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Dover Grammar School for Boys

11 Plus (11+) Exam Information

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Welcome

Key Information

Address: Dover Grammar School for Boys, Astor Avenue, Dover, CT170DQ

County: Kent

School Website: www.dgsb.co.uk

School Type: Boys

Number of pupils: 797

Number of Places in Year 7: 150

Open Day Date:  October

Exam Date: September

Exam Board Type: GL and Dover Boys Test

Dover Grammar School for Boys: About
DOVER GRAMMAR SCHOOL.jpg

About Dover Grammar School for Boys

Dover Grammar School for Boys (DGSB) was opened in 1905 and currently educates boys between the ages of 11 and 16 as well as a mixed cohort in the school's Sixth Form.

In July 2022, DGSB moved to a brand new school building. The new building offers excellent facilities such as modern laboratories, a spacious sports hall and computer hubs.

In 2019, Dover Grammar School for Boys was graded Good by Ofsted.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: About

Application Process

Entrance to DGSB is through successful completion of either the Kent Test or the school's own entrance exam (Dover Grammar School for Boys entrance test).


Firstly, parents should complete separate registration forms for the Kent 11+ and the Dover Boys Test.


Registering for the Kent Test can be done online via Kent County Council.

The application form for the Dover Boys Test can be found on the school's website.


Once students have taken the test in September, parents will receive their results in October and must then submit their Secondary School Common Application Form (SCAF) via the Kent local authority website. You should indicate that Dover Grammar School for Boys is your school of preference.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Text

Kent 11+ Exam Format

The tests are multiple-choice with a separate answer sheet. They are marked by an automated marking machine.

The first test will be an English and maths paper and will take 1 hour. Each section will involve a 5-minute practice exercise followed by a 25-minute test. The English section will involve a comprehension exercise as well as some additional questions drawn from a set designed to test literacy skills.

The second test will be a reasoning paper. It will take about 1 hour, including the practice sections and questions. It will contain a verbal reasoning section and a non-verbal reasoning section of roughly the same length. The non-verbal reasoning will be split into short sections, administered and timed individually.

There will also be a writing exercise which will not be marked but may be used by a local headteacher panel as part of the headteacher assessment stage of the process. 40 minutes will be allowed for the writing task, including 10 minutes planning time.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Text

Prepare for Kent 11+ Exam

What We Provide

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One-to-One Online Tuition

Prepare your child for the 11 plus with help from our expert tutors. Give your child the confidence they need to excel in the exam. Book your one-to-one session today.

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11+ Online Group Courses

Join our small, friendly focussed classes led by experienced tutors. We cover English, Maths, Reasoning and creative writing. Courses are available at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

Exam

Kent 11+ Mock Test

Our mock exams have been specifically designed in the style of the Kent 11+ exam to give your child the best possible chance of success.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Services

Kent 11+ Familiarisation Paper

This document explains the Kent Test papers for children who will take them.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Text

Kent 11+ Standardised Scores

Your child will get 3 standardised scores, one for English, one for maths and one for reasoning, and a total (aggregate) score.

Standardisation is a statistical process which compares your child's performance with the average performance of other children in each test. A slight adjustment is made to take account of each child's age so that the youngest are not at a disadvantage.

The grammar school threshold for the test will not be published until the results have been sent out.


In order to calculate a standardised score the company producing and marking the tests will create a reference table – called a “look-up table” – for each test paper that is written, and the table is specific to that test paper, because it takes account of the difficulty of the paper. The minimum standardised score is derived from the look-up table and the actual number will vary depending on the average score of all those taking the test and the number of applicants. 

Below is an example look-up table. The vertical axis is the “raw score”, i.e. the number (percentage) of actual questions that a child gets right on a paper. The horizontal axis represents the age of the child at the time of taking the exam, shown as years + months. 

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Text
Kent 11+ Look Up Table.GIF
Dover Grammar School for Boys: Image

Kent 11+ Pass Mark

In 2021, children needed a total score of 332 or more, with no single score lower than 109 to be allocated a place at a Kent grammar school. Test scores ranged from 69 to 141. The highest possible total score is 423.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Text
Students Taking Exams
Dover Grammar School for Boys: Image

Kent 11+ Appeals

If your child did not reach the threshold score and their primary school referred their case to the local Head Teacher Assessment Panel, the panel will have looked at their achievement in school and examples of their work, including the writing task completed on the day, before a final decision was made.

If your child does not qualify, the Head does not seek a review or if the review is unsuccessful, you still have the right to have your child’s case heard by an Independent Appeals Panel. You are only able to appeal a decision after school allocations have been sent out to parents in March.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Text
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How to Prepare for the Kent 11+ Exam

 Your child will need to develop the following skills:

  • Verbal Reasoning

  • Non-Verbal Reasoning

  • Maths 

  • English

  • Creative Writing

Dover Grammar School for Boys: Text

Kent 11+ Past Papers

Use these papers to practise the question types for the Kent 11+ exam.

Verbal Reasoning Test 1

Verbal Reasoning Test 1 Answer Sheet

Verbal Reasoning Test 2

Verbal Reasoning Test 2 Answer Sheet

Verbal Reasoning Test 3

Verbal Reasoning Test 3 Answer Sheet

Verbal Reasoning Mark Scheme

Maths Test 1

Maths Test 1 Answer Sheet

Maths Test 2

Maths Test 2 Answer Sheet

Maths Mark Scheme

English Test 1

English Test 1 Answer Sheet

English Test 2

English Test 2 Answer Sheet

English Mark Scheme

Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 1

Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 1 Answer Sheet

Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 2

Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 2 Answer Sheet

Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 3

Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 3 Answer Sheet

Non-Verbal Reasoning Mark Scheme

Dover Grammar School for Boys: List

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