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Are you considering Heckmondwike Grammar School for your child? We've collated all the information you need to know about 2024 entry to Year 7. Keep reading to learn about the grammar school admissions process in Kirklees and how to help your child excel in the 11 plus exam.
About Heckmondwike Grammar School
Heckmondwike Grammar School is a large mixed (boys and girls) selective school in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in its last four inspections, it aims to uphold the traditions, values and high expectations of an exceptional grammar school within an innovative framework.
Pupils at Heckmondwike Grammar School enjoy an extensive range of extracurricular activities on a campus that boasts great facilities. It was ranked the number one school in the Kirklees/Calderdale region in the 2020 Real Schools Guide.
Address: High Street, Heckmondwike, WF16 0AH
Local authority: Kirklees Council
School type: mixed grammar
Headteacher: Peter Roberts
Number of pupils: 1,527
National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 134
A level results: 65.8% A*–B
GCSE results: 83% 9/8/7
Key info for Year 7 admissions
Admissions contact: [email protected]
Number of places in Year 7: 180
11 plus registration opens: 15th May 2023
11 plus registration closes: 26th June 2023, 12 noon
Open day: 21st and 22nd June 2023
Exam date: 18th September 2023
Exam type: GL Assessment
Exam results: 16th October 2023
Local authority application form deadline: 31st October 2023
National school offer day: 1st March 2024
Heckmondwike Grammar School term dates
The 2023–2024 term dates at Heckmondwike Grammar School are:
Autumn term: 5th September – 22nd December 2023
Half term: 27th October – 6th November 2023
Spring term: 8th January – 22nd March 2024
Half term: 12th–16th February 2024
Summer term: 8th April – 19th July 2024
Half term: 27th–31st May 2024
How to apply to Heckmondwike Grammar School
1. Register for the 11 plus
Before registering, speak to your child’s teacher to see if the 11 plus and grammar school is right for them.
While your child is in Year 5, register them for the 11 plus test on the Heckmondwike School website. Registration opens on 15th May 2023 and closes on 26th June 2023 at 12 noon.
If you are considering other grammar schools such as The Crossley Heath School or North Halifax Grammar School, remember to register for their 11 plus exams too.
2. Apply for school places
Once your child has taken the exam, you will get their results by16th October 2023. You can use the results to decide which schools to include on your local authority application form.
Before listing Heckmondwike Grammar School as a preference on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible.
The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023.
What's on the Heckmondwike Grammar School 11 plus exam?
The 11 plus exam for Heckmondwike Grammar School takes place on 18th September 2023.
Children will take three papers, all set by GL Assessment:
English
Maths
Non-verbal reasoning
The English and maths papers are consistent with the level of knowledge your child is expected to have up to the end of Year 5.
All questions are multiple-choice. Children write their answers in a separate answer booklet which is marked electronically.
Learn about each subject in depth and get free preparation resources in our full guide to the 11 plus:
What is the pass mark for Heckmondwike Grammar School?
There is no specific pass mark for Heckmondwike Grammar School. The exam is designed to select the 25% highest-scoring children. Over 1,000 children sit the exam each year, and there are 180 places available.
How is the exam scored?
After your child takes the exam, their scores are age-standardised and combined to give them a total score across both papers. The total scores are ranked in order. As a result, the standard for entry varies each year depending on the performance of the cohort, and can only be decided after the tests have been marked.
Achieving a particular score doesn't guarantee a place at the school, as it is likely to be oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admission policies for your target schools and looking at their oversubscription criteria.
Heckmondwike Grammar School admissions criteria
When there are more eligible applicants than there are places available, places are allocated in this order:
Looked-After or previously Looked-After Children.
Children who get free school meals.
Children who live in the catchment area.
Children who have siblings at the school.
Children who have a parent employed by the school for two or more years.
Children who have gained grade 2 or above in music (up to 5% of places are offered under this criterion).
Once these criteria have been applied, the remaining places will be offered in order of performance in the entrance exam.
Heckmondwike Grammar School catchment area
A map of the catchment area is available here. Over three-quarters of places at Heckmondwike School are offered to children who live outside the catchment area. Children living in the catchment area are prioritised under criteria 3 if the school is oversubscribed.
How to help your child prepare for the 11 plus
Here are our top tips on how to best prepare your child for Heckmondwike Grammar School 11 plus.
Cover all the content
The 11 plus assesses a large breadth and depth of learning objectives across the Key Stage 2 national curriculum and beyond.
We recommend that your child starts revising content at least one year before the test. Setting aside study periods using a 'little and often' approach will give them time to build the skills and knowledge they need. When preparing, avoid falling into the trap of over-focusing on either the topics your child enjoys or the topics they find hardest.
Atom Nucleus is an 11 plus online course that tailors your child's personalised learning journey to cover all elements of the Heckmondwike Grammar School 11 plus at the right pace for them.
No surprises
Your child will encounter lots of unfamiliar types of questions in the 11 plus exam. Building exam technique with 11 plus test papers will help your child to feel fully confident with the styles of questions they'll encounter in the exam, reducing the potential for stress on the day.
Celebrate their progress
Setting regular goals and celebrating achievements will help keep motivation high. Atom Nucleus offers data-driven insights into your child’s progress towards mastering the 11 plus curriculum, making it easy to see where they need to focus next.
Personalised 11 plus prep for your child
Wondering how to make sure your child covers the depth and breadth of the entire 11 plus curriculum, stays on track with their progress, and gets help when they're stuck? Online learning is a particularly efficient, cost-effective (and fun) way to do this!
Atom Nucleus is the award-winning online 11 plus practice platform that gives your child everything they need to prepare for grammar school exams.
Children work independently through over 90,000 interactive practice questions in English, maths and reasoning. Teacher-created helpsheets and videos help them discover new concepts and consolidate their learning.
Atom's algorithm keeps children on their ideal learning path, tailored to their unique learning style and pace to keep them challenged and motivated.
Yorkshire 11 plus practice papers
Atom Nucleus gives children access to online practice papers. Our online tests are designed to mirror the format and style of the real 11 plus, so your child will go into the exam knowing exactly what to expect.
And what's more, everything is automatically marked for you.
Try Atom Nucleus free for 5 days
Begin your child's journey to Heckmondwike Grammar School today. Use the full features of Atom Nucleus free for 5 days – cancel anytime.
Personalised support for you
We understand how important this next step is for them, and for you. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions you may have about the 11 plus or Yorkshire grammar schools.
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