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Thinking about applying to Dartford Grammar School? Find out everything you need to know about admissions and how to prepare your child for success in the Kent Test.
Key information for Dartford Grammar School
Address: Dartford Grammar School, West Hill, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2HW
Number of pupils: approx 1,500
Admissions contact: [email protected]
Number of places in Year 7: 180
11+ exam: Kent Test
Catchment area: no, but there is a priority zone (see below)
Dates for your diary
The 2025 exam dates haven’t been published yet. However, they are likely to be the same as 2024. Please use the dates below as a guide.
Monday 3rd June 2024: Kent Test registration opens
Monday 1st July 2024: Kent Test registration closes
Monday 2nd September 2024: Kent County Council opens secondary school applications
Thursday 12th September 2024: Kent Test date for children in Kent primary schools
Saturday 14th – Sunday 15th September 2024: Kent Test date for children not in Kent primary schools
Thursday 17th October 2024: Kent Test results sent to parents
Thursday 31st October 2024: secondary school common application deadline
Monday 3rd March 2025: national school offers day
About Dartford Grammar School
Dartford Grammar School is a selective state school for boys aged 11 to 18, with a mixed sixth form, in Dartford, Kent. It was founded in 1576, making it one of the oldest schools in the country.
The school has a unique curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). In 2020, the Sunday Times named Dartford Grammar School 'The IB Secondary School of the Decade'.
Dartford Grammar School aspires to be a 'learning community developing international citizens'. Its co-curricular programme offers an array of opportunities in STEM, sport, music, drama, culture and outdoor education.
How to apply to Dartford Grammar School
Dartford Grammar School is a selective school. This means that your child will need to take the 11 plus exam to be eligible for a place. In Kent, the 11 plus is known as the Kent Test.
Registration for the 2025 Kent Test opens in early June 2025 and closes in early July 2025. The exam will take place in September 2025 and you’ll receive your child’s results in mid-October. You can then use these results to decide whether to apply for a place at Dartford Grammar School.
To apply, you’ll need to name Dartford Grammar School as one of your preferred schools on the secondary school common application form. This will be available on your home council website from early September and must be submitted by 31st October 2025.
Remember – passing the 11 plus doesn’t guarantee that your child will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Many grammar schools are often oversubscribed with qualified children. Schools and their admissions authorities work through admissions criteria to prioritise children for places. We’ve included the admissions criteria for Dartford Grammar School below.
What subjects are on the Kent Test?
Children applying to Dartford Grammar School take the Kent Test. This consists of two multiple-choice papers which are supplied by GL Assessment.
One paper lasts one hour and assesses English and maths. These questions are based on the Key Stage 2 national curriculum.
The other paper lasts one hour and tests verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning. These subjects are not taught at school, so your child might be unfamiliar with these styles of questions.
Guide to the Kent Test
Find out everything you need to know in our complete guide to the Kent Test. Plus, get access to free 11 plus resources to help your child feel confident for their exam!
How does place allocation work at Dartford Grammar School?
Your child will get three standardised scores in the Kent Test – one each for English, maths and reasoning. They will also get one total (aggregate) score. Children need a total score of 332 or higher and no single score lower than 107 to qualify for a place at a Kent grammar school.
If more than 180 children applying to Dartford Grammar School achieve these scores, the school applies oversubscription criteria. Children are considered for a place based on whether their home address falls into 'Zone A' or 'Out of Area'. There are up to 90 places in each section.
Children who live in Zone A
Zone A refers to the Dartford Electoral Wards which pay council tax to Dartford Borough Council. Children are prioritised for places in the following order:
Children who are or were in Local Authority care.
Children who have had pupil premium (free school meals) in the current academic year.
In order of their combined Kent Test score.
Children who live Out of Area
All other eligible children are prioritised for places in the following order:
Children who are or were in Local Authority care.
Children who have had pupil premium (free school meals) in the current academic year.
In order of their combined Kent Test score.
Dartford Grammar School catchment area
Although the school doesn't have a catchment area, it prioritises half of its Year 7 places for children who live in 'Zone A'. This is an area covered by the Dartford Electoral Wards:
Brent, Bean and Darenth, Castle, Greenhithe, Heath, Joyce Green, Joydens Wood, Littlebrook, Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet, Newtown, Princes, Stone, Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley, Swanscombe, Town, West Hill, and Wilmington.
Atom’s top tips for Kent Test preparation
The Kent Test is designed to select local children working at the top ability range in their year group. Here are our top tips to help you and your child feel confident for exam day!
Bitesize learning
It’s important to build a good knowledge base before the Kent Test. Using a ‘little and often’ approach when learning is key – our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. For children aged 10–11, child psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20–30 minutes.
Atom Home makes learning a more enjoyable process for your child. They'll explore exciting worlds full of interactive questions, earning coins to spend in the Atom shop. Atom adapts to your child, showing them questions at just the right level of difficulty to keep them motivated.
Read widely
In the Kent Test, your child will need to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to build these skills.
Encourage them to read books from different genres and by a diverse range of authors. Increasing the variety of your child’s reading will help them understand different styles, tones and purposes. Meanwhile, reading a little every day will help widen their vocabulary, sharpen their analytical thinking, and enhance their imagination.
Refine exam technique
When your child feels confident with the topics they’ve learnt in Year 5, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.
Practice tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and build confidence working under test conditions. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning and highlight knowledge gaps for further improvement.
With Atom Home, you'll unlock online mock tests and printable practice papers. Enjoy automatic marking and progress tracking with the online tests, and help your child get familiar with the real exam experience with printable practice papers.
Celebrate progress
Setting regular, achievable goals and celebrating your child’s progress – no matter how big or small – will help keep their motivation high.
Make sure to encourage a growth mindset. This means celebrating effort, as well as achievement! When your child makes mistakes or struggles to understand a particular topic, help them understand that they’ll improve through practice. Regular praise will help your child improve their resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.
Tailored preparation for the Kent Test
Wish you could give your child a roadmap to success in the Kent Test? You can. Atom Home has everything you need to get prepared, in one package.
You don't need a tutor to get into your top-choice grammar school. You just need Atom. We’ll create a tailored plan for your child and support them along their fun revision journey.
Online and printable Kent Test practice papers
90,000+ adaptive questions
500+ hours of on-demand video lessons
Automatic marking and instant progress data
Navigate the Kent Test with confidence.
Start your free trial today. Our local admissions specialists will get to work on your child’s plan. Relax, Kent Test prep is sorted.
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