Grammar schools are academically-oriented and selective state-run schools. They remain a popular choice for secondary education and the 164 Grammar Schools in England are heavily applied to for Year 7 entry. Your child is required to pass a series of entrance examinations (known as the 11 Plus) if they are to attend one of these schools. Entry criteria is governed by the School Admissions code and from this criteria, individual grammar schools set their own policies of admission.
The majority of Grammar Schools base their admissions policies upon 3 key factors:
These three factors are summarised below:
Grammar Schools test a variety of English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning in their entrance examinations. Schools which are part of a consortium will use the same examination to assess candidates. This means that students will often sit one exam for entry into multiple schools, rather than being required to sit individual tests for each individual school. Students will have to receive a minimum mark in each subject to be considered by their prospective schools; most will allocate places by the ranking of candidates – the highest score downwards until all spaces are filled. They may also use elements of the 11 Plus exam as a tie-breaker of sorts – they will assess individual papers to decide between two otherwise equal applications. Our Saturday Classes and Half-Term Intensive Courses are designed to enable your child to reach their full potential in these tests.
For many Grammar Schools, there is a pre-defined area by the school that is given priority of placement. This can be either boroughs or a specific set of postcodes. Local Authorities will publish all important information regarding catchment areas. Some schools will take catchment areas one step further and will allocate places depending on the physical distance from a child’s home to the main entrance of the school. If you are unsure as to whether these rules apply for schools you are interested in, ask the school directly; Admissions Officers must inform parents of historical allocation distances so to provide an indication of whether this is a reliable insight into a particular school’s admissions.
A large number of Grammar Schools have a Sibling Policy in action when assessing applications. This gives priority to candidates who already have an older brother or sister attending the school. In some cases, places are also given to pupils whose parents or close relatives work at the school. However, it is important to know that the Sibling Policy or a special relationship to the school is not a sure-fire way to gain acceptance to a school. These candidates will still be evaluated according to the same criteria as all other applicants and must follow all of the same procedures.
Although these are three major factors that Grammar Schools take into consideration, schools can also make decisions based upon religion (if it is aligned with a particular religion), aptitude (for example, if they value sports or music ability highly) or other special circumstances.
After choosing your prospective schools, you should attend the opens days, ensure you are fully registered to apply and then take your child to the necessary entrance examinations and interviews. As Covid-19 has affected several schools entrance examination dates, we have collated the changes in an easy to read table for your convenience.
| COUNTY | SCHOOL NAME | GENDER | REGISTRATION DEADLINE | CATCHMENT | SUBJECTS TESTED | TEST DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston Upon Thames | Tiffin School | Boys | Thursday 1st September 2022 | Inner Priority area children first - 10km from school If space then Outer Priority area - between 10km and 14km from school | Stage One - English and Maths (multiple choice) Stage Two - Maths and English (written) | Thursday 29 September 2022 - stage one November - stage two |
| Kingston Upon Thames | The Tiffins' Girls School | Girls | Thursday 15 July 2021 | Inner Priority area children first - 10km from school If space then Outer Priority area - between 10km and 14km from school | Stage One - English and Maths multiple choice Stage Two - English and Maths written tests | Thursday 29 September and Friday 30 September 2022- Stage One November - Stage Two |
| Bromley | St Olave's Grammar School | Boys | Monday 4 July 2022 | None | Stage One - reasoning, Maths, English (multiple choice) Stage Two - Maths, English (written) | Friday 23 September 2022 - Stage One Friday 11 November 2022 - Stage Two |
| Bromley | Newstead Wood School | Girls | Thursday 30 June 2022 | 9 mile radius of school | Verbal and Non verbal reasoning | 23/24 September 2022 |
| Sutton | Wilson's School | Boys | 5th August 2022 | None | Stage One (SET) - English and Maths multiple choice Stage Two - English and Maths written tests | Tuesday 13th September 2022 -Stage one (SET) Saturday 1 October 2022 - Stage Two |
| Sutton | Wallington County Grammar School | Boys | 5th August 2022 | 110 places in rank order irrespective of address 15 places for those in SM1, SM2, SM3, SM4, SM5, SM6, SM7 | Stage One (SET) - English and Maths multiple choice Stage Two - English and Maths written tests | Tuesday 13th September 2022 - Stage one (SET) |
| Sutton | Sutton Grammar School | Boys | 5th August 2022 | 75 places - home address is in these postcodes (SM1-7, KT4, KT17, CR0 4- -, CR4) Up to 60 places of any postcode | Stage One (SET) - English and Maths multiple choice Stage Two - English and Maths written tests | Tuesday 13th September 2022 - Stage one (SET) Saturday 2nd October 2021 - Stage Two |
