Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School 11 plus: a parents' guide for 2022

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school with academy status in Faversham, Kent. The school is relatively young; it was founded in 1967 when three local schools (Faversham Grammar School for Boys, William Gibbs School for Girls and Wreights School) merged as one. However, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School prides itself on continuing a tradition of grammar education in Faversham which dates back to 1527.

The school places equal importance on developing interpersonal skills, alongside academic success. The aim is to develop well-rounded pupils who can appreciate right from wrong and realise and understand their place in the world.

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School is rated as 'outstanding' by Ofsted.

11 plus information for Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School

• Address: Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Abbey Place, Faversham, Kent, ME13 7BQ

• County: Kent

• Admissions info: [email protected], 01795 533132

• School type: co-educational grammar

• Number of pupils: 1,000

• Number of places in Year 7: 150

• Open day date: none published, but a video of school life at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School is available to watch on their website

• 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)

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School term dates

The 2022-23 term dates for Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School are:

• Autumn term: 2nd September – 16th December

• Half term: 21st – 28th October

• Spring term: 3rd January – 31st March

• Half term: 13th – 17th February

• Summer term: 17th April – 19th July

• Half term: 29th May – 2nd June

How and when to apply to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School complies with Kent's Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme. Your child will need to be registered for the Kent Test and you will need to complete the Kent Secondary Common Application Form in order to apply for Year 7 entry.

Registration for the Kent Test is usually open from 1st June to 1st July (more details about the registration process are available at kent.gov.uk). To apply to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, you will need to put the school’s name on the application form.

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School 11 plus admissions process

Applicants to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School will take the Kent Test (11 plus) on Saturday 17th September.

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School uses oversubscription criteria if the number of successful applicants exceeds the 150 places that are available. Places will be allocated to eligible children in the following priority order:

• Looked After Children and previously Looked After Children

• Children in receipt of Free School Meals or designated as receiving Pupil Premium

• Children with a brother or sister attending the school when the child is due to start Year 7

• Sons and daughters of permanent staff who have been employed by the school for at least two years

• Children whose mental or physical impairment means they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend this particular school

• Nearness of children's home to school

The school does not have a specified catchment area.

The Kent Test 11 plus format and content

All applicants to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School will take the Kent Test, which is used by over 30 selective schools in Kent.

The Kent Test has three separate papers:

• Section 1: English and maths (one hour). Consists of a five-minute practise exercise followed by a 25-minute test for each subject

• Section 2: Reasoning (one hour). Consists of two sections (verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning)

• Section 3: Writing (50 minutes). Consists of 10 minutes for planning and 40 minutes for the test

Sections 1 and 2 are multiple-choice tests. The creative writing exercise (Section 3) is not marked as part of the Kent Test – it will only be used by headteachers in 'borderline' cases.

Kent County Council offers a ‘familiarisation paper’ and other materials which will be useful to help your child prepare.

How to prepare your child for the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School 11 plus exam

We suggest that the best way to prepare for the 11 plus is by starting early! Help your child by breaking down the test sections into smaller, more manageable parts and encourage them to get familiar with the types of questions. We also recommend working with your child to identify areas of weakness and to practise time management with online mock tests.

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 11 plus test:

Book a call