How to prepare for The Royal Ballet School 11+

Exam format not yet verified. We have not confirmed this school's exam board or paper format from an official source. Where this guide describes the test, treat it as a working assumption and check the school's admissions page before relying on it.

Not independently verified. We could not verify the facts in this guide against an official source when it was written. Check the school's admissions page before relying on any date or number.

The exam at a glance

The Royal Ballet School is unusual because academic testing sits alongside dance selection. For 2028 entry, the working assumption for this guide, not yet verified with the school, is a mixed process using the school’s own paper: a GL Assessment-style test covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, alongside the School’s audition process for full-time training.

For parents, the important point is that this is not a purely academic admissions route. The School states that admission is based on potential in classical ballet rather than personal circumstances or academic ability. In practice, that means your child may need to prepare for both the academic paper and ballet auditions or assessment stages.

The School’s admissions pages describe annual audition rounds for full-time training and Associate programmes, including preliminary auditions and, for some applicants, video applications. the information in our directory (not yet verified with the school) for 2028 entry is that delivery is mixed, which fits the School’s use of in-person and video-based routes for some candidates.

For the paper itself, build preparation across all four subjects rather than focusing too heavily on one. GL-style papers reward children who can work steadily, read carefully and keep accuracy under time pressure. A sensible plan is to practise each subject every week, then gradually add timed work once methods feel secure.

What the day looks like can vary because audition schedules and assessment stages are set by the School each cycle. Parents should expect a structured admissions process rather than a single stand-alone written exam. Once the 2028 cycle is published, check the School’s application guidance carefully for the exact order of academic testing, auditions and any follow-up stages.

Registration and key dates

The Royal Ballet School runs its own admissions process through its website rather than through a local authority 11+ portal. The main starting point is the School’s Apply page, which explains the routes for full-time training and Associate programmes.

For the current published cycle in our verified directory, applications for full-time training and Mid, Senior and Advanced Associate programmes open on 3 September 2026 and close on 14 October 2026. ElevenReady also holds a typical exam date of 1 November 2026 for this cycle. Because dated audition pages can sometimes refer to the previous intake year, parents should treat the School website as the final check once the 2028 entry round is live.

The School’s own website also says that applications for full-time training and Mid, Senior and Advanced Associates open in September and close in October, with preliminary auditions taking place from November to January. That is useful as a pattern if you are planning ahead for 2028 entry.

The School gives separate timelines for some other programmes. Its Junior Associate page says applications open in February each year and close in March, with auditions in the Summer Term. That matters if you are comparing routes, but for a Year 7 full-time entry family, the autumn full-time admissions cycle is the one to watch.

You should be prepared to complete the School’s own online form and pay the relevant application fee. The School publishes these fees:

£70 for full-time training, Mid, Senior and Advanced Associates
£60 for Junior Associates
£70 for a video audition application

If your child is applying from overseas or cannot attend an in-person preliminary audition in the UK, the School says a video application may be possible.

Results timing is not set out clearly in one simple 11+ style results page in the sources reviewed. The School does publish audition windows and selection dates for some programmes, but parents should check the live admissions pages for the exact timetable for invitations, outcomes and next steps once 2028 entry opens.

Useful links for families tracking this school:

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

There is no catchment area. The School states that it welcomes applications from all, and its admissions approach is not built around local priority zones in the way many grammar schools are.

The School’s published approach is that admission is based solely on potential in classical ballet. That is the most important admissions principle for families to understand. Academic ability is not presented as the deciding factor in the same way it would be at a conventional selective independent school.

For families outside the UK, or those unable to attend an in-person preliminary audition in the UK, the School says international candidates may apply by video. This reinforces that the School recruits nationally and internationally rather than from a local area.

We did not find an official published figure in the reviewed sources for the exact number of Year 7 entry places for the 2028 cycle, and families should not rely on third-party estimates. Check the School’s admissions pages directly when the live round opens if you want the latest intake structure for that year.

