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Thinking about applying to King Edward VI Grammar School? Find out everything you need to know about admissions and how to prepare your child for success in the 11 plus.
Key information about King Edward VI Grammar School
Address: King Edward VI Grammar School, Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 3SX
Number of pupils: 1,100+
Admissions contact: [email protected]
Number of places in Year 7: 150
11+ exam: CSSE 11+
Catchment area: yes
Dates for your diary
Tuesday 13th May 2025: registration opens for the CSSE 11 plus
Friday 27th June 2025: registration closes for the CSSE 11 plus, and deadline for requests for special adjustments
July 2025: parents receive test centre information by 16th July
Saturday 20th September 2025: CSSE 11 plus exam
Monday 13th October 2025: parents receive CSSE 11 plus results
Friday 31st October 2025: secondary school applications close at 5pm
Monday 2nd March 2026: secondary school national offers day
About King Edward VI Grammar School
King Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS) is a boys' grammar school with a mixed sixth form in Chelmsford, Essex. It was founded in 1551 through a royal warrant from King Edward VI, although its history dates back to the 13th century.
KEGS has an excellent academic reputation and is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted. The school is often ranked among the best grammar schools in the UK based on students' exam results. Students go on to some of the top universities in the country, with around 25 places at Oxford and Cambridge each year.
How to apply to King Edward VI Grammar School
King Edward VI 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.
KEGS is a member of the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). All 10 grammar schools in the CSSE use the same 11 plus exam. This means that your child will only need to take the exam once – even if they’re applying to other schools in the consortium.
The deadline to register for the CSSE 11 plus exam in 27th June 2025. The exam will take place on Saturday 20th 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 King Edward VI Grammar School.
To apply, you’ll need to name the 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.
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 King Edward VI Grammar School below.
What subjects are on the entrance exam?
The CSSE 11 plus exam consists of two papers. Each paper lasts around one hour.
English: this consists of reading comprehension and creative writing
Maths: questions are based on the Key Stage 2 maths curriculum
Guide to the CSSE 11 plus
Find out everything you need to know in our complete guide to the CSSE 11 plus. Plus, get access to free 11 plus resources to help your child feel confident for their exam!
How does place allocation work at King Edward VI Grammar School?
Each of the two CSSE papers are worth up to 60 marks (120 in total). Your child’s final marks will be standardised and weighted.
Each school in the CSSE sets its own qualifying score, and this varies from year to year. Places at King Edward VI Grammar School are prioritised for children who live within the priority admissions area. In March 2023, the lowest score obtained by an ‘in area’ applicant was 346.6, while the lowest score obtained by an ‘out of area’ applicant was 366.
120 places at KEGS are reserved for boys who have been continuously living within the priority area (within 12.5 miles of the school) since 31st October in Year 6. Of these 120 places, up to eight places are available to the top performing boys who either receive pupil premium or are classed as a ‘looked after’ or ‘previously looked after’ child, and achieve a final standardised score of 340 or higher. Further places are then offered in descending rank order of marks to priority area applicants until 120 places have been filled.
The final 30 places are then allocated to boys regardless of where they live. Of these, up to 2 places are available to the top performing boys who either receive pupil premium or are classed as a ‘looked after’ or ‘previously looked after’ child, and achieve a final standardised score of 350 or higher. The remaining places are then offered in descending rank order of test marks.
What is the KEGS priority area?
The priority area for King Edward VI Grammar School covers an area of 12.5 miles from the school site. Children must have lived within the priority area since 31st October in Year 6 to be considered eligible for an in-area place.
Atom’s top tips for 11 plus preparation
The 11 plus is designed to select the most academically able children in the country. 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 11 plus. 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
11 plus exams test your child’s ability to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to help your child 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.
CSSE 11+ practice papers and online learning
Preparing for the CSSE 11 plus can feel daunting — knowing what to cover, keeping your child motivated, and making sure you’re on the right track. With Atom Home, you’ll have everything you need to guide your child with confidence. No tutor required.
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Take unlimited CSSE 11+ mock tests that replicate the real exam, building confidence under timed conditions
Track their performance with SAS scores and comparisons against other children applying to Essex grammar schools
Everything you need for 11+ success
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