Dartford Grammar School for Girls 11 plus: a parents' guide for 2022

Dartford Grammar School for Girls opened in 1904 as a sister school to Dartford Grammar School. The school became an academy as part of the Areté Trust in 2017.

The school has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, and is consistently the most sought after girls’ grammar in Kent. As well as excellent academic results, Dartford Grammar School for Girls emphasises extracurricular development, with a wide variety of lunchtime and after school clubs, cultural and study visits across the UK and abroad, and ‘Curriculum Enhancement Days’ to help pupils reflect on and develop their own learning.

11 plus information for Dartford Grammar School for Girls

• Address: Dartford Grammar School for Girls, Shepherds Lane, Dartford DA1 2NT

• County: Kent

• Admissions info: [email protected], 01322 223123

• School type: girls’ grammar

• Number of pupils: 1,244

• Number of places in Year 7: 180

• Open day date: September, October

• Exam date: 8th September 2022 (for children in Kent primary schools) and 10th September 2022 (other children outside of Kent)

• Exam board type: Kent Test (GL)

Dartford Grammar School for Girls term dates

The school term dates for 2022-2023 are:

• Autumn term: 5th September – 16th December

• Half term: 24th October – 1st November

• Spring term: 3rd January – 31st March

• Half term: 13th – 17th February

• Summer term: 17th April – 21st July

• Half term: 29th May – 2nd June

How and when to apply for Dartford Grammar School for Girls

Dartford Grammar School for Girls complies with Kent’s Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme. Your child will need to be registered for the Kent Test, and you’ll also have to complete the Kent Secondary Common Application Form, in the year before they want to start school.

Registration for the Kent Test is generally open from 1 June to 1 July, and you can find more details about the test and the 11 plus admissions process at kent.gov.uk. To apply to Dartford Grammar School for Girls, you just need to include the name of the school on the application form.

Dartford Grammar School for Girls 11 plus admissions process

11 plus admissions to Dartford Grammar School for Girls are highly selective, with around five eligible applicants per place in 2021-22. Pupils have to perform strongly in the Kent 11 plus exam, known as the Kent Test, to be eligible.

There are usually more applicants than available places, and the school uses oversubscription criteria to prioritise:

• Children who are or have been in Local Authority care

• Children receiving ‘Pupil Premium’

Dartford Grammar School for Girls also has a catchment area, and reserves 100 places for pupils living in Dartford, or the parishes of Ash-cum-Ridley, Bean, Crockenhill, Darenth, Eynsford, Farningham, Fawkham, Hartley, Hextable, Horton Kirby and South Darenth, Longfield and New Barn, Southfleet, Stone, Sutton at Hone and Hawley, Swanley, Swanscombe and Greenhithe, West Kingsdown, and Wilmington.

In cases where applicants are tied on all other criteria, preference is given to those living closest to the school by a straight line measurement.

The Kent Test 11 plus format and content

Applicants to Dartford Grammar School for Girls take the Kent Test. The test is used by most selective schools in the county, and covers English, maths, and reasoning.

The Kent Test contains three separate assessments:

• Section 1: English and maths – consisting of a five minute practice exercise followed by a 25 minute test for each subject (one hour total)

• Section 2: Reasoning – consisting of two sections, one on verbal reasoning and one on non-verbal reasoning (one hour total)

• Section 3: Writing – 40 minutes plus ten minutes planning time

Sections 1 and 2 are multiple choice tests. Section 3 is a creative writing exercise, but it’s not marked as part of the Kent Test and only used by headteachers in ‘borderline’ assessment cases.

Kent County Council offers a ‘familiarisation paper’, as well as other materials to help your child practise, on its webpage for the Kent Test.

How to prepare your child for the Dartford Grammar School for Girls 11 plus exam

To give your daughter the best chance on the Kent Test, start revising early, and help them to work consistently by making a detailed revision plan. You can break the test down into smaller areas to help your daughter focus and tackle any areas they find trickier, and build in games that encourage logical and spatial reasoning skills like Sudoku or Wordle.

Regular reading time alongside revision will also help to boost their vocabulary and concentration. As exam day approaches, you can introduce timed exercises and practice exams to help them practise time management.

The style of questions on the 11 plus can be different to ones your child has encountered before, so make sure you introduce them to sample questions and familiarisation materials. You can do this as part of their ongoing revision so they’re comfortable with the style of the test before trying any practice exams or attempting the real thing. Some 11 plus materials are available for free online, but be careful to choose the right ones – not all of them will follow the specific format of the Kent Test.

We can help

At Atom Learning, we have over 90,000 teacher-written practice questions and unlimited mock tests that mirror the format and structure of the Kent Test. We also offer live exam prep courses and lessons to help build their skills in a friendly, encouraging, and interactive way. You can start your 5-day free trial of Nucleus today to ensure your child is fully confident and prepared for the 11 plus.

To learn more about how Atom can support you and your child with 11 plus preparation during this important time, please contact our team of experts at [email protected] who will be happy to help.

We know how crucial this time is, so our team is on hand to support you and your family every step of the way. You can book a call with one of our Education Experts to ask any questions you may have about the Kent Test or preparing for Dartford Grammar School for Girls:

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