Competition is naturally strong because entry is based on ballet potential and the School is internationally known, but the School does not present a simple published 11+ style pass mark or qualifying score. Parents should think of this as a multi-stage selection process rather than a score-only test.

A month-by-month preparation plan

Because this process includes both academic testing and ballet selection, the best preparation is calm, consistent and realistic. For a Year 5 child aiming at autumn 2027 testing for September 2028 entry, this is a sensible rhythm.

January to March (Year 5)

Keep it light: around 1 to 1.5 hours a week in total across the four subjects. Focus on core arithmetic, careful reading, vocabulary building and puzzle-style reasoning. The goal is not speed yet; it is confidence and familiarity.

Maths: secure number facts, written methods and word problems
English: daily reading, short comprehension work, spelling patterns and punctuation
Verbal Reasoning: simple code, sequence and vocabulary tasks
Non-Verbal Reasoning: pattern spotting, rotations, mirror images and odd-one-out tasks

If your child is also dancing seriously, keep academic sessions short and regular rather than long and tiring.

April to June

Increase to around 2 hours a week. Start topic-based practice in each subject, one at a time, and keep a notebook of mistakes. Children often improve fastest when they review errors and explain the right method aloud.

Introduce short timed bursts of 5 to 10 minutes
Practise switching between subjects without losing focus
Build vocabulary from reading rather than word lists alone
Keep maths accuracy high before pushing speed

July to August

This is the point to become more structured, but still not intense. Aim for 2.5 to 3 hours a week, split into short sessions. Begin mini papers or timed sections so your child learns pace and stamina.

Use one timed section at a time before trying full papers
Review every mistake the same day if possible
Practise bubbling answers or marking clearly if the paper format requires it
Keep one weekly session purely for weak areas

Summer is also a good time to make sure ballet commitments and academic practice can sit together sensibly.

September

Move to 3 to 4 hours a week. By now your child should be doing regular timed sections in all four subjects. The aim is steady accuracy across the whole paper, not perfection in one area and panic in another.

Start full mixed papers if your child is coping well
Practise under quiet exam conditions once a week
Keep one lighter session for reading and vocabulary
Do not overload around school and dance timetables

October

This is polishing month. Keep to 3 hours a week, but make it sharp and purposeful. Use past mistakes, timing checks and confidence-building review rather than endless new material.

One full paper or equivalent timed set each week
One corrections session focused on method
One lighter session for mental maths, reading and reasoning drills
Earlier nights and a calm routine matter as much as extra questions

The final week

Reduce volume. A couple of short refreshers are enough. Check timings, travel, clothing and any audition paperwork. Children perform best when they feel prepared, not squeezed.

Subject by subject: what to practise

Maths

For GL-style maths, prioritise secure Key Stage 2 skills used under time pressure: arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio basics, measures, shape and word problems. Children should be able to choose an efficient method quickly and check whether an answer is sensible.

Good practice includes short mental maths drills, mixed topic sets and timed word problems. If your child makes many errors, slow down first; speed built on weak method usually makes scores less stable.

English

English preparation should cover comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and sometimes cloze-style tasks, depending on the exact paper structure. The most reliable preparation is regular reading plus short, focused practice on inference, authorial meaning and precise vocabulary.

Ask your child to explain why an answer is right using words from the passage. That habit improves both accuracy and confidence. Keep spelling, punctuation and grammar practice brisk but regular.

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning in GL-style papers commonly tests relationships between words, codes, sequences, letter patterns and logical language-based tasks. Children often improve when they learn the common task types and then practise spotting the clue quickly.

Build vocabulary steadily, because a good word bank helps in both Verbal Reasoning and English. Keep sessions short and frequent; this subject suits repetition.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning usually focuses on shapes, patterns, similarities, differences, rotation, reflection and spatial logic. Many children find this easier once they know what features to check in a fixed order: shape, size, shading, position and rotation.

Use visual pattern practice little and often. Encourage your child to describe what changes from one figure to the next before choosing an answer. That reduces guessing and improves consistency.

