Highworth Grammar School 11 plus: a parents' guide for 2022

Highworth Grammar School is a selective girls’ grammar school, founded in 1904 and based in Ashford, Kent. The school became an academy in 2013.

Rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, Highworth has very high academic standards and the overwhelming majority of pupils achieve GCSE results of 5-9 in all subjects. In addition to their regular lessons, the school provides student mentoring and ‘focus days’ to help pupils develop their prospects.

11 plus information for Highworth Grammar School

• Address: Highworth Grammar School for Girls, Quantock Drive, Ashford TN24 8UD

• County: Kent

• Admissions info: [email protected], 01233 624910

• School type: girls’ grammar

• Number of pupils: 1,519

• Number of places in Year 7: 210

• Open day date: 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)

Highworth Grammar School term dates

The school term dates for 2022-2023 are:

• Autumn term: 5th September – 16th December

• Half term: 24th October – 4th 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 Highworth Grammar School

Highworth Grammar School complies with Kent’s Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme. Your child will need to register for the Kent Test, and you’ll also have to submit the Kent Secondary Common Application Form, naming Highworth Grammar School on the form, in the year before they want to start school.

Registration for the Kent Test is generally open from 1st June to 1st July, and you can find more details about the test and the 11 plus admissions process at kent.gov.uk.

Highworth Grammar School 11 plus admissions process

Admissions to Highworth Grammar School are selective, and the school is usually oversubscribed. That means applicants will have to score highly in the Kent 11 plus exam, known as the Kent Test, to be eligible.

The school also uses oversubscription criteria to help decide between applicants, and prioritises:

• Children with an Education and Health Care Plan (who will always be admitted as a priority)

• Children who are or have been in Local Authority care

• Children receiving ‘Pupil Premium’

• Children with a sister currently at the school

• Children with health and special access reasons

Highworth Grammar School also operates a catchment area, and gives priority to prospective pupils living close to the school.

The Kent Test 11 plus format and content

Applicants to Highworth Grammar School take the Kent Test, which is used by most selective schools in the county.

The Kent Test assesses English, maths, and reasoning, and contains three sections:

• 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

Section 3 is an independent creative writing exercise, but this is only used by headteachers to decide ‘borderline’ assessment cases – it won’t be marked as part of the Kent Test.

Kent County Council's webpage for the Kent Test has a ‘familiarisation paper’ and other materials to help your child practise.

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

The best way for your child to revise for the Kent Test is to start early and follow an organised revision plan. You can break the test down into smaller areas to help them focus and concentrate on any areas they find trickier. You can also incorporate 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, and as exam day approaches, 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. It’s really useful to introduce them to sample questions and familiarisation materials as part of their ongoing revision to ensure they’re comfortable with the Kent Test before trying 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 be of the same kind you’ll find on 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.

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 Highworth Grammar School:

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