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The Norton Knatchbull School
11 Plus (11+) Exam Information
Key Information
Address: The Norton Knatchbull School, Hythe Road, Ashford, Kent TN24 0QJ
County: Kent
School Website: www.nks.kent.sch.uk
School Type: Boys (mixed sixth form)
Number of Pupils: 1257
Number of Places in Year 7: 210
Open Day Date: Contact School
Exam Date: September
Exam Board Type: GL
About The Norton Knatchbull School
The Norton Knatchbull School is an 11-18 selective boys’ grammar school which admits girls into the sixth form. It is a renowned educational institution with a rich history and a commitment to academic excellence. Founded in 1953, the school has established itself as a pillar of the local community, providing high-quality education to students for over six decades.
The school is known for its strong subject specialisms, particularly in science and technology. It offers a wide range of subjects to cater to diverse student interests and aspirations. With a focus on fostering intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, the Norton Knatchbull School aims to equip its students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the modern world.
The school offers a wide range of extracurricular clubs and activities to complement its academic curriculum. Students have the opportunity to participate in various sports, arts and cultural clubs. These extracurricular activities play a vital role in developing well-rounded individuals and provide opportunities for students to explore their passions and interests outside the classroom.
The Norton Knatchbull School boasts excellent facilities that enhance the learning experience for its students. It features modern classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology, well-equipped science laboratories, and dedicated spaces for arts and sports. The school also has extensive sports facilities, including playing fields, a sports hall, and outdoor courts, providing ample opportunities for students to engage in physical activities and team sports.
The Norton Knatchbull School was judged ‘Good’ in 2012 by Ofsted and has recently had an ungraded Ofsted inspection (October 2022) which found that there was no change to the school’s overall judgement of ‘Good’.
Kent Grammar Schools
11 Plus Exams
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.
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
Kent Grammar School
Admissions Guide
In the first instance, parents must register their child to sit the Kent Test, which can be done online via Kent County Council. 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.
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.
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.
Kent Grammar Schools
Appeals Process
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.
Kent Grammar Schools
Oversubscription
Every school has its own oversubscription criteria that it uses to decide which children can be offered a place at their school.
The Norton Knatchbull School Grammar School Oversubscription Criteria
Before the application of oversubscription criteria, children with a statement of special educational need which names the school will be admitted.
Places will be allocated in the following priority order:
1. A looked after child or a previously looked after child.
2. Pupils who are eligible for Pupil Premium where they have been registered for Free School Meals at any point in the last 6 years.
3. Sibling/s, who live in the same house, on roll at the time of entry.
4. Priority will be given to those children whose mental or physical impairment means they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend a particular school. Equally this priority will apply to children whose parents’ or guardians’ physical or mental health or social needs means that they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend a particular school.
5. The Proximity of children’s homes to school.
Prepare for Kent 11+ Exam
What We Provide
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
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