The King's School Grantham 11 plus: a parents' guide for 2022

The King’s School Grantham is a selective grammar school for boys aged 11 to 18. It has an illustrious history; it was founded in 1529 and attended by Sir Isaac Newton from 1655 to 1660, who went on to become a central figure in the scientific revolution of the 17th century.

The school strives for high academic standards, the provision of a broad education and to encourage all its members to be lifelong learners. It inspires intellectual development with emphasis on the importance of work, self-discipline, behaviour and achievement.

The King's School Grantham is rated as one of the top 16 secondary schools in Lincolnshire, according to Ofsted.

11 plus information for The King’s School Grantham

• Address: The King’s School, Brook Street, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6RP

• County: Lincolnshire

• Admissions contact: [email protected], 01476 563180

• School type: boys’ grammar

• Number of pupils: 1,200

• Number of places in Year 7: 174

• Open day: 27th June 2022, 6.00pm

• 11 plus exam date: Saturday 17th and Saturday 24th September 2022

• Exam board: GL Assessment (Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools)

The King’s School term dates

The 2022-23 term dates at The King’s School are:

• Autumn term: 2nd September – 16th December

• Half term: 20th – 28th October

• Spring term: 4th January – 31st March

• Half term: 13th –20th February

• Summer term: 18th April – 21st July

• Half term: 29th May – 2nd June

The King’s School 11 plus admissions process

The Trust of The King’s School is an admission authority in its own right. All decisions about admissions, including the 2023-24 admissions policy, are determined by the Trust.

The school selects its pupils on the basis of academic ability and will leave places unfilled if not enough applicants reach the required qualifying standard (a standardised score of 220 or above in the 11 plus exams).

The standardised score of at least 220, as a sum of the two tests, represents the ability of the ablest 25% of pupils in the age group in primary schools in the selective areas of Lincolnshire for this particular year.

Please note that attainment of the minimum qualification standard does not in itself guarantee admission to any individual school. A preference for The King's School must have been expressed on the application sent to the candidate’s home Local Authority.

How and when to apply to The King’s School

The deadline for the 11 plus exam at The King’s School was 31st March 2022.

You will also need to apply for a school place on the Lincolnshire County Council website before 31st October.

The 11 plus exam format at The King’s School

The 11 plus exam for The King’s School will be taken over two dates in September:

• Saturday 17th September 2022: Verbal reasoning. This will consist of 80 questions with 50 minutes to complete it.

• Saturday 24th September 2022: Non-verbal and spatial reasoning. This will consist of 70 questions with 40 minutes to complete it.

Students must think outside the box, look for codes and patterns, and utilise their knowledge of symmetry, rotation, word building, and vocabulary in order to pass the exam. These exams focus on the application of cognitive skills:

• Verbal reasoning – the ability to express ideas and reason through words is essential to subjects with a high language content.

• Non-verbal reasoning – problem-solving using pictures and diagrams, skills which are important in a wide range of school subjects.

• Spatial reasoning – the capacity to think and draw conclusions in three dimensions, needed for many STEM subjects.

• Quantitative reasoning – the ability to use numerical skills to solve problems, applicable well beyond mathematics.

Take a look at our comprehensive guides to 11 plus verbal reasoning and 11 plus non-verbal reasoning for more support. You may also wish to look at our guide to the Lincolnshire Grammar Schools 11 plus exam for more information

How to prepare for the 11 plus at The King’s School

Our top tips

Talk about the process with your child. Read regularly and explore different types of books to help extend your child’s vocabulary. Work through online mock tests Make learning fun! When? The earlier the better Treat the preparation as a marathon, not a sprint.

Other useful resources for 11 plus entry to The King’s School

• Key dates for 2023 entry

• School information letter

• Lincolnshire County Council school admissions

How Atom Learning can help your child prepare for the 11 plus at The King’s School

We have over 90,000 teacher-written practice questions, video tutorials, live exam preparation courses and unlimited mock tests that mirror the format of the 11 plus at The King’s School, all designed to help your child feel prepared and confident on exam day.

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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 King’s School or the Lincolnshire Grammar Schools 11 plus:

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