| Sutton | Nonsuch School | Girls | 5th August 2022 | Top 85 places irrespective of address 110 children within 5.25km from school | Stage One (SET) - English and Maths multiple choice Stage Two - English and Maths written tests | Tuesday 13th September 2022 - Stage one (SET) Saturday 1 October 2022 - Stage Two |
| Sutton | Wallington High School for Girls | Girls | 5th August 2022 | Top 100 places irrespective of address 110 places within 6.7km radius of school | Stage One (SET) - English and Maths multiple choice Stage Two - English and Maths written tests | Tuesday 13th September 2022 - Stage one (SET) Saturday 1 October 2022 - Stage Two |
| Bexley | Townley Grammar school | Girls | Friday 2 July 2021 | 180 places irrespective of address Closest distance to school - remaining places | Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non verbal reasoning | Monday 13th September 2021 |
| Bexley | Bexley Grammar School | Mixed | Friday 2 July 2021 | 180 places irrespective of address Closest distance to school - remaining places | Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non verbal reasoning | Monday 13th September 2021 |
| Bexley | Beths Grammar School | Boys | Friday 2 July 2021 | 180 places irrespective of address Closest distance to school - remaining places | Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non verbal reasoning | Monday 13th September 2021 |
| Bexley | Chiselhurst and Sidcup | Mixed | Friday 2 July 2021 | 180 places irrespective of address Closest distance to school - remaining places | Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non verbal reasoning | Monday 13th September 2021 |
| Redbridge | Woodford County High School | Girls | Wednesday 23 June 2021 | 180 places to those living in common catchment area | Maths, English, Non verbal reasoning, Verbal reasoning (All Cem) | Saturday 18 September 2021 |
| Redbridge | Ilford County High School | Boys | Wednesday 23 June 2021 | Children living closest to school | Maths, English, Non verbal reasoning, Verbal reasoning (All Cem) | Saturday 18 September 2021 |
| Barnet | Henrietta Barnett School | Girls | Wednesday 21st July 2021 | 104 places to those who live within 3 miles of the school | Stage One - Verbal reasoning, non verbal reasoning and English Stage Two - English and Maths | Wednesday 30th September to Friday 2nd October |
| Barnet | Queen Elizabeth’s School | Boys | Monday 16th July 2021 | None | Maths and English - multiple choice | Wednesday 15th September 2021 |
| Barnet | St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School | Girls | Tuesday 6 July 2021 | None - but baptised Catholic is criteria | Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non verbal reasoning (all GL) | Friday 10 September 2021 |
| Barnet | The Latymer School | Mixed | Thursday 8 July 2021 | 192 places awarded to these postcodes : E2, E4, E5, E8, E9, E17,EN1, EN2, EN3, EN4, EN5 (Sectors 1, 2, 4, 5 only), EN8 (Sectors 7, 8, 9 only), N1 (not N1C), N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7, N8, N9, N10, N11, N12, N13, N14, N15, N16, N17, N18, N19, N20, N21, N22. | Mathematics (GL), Verbal Reasoning (GL) and English (written by school) | Friday 3 September, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September 2021 |
| Kent | Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls | Girls | Thursday 1st July 2021 | 35 places to highest scores irrespective of address 135 places to those in Tonbridge & Malling Borough, Tunbridge Wells Borough and Sevenoaks District | English, Maths, reasoning | 9 September 2021 or 11th September 2021 |
| Kent | Dartford Grammar School for Girls | Girls | Thursday 1st July 2021 | 80 places to highest scores irrespective of address 100 places to those in Dartford: Ash-cum-Ridley , Fawkham, Stone, Bean, Hartley, Sutton at Hone and Hawley, Crockenhill, Hextable, Swanley, Darenth, Horton Kirby and South Darenth Swanscombe and Greenhithe Eynsford Longfield and New Barn West Kingsdown Farningham Southfleet Wilmington | English, Maths, reasoning | 9 September 2021 or 11th September 2021 |
| Kent | Skinners School | Boys | Thursday 1st July 2021 | 20 places to highest scores irrespecive of address 1four0 places to West Kent: Badgers Mount Bidborough Brasted Brenchley Capel Chevening Chiddingstone Cowden Dunton Green Edenbridge Goudhurst Hadlow Halstead Hever Hildenborough Horsmonden Ightham Kemsing Knockholt Lamberhurst Leigh Otford Paddock Wood Pembury Penshurst Plaxtol Riverhead Rusthall Seal Sevenoaks Sevenoaks Weald Shipbourne Shoreham Southborough Speldhurst Sundridge with Ide Hill Tonbridge Tunbridge Wells Westerham | English, Maths, reasoning | 9 September 2021 or 11th September 2021 |
| Kent | The Judd School | Boys | Thursday 1st July 2021 | 23 places to highest scorers irrespective of address 157 places to those living in the Inner Area: TN1, TN2, TN3, TN4, TN8, TN9, TN10, TN11, TN12, TN13, TN14, TN15, ME18, ME19, TN16 1**, TN16 2**, DA4 0**, Halstead | English, Maths, reasoning | 9 September 2021 or 11th September 2021 |
| Kent | Weald of Kent Grammar School | Girls | Thursday 1st July 2021 | Priority given to students living in: Tonbridge Town, the District of Sevenoaks, and the Parishes of Ightham, Ivy Hatch, Kings Hill, Pembury, Platt and St Mary’s Platt, Plaxtol and Shipbourne. | English, Maths, reasoning | 9 September 2021 or 11th September 2021 |
Please note: the information in the table may be inaccurate due to updated changes from schools. Please ensure you always check the school’s website for accurate information.
If you have any other questions or queries regarding entry into London Grammar Schools, or need help/advice on choosing the right school for your child, feel free to call us on 0208 384 2792 or email info@11pluslondon.co.uk