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Wilmington Grammar School for Boys (WGSB)
11 Plus (11+) Exam Information
Key Information
Address: Wilmington Grammar School for Boys, Common Lane, Wilmington, Dartford, Kent DA2 7DA
County: Kent
School Website: www.gsgw.org.uk
School Type: Boys (coeducational sixth form)
Number of Pupils: 1050
Number of Places in Year 7: 180
Open Day Date: Contact School
Exam Date: September
About Wilmington Grammar School for Boys (WGSB)
Wilmington Grammar School for Boys, located in Kent, is a highly regarded educational institution with a history of providing exceptional education. For prospective parents considering the school for their sons, here is an overview of its key features.
Wilmington Grammar School for Boys has a long-established history, dating back to its founding in 1954. It is a selective school which educates boys aged 11-16 and offers a coeducational Sixth Form. Throughout the years, it has maintained a strong reputation for academic excellence and holistic development, nurturing well-rounded individuals.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection (March 2023), Wilmington Grammar School for Boys was graded Good. The Ofsted report states that pupils feel happy and safe at WGSB and pupils are well behaved.
The school boasts excellent facilities, providing students with a conducive learning environment. Modern classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology support engaging and interactive learning experiences. Additionally, specialised facilities for subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) enable students to explore these fields and develop their skills.
Beyond academics, the school offers a diverse range of extracurricular clubs and activities. Students can participate in sports, music, drama or even join the ‘Formula 1’ club. The school also offers a range of leadership opportunities for pupils to enjoy. For instance, they can become form captains, prefects and members of the equality and diversity group.
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.
Wilmington Grammar School for Boys (WGSB) 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:
Children and previously Looked After Children
A sister or brother attending Wilmington Grammar School for Girls or Wilmington Grammar School for Boys at the time the child starts.
Children of permanent staff members.
18 Governor places for pupils who perform exceptionally in the Kent 11+ (excluding Maths) and live within a 5 mile radius of the school.
Boys who live within 1.5 miles to the school will be used in conjunction with the order of priority given below: Ash Cum Ridley, Badgers Mount, Bean, Crockenhill, Darenth, Dartford, Dunton Green, Eynsford, Farningham, Fawkham, Halstead, Hartley, Hextable, Horton Kirby & South Darenth, Istead Rise (ward), Kemsing, Longfield & New Barn, Meopham, Otford, Shoreham, Southfleet, Stanstead, Stone, Sutton at Hone & Hawley, Swanley, Swanscome & Greenhithe, West Kingsdown, Wilmington, Wrotham.
Pupils eligible for Pupil Premium within a 3 mile radius of the school
Proximity to the 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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