Kingston Grammar School 11+ entry guide

Kingston Grammar School 11+ entrance exam

The 11 plus exam for entry to Kingston Grammar School consists of two papers: English and maths. There is a break between the papers. Both papers are aligned to the Key Stage 2 national curriculum.

English

The English paper lasts 50 minutes and tests reading comprehension and creative writing:

• Reading comprehension: your child will need to read a passage of text and answer questions to demonstrate how well they understood what they have read. They will need to write in their own words, with some questions assessing skills such as vocabulary and inference.

• Creative writing: this task can vary year-on-year, but might include using the passage from the reading comprehension exercise as a prompt. Your child will be tested on their spelling, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, and originality.

Maths

The 11 plus maths paper also lasts 50 minutes. This paper assesses the core topics taught in Key Stage 2 maths. These include:

• Number and place value

• Addition and subtraction

• Multiplication and division

• Fractions, decimals and percentages

• Measurement (units, perimeter, area and volume)

• Geometry (shape properties and position and direction)

• Statistics (tables and line graphs)

Children who perform well in the entrance exam are invited back to Kingston Grammar School for an interview in January. The interview might have a general focus, or might focus on whichever subject your child scored less marks in for the entrance exam (English or maths).

For more guidance, take a look at our guide to senior school interviews.

Atom’s top tips for applying to Kingston Grammar School

Kingston Grammar School is an extremely popular selective school. Each year, up to 1,000 children apply for 150 places at 11 plus entry. Here are our top tips to help your child prepare for the selection process.

Bitesize learning

It’s important to build a good knowledge base before school entrance exams. Your child should have a good understanding of the content they’ve been taught at school before testing their knowledge with practice tests.

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.

With Atom Home, you don’t need to worry about creating a study schedule. When you enter your target schools, you’ll get a bespoke learning plan tailored to your schools’ entrance exams. Know exactly what your child needs to do each week to confidently pass.

Read widely

Entrance exams test children’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.

Looking for reading inspiration? Check out our Key Stage 2 reading list.

Hone curiosity

Selective schools are often looking for children who are interested in learning. You can help by supporting your child’s broader learning, their intellectual curiosity, and their passion for developing an understanding of the world.

Talk to your child about the world we live in and inspire an interest in current affairs with age-appropriate journalism. It’s also a good idea to make sure they’re benefitting from a rich variety of experiences, such as visiting libraries, museums and galleries.

Refine exam technique

When your child feels confident with their knowledge of the exam topics, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.

Mock tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and refine exam technique. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning, while highlighting any knowledge gaps they might want to tackle before exam day.

When you set Kingston Grammar School as a target school on Atom Home, your child will get tailored mock tests for Kingston Grammar School as part of their learning plan. Know what to expect on exam day.

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.