Dover Grammar School for Boys 11 plus: 2024 entry guide

About Dover Grammar School for Boys

Dover Grammar School for Boys is a selective state school for boys aged 11–18 with a mixed sixth form in Dover, Kent. It was founded in 1905 as the Dover County School and continued to grow over the last century; in 2022, the school moved to a brand new building boasting more light, space and excellent facilities.

The school values intellectual curiosity, engagement, empathy, aspirational thinking and a keen desire to learn and improve. Boys study a broad, balanced and personalised curriculum that offers a variety of choice; GCSE options include three languages and studies in computer science, media and sociology.

• Address: Dover Grammar School for Boys, Astor Avenue, Dover, Kent CT17 0DQ

• Local authority: Kent County Council

• School type: boys' grammar with mixed sixth form

• Headteacher: Philip Horstrup

• Number of pupils: 750+

Key info for Year 7 admissions

• Admissions contact: [email protected], 01304 206117

• Number of places in Year 7: 150

• Open events: TBC

• 11 plus registration opens: Thursday 1st June 2023

• 11 plus registration closes: Monday 3rd July 2023 at midnight

• 11 plus exam date: Thursday 7th September 2023

• 11 plus exam type: The Kent Test

• Common application form (CAF) deadline: 31st October 2023

• National school offer day: 1st March 2023

How to apply to Dover Grammar School for Boys

1. Register for the Kent Test

Dover Grammar School for Boys uses the Kent Test to select pupils for entry in Year 7. The Kent Test is an 11 plus exam taken by 32 grammar schools in the county and aims to identify children in the top 25% of the ability range in their year group. Boys who are successful in the Kent Test will be assessed as suitable for a grammar school.

Registration for the Kent Test will open on Thursday 1st June 2023 and close on Monday 3rd July 2023 at midnight. You will be able to complete your child's registration on the Kent County Council website. If you are also considering grammar schools in Medway, you will need to register separately because these schools do not use the Kent Test.

If your child is considered as 'looked after' or 'previously looked after', or if they are eligible for the pupil premium, they may be prioritised for places under the school's admission criteria. You will need to provide proof of eligibility and complete a supplementary information form (SIF) – available in the appendix in the school admissions policy – to indicate this.

2. Apply for a school place

You will receive your son's results in the Kent Test after 4pm on Wednesday 18th October 2023. If they have achieved the pass mark in the exam, they will be eligible for a grammar school place. You can then name Dover Grammar School for Boys as one of your preferred schools on your common application form.

Make sure to check the admissions policy for Dover Grammar School for Boys before you complete your common application form. Passing the Kent Test will not be a guarantee of a place as more children reach the qualifying standard each year than there are places available. We've summarised the key points in the admission policy below.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023. The form must be completed for your home local authority – i.e. if you live in Kent you will need to complete the form on the Kent County Council website. If you live in a different local authority, make sure to apply through the relevant website for that council.

What is the pass mark for the Kent Test?

Your child will receive four scores on the Kent Test. The results from the English, maths and reasoning sections will all be age-standardised to produce three separate scores, in addition to one overall (aggregate) score.

Children typically need a total score of 332 or more out of the total 423, with no single score lower than 108, to be eligible for a place at a grammar school in Kent.

However, achieving a particular score doesn't guarantee a place at a grammar school, as schools are usually oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admission policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area. We've included the admission criteria for Dover Grammar School for Boys below.

Dover Grammar School for Boys admission criteria

Dartford Grammar School has 150 places available in Year 7. Children who have a statement of special educational needs (SSEN) or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school and who have been assessed as suitable for a grammar school will automatically be allocated a place. The number of remaining places will then be reduced accordingly.

If the number of eligible children who have applied for Dover Grammar School for Boys is greater than the number of places available, the school will use oversubscription criteria. Places will be allocated in the following priority order:

1. Children in or previously in local authority care, internationally adopted children, and children previously in state care outside of England

2. Boys in receipt of pupil premium

3. Boys who have a brother or sister already attending Dover Grammar School for Boys

4. Boys who have a medical, health or special access reason for attending the school

5. Sons of staff at Dover Grammar School for Boys

6. Nearness of the child's permanent home to the school, measured in a straight line

There is no designated catchment area for Dover Grammar School for Boys.

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