage up to and including the Sixth Form. The main entrance examination takes place in September with the option of a Boarders’ Entrance Test in February.  A few additional places are sometimes available at 12+ & 13+ and are allocated on the basis of internal tests.  These tests are held in November, March and May.

An increasing number of boys enter the school at 16+ on the basis of GCSE results and school report. The qualification for entry is a minimum of seven passes at grade B or better, with the proviso that a B grade is required in any subject to be offered at A-level (Grade A for Maths). Most candidates achieve GCSE results well above this minimum.

We welcome several overseas boarders every year, but we advise parents that as a state school, we are only able to offer places to sons of UK or EU passport holders, or those with Home Office work permits.

Visit the school 

You are very welcome to visit the school at any time and we strongly recommend that all families visit the school before applying for boarding, even if they have attended an Open Day.

We offer a highly personalised, one-to-one experience when you visit the school.  You and your son will meet the boarding staff, including matrons and others who are caring for the boys; tour the boarding houses, including bedrooms, recreation areas and bathrooms; experience life in the classroom and meet the Headmaster.  You will be taken on a tour of the school by an experienced sixth form student or member of staff, who will tailor your tour to suit you and your son's particular interests.

We realise that this visit will be the key deciding factor about whether you decide to go ahead and apply to LRGS.  We also appreciate that you may be anxious about making this important decision: is boarding right for your son?  If so, is LRGS the right school for him?  We hope that by the end of the visit you will be reassured that as well as receiving an excellent education, your son will be very well cared for at his time at LRGS.  We are happy to talk to you in advance of your visit, to find out what your specific interests and concerns are.  Similarly, we value any constructive feedback after your visit, to ensure that our tours and visits really are satisfying the needs of all prospective boarders and their families.  We can assure you of a warm welcome at LRGS and look forward to meeting you and your son.  To arrange a visit, please see Contact Us.

Flexible boarding

Boarding can be full time, weekly, or arranged to suit the requirements of the modern family. Approximately one third of the boarding community at LRGS are full time boarders, some from overseas. The rest of the community is made up of boys who stay some weekends but also go home regularly. The choice is left to parents in liaison with Housemasters.

2010 Fees

As a state boarding school, the education that the pupils receive is free, yet is on a par with the private school system.

The fees are for boarding only and from September 2010 will be £2,700 per term, £2,900 for Sixth Form, which includes meals and accommodation. This represents exceptional value for money.

There are a limited number of bursaries available by direct application to the Headmaster.