Practice papers and mock exams

Practice papers are most useful when they are used sparingly and carefully. One well-reviewed paper teaches more than three rushed ones.

Start with untimed practice so your child learns the method
Move to timed sections before full papers
Review every wrong answer and note the reason: knowledge gap, misread question, timing or careless slip
Repeat weak question types a few days later
Keep a record of scores by subject so patterns are easy to spot

Mock exams can help some children with stamina and nerves, especially if they have not sat formal tests before. But they should feel like a practice experience, not a judgement on whether your child is “good enough”. For this school in particular, remember that the admissions decision is not based on academic testing alone.

Use these ElevenReady resources:

If you use any third-party materials, choose ones clearly labelled for GL-style Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Avoid over-complicating things with too many different formats.

On the day

Keep the day simple. Children do best when adults sound steady and practical.

Lay out clothing, travel details and any required documents the night before
Have a normal breakfast your child knows suits them
Arrive in good time rather than very early
Bring water and any items the School has asked for
Remind your child that one hard section does not ruin the day

For the academic paper, the best advice is to read carefully, keep moving and avoid getting stuck. If a question is taking too long, make a sensible choice if required and continue.

For any audition element, encourage your child to listen carefully, follow instructions and recover calmly from small mistakes. Selection at a ballet school is about potential and teachability, not looking flawless.

Afterwards, try not to conduct a full post-mortem in the car or on the train home. A warm drink, some food and a change of subject are usually more helpful.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

After assessment, families should expect communication directly from The Royal Ballet School rather than through a local authority school-allocation process. Because this is an independent school with its own admissions route, the process is different from grammar school National Offer Day arrangements.

The School’s pages set out application windows and audition stages, but we did not find one single official page giving a published 2028-style timetable for all result notifications in the sources reviewed. Once the live cycle opens, check the School’s admissions information carefully for when outcomes, waiting-list movement and acceptance deadlines will be issued.

If your child is not offered a place, the next step will depend on the School’s own admissions policy and the programme applied for. Independent schools do not follow the same appeal system as state grammar schools. The sensible approach is to read the School’s admissions terms, ask politely for clarification if needed, and keep alternative school plans in place.

If your child is offered a place, respond promptly and check any deadlines for accepting, paying deposits or completing further forms. Ballet schools often have practical and pastoral information to complete alongside the offer itself.

What has changed recently

From the sources reviewed, the main recent published pattern is that the School continues to run annual audition-based admissions rounds, with applications for full-time training and Mid, Senior and Advanced Associates opening in September and closing in October, and with video application routes available for some candidates.

We did not find an officially announced recent change in the reviewed sources to catchment, because there is no catchment-based admissions model. We also did not find an official published change to a pass mark or a fixed academic threshold, and parents should be wary of any unofficial claims about one.

ElevenReady’s directory (not yet verified with the school) should be treated as the reliable summary of the academic test format: a GL Assessment-style paper across Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, delivered in a mixed process alongside the School’s own selection stages.

Frequently asked questions

Does The Royal Ballet School have a catchment area?

No. The School welcomes applications from all, and its admissions are not based on local catchment priority.

Is entry based mainly on the 11+ exam score?

No. The School says admission is based on potential in classical ballet, so the academic paper is only one part of the overall selection process.

What subjects should my child prepare for?

For 2028 entry, the working assumption for this guide, not yet verified with the school, is a GL-style paper covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Can children apply from outside the UK?

Yes. The School says international candidates who cannot attend an in-person preliminary audition in the UK may apply by video.

When do applications usually open?

The School’s admissions information says full-time training and Mid, Senior and Advanced Associate applications open in September and close in October. Check the live page for the exact 2028 dates.

How much is the application fee?

The School publishes £70 for full-time training, Mid, Senior and Advanced Associates, £60 for Junior Associates and £70 for a video audition application.

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Written by ElevenReady from the school's published information and reviewed by a person before publishing. Last reviewed 4 October 2026. Exam arrangements change. Check the school's admissions page for the current year.