Kingston Grammar School: a parents’ guide to Year 7 entry

Kingston Grammar School is an independent day school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18 in Kingston upon Thames, South West London. The school was founded by Royal Charter in 1561 (although the school’s Lovekyn Chapel can be traced back to the 13th century) and was boys-only until 1978 when it became co-educational.

Exam results at Kingston Grammar School are consistently high. In 2021, 84% of all A level grades were A*/A and 71% of all GCSE grades were the very top grades of 9 and 8 (A* and higher). 94% of sixth form leavers progressed to their first choice of course and university.

Kingston Grammar School has a strong tradition of theatre, art, music and sport. There have been 28 appearances by KGS alumni at the Olympic Games (five have won gold medals) and pupils compete in more than 1,000 sports fixtures – involving more than 80% of the pupil population – every year.

The school has recently been shortlisted in two Independent Schools’ Admissions, Marketing and Communications (AMCIS) Awards: The Partnership/Outreach Impact Award, for its cross-sector partnership with The Kingston Academy, and The Small Budget Impact Award, for the school’s in-house marketing campaign to celebrate the return of in-person events after lockdown.

Key information for Kingston Grammar School

• Headteacher: Stephen Lehec

• Address: Kingston Grammar School, London Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 6PY

• London Borough: Kingston upon Thames

• Admissions contact: [email protected], 020 8546 5875

• Age range and gender: 11–18 boys and girls

• Number of pupils: 870

• Number of places in Year 7: 125

• Ratio of applicants to places: up to 8:1

• Open day date: Saturday 1st October 2022

• Overview of selection procedure for Year 7 entry: Entrance exam, interview, headteacher’s reference and Year 5 school report

• Registration opens: Currently open

• Registration closes: 10th October 2022

• Assessment date for Year 7 entry: Friday 4th November 2022

• Scholarship assessment date: TBC

Kingston Grammar School fees and financial assistance

The current school fees for pupils at Kingston Grammar School are £7,395 per term. Bursaries (financial assistance) are available for pupils whose families could not otherwise afford the fees. These are means-tested and are subject to a home visit, the annual retesting of parental means and satisfactory performance and good conduct of the pupil. The criteria for qualifying for fee assistance are not disclosed – all aspects of a parent’s finance are taken into account.

Pupils may also be eligible for a scholarship at Kingston Grammar School. The school offers the following scholarship awards (the financial value of these is undisclosed):

• Academic Scholarships

• Art Scholarships

• Music Scholarships

• Sport Scholarships

Kingston Grammar School term dates

The term dates for Kingston Grammar School in 2022–23 are:

• Autumn term: 5th September – 14th December 2022

• Half term: 17th –28th October 2022

• Spring term: 9th January –24th March 2023

• Half term: 13th – 17th February 2023

• Summer term: 18th April – 7th July 2023

• Half term: 29th May – 2nd June 2023

Admissions process for Kingston Grammar School

If you would like to register your child for a place in Year 7 at Kingston Grammar School in 2023, you will first need to complete the online registration form before Monday 10th October 2022 and pay a non-refundable registration fee of £135. This can be waived if your child receives free school meals.

If you would like to apply for fee assistance for Kingston Grammar School, you will need to express your interest in this on the registration form then complete an additional application form when these are released in September.

All 11 plus candidates for Year 7 entry to Kingston Grammar School will take an exam in November 2022. Children who are successful in this exam will then be invited for a one-to-one interview with a member of staff – this will either be of a general nature or with a focus on English or maths (depending on your child’s weaker subject). This is an opportunity for the interviewer to additionally assess the child's speaking and listening skills.

Candidates who then perform well in the interview will be offered a place at Kingston Grammar School. Offer letters will be posted to parents/carers in spring 2023.

If your child is applying for a scholarship, you will need to register for one of these when registration opens later in 2022. There will be additional steps in the application process:

• Academic Scholarship: these are by invitation only. Candidates who achieve a high standard in the 11 plus entrance exam in November will be invited back for a separate scholarship assessment.

• Art Scholarships: scholars are selected based on an excellent portfolio, an Art Scholarship assessment and an interview. These usually take place in January.

• Music Scholarships: these are awarded to candidates who show outstanding potential on at least one instrument (preferably orchestral) in an audition.

• Sport Scholarships: scholars are selected based on their potential in one or more sports. An initial assessment day will take place after the main 11 plus entrance exam, where candidates will be assessed on movement, hand-eye coordination, communication and leadership skills. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited back for a second assessment which is sport-specific.

Kingston Grammar School entrance exam format

All applicants to Year 7 at Kingston Grammar School will take an 11 plus exam on Friday 4th November 2022. There will be English and maths papers, which are broadly based on the national curriculum.

English

There will be three sections:

1. Section A: multiple-choice questions

2. Section B: identify and analyse quotations from a text

3. Section C: writing composition

Candidates will be tested on their ability to:

• read, understand and respond to writing

• construct and convey meaning in written language

• use correct spelling, punctuation and grammar

• follow instructions

• retrieve and convey information

• respond with imagination and sensitivity

Maths

This is a non-calculator paper. Candidates will be tested in three national curriculum areas and will be asked questions based on any of the attainment targets up to and including Level 5. These areas are:

• MA2: number and algebra

• MA3: space, shape and measure

• MA4: handling data

You may find the following resources helpful to aid your child’s preparation for the Kingston Grammar School 11 plus exam:

• How to develop your child’s reading comprehension exam skills

• Creative writing in the 11 plus: parents’ guide

• 11 plus creative writing guide for kids

• What to expect from the Year 6 SATs maths exam – including downloadable checklists for your child’s preparation

How to help your child prepare for the selection process at Kingston Grammar School

Build foundational knowledge

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Access to immediate support

When working through challenging topics, your child will need immediate clarity with any misconceptions so that they feel truly secure in every topic. Atom gives your child access to video tutorials, help sheets and examples for each question to help build confidence and competence across all areas of the Key Stage 2 core national curriculum.

Engage with their progress

Celebrate your child’s improvement in areas of challenge together. An accurate and ongoing assessment of their areas of strength and development is helpful. Atom’s Parent Portal offers data-driven insights into your child’s progress to help you prepare effectively, including targets achieved, a detailed breakdown of progress by subtopic and the ability to set custom practices to target your child’s most challenging subtopics.

Atom Learning can help

It’s our mission to help your child feel prepared and confident on exam day. Begin your free 5-day free trial of Nucleus today to unlock success in the classroom, entrance exams and more.

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 might have about Year 7 entry to Kingston Grammar School:

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