The Langton Grammar School for Boys 11 plus: parents' guide for 2022

The Langton Grammar School for Boys, founded in 1881, is an all-boys grammar school located in the historic cathedral city of Canterbury, Kent (co-educational at sixth form). The school is also known as ‘Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys’ or more commonly as ‘The Langton’.

It is academically selective at 11 plus and places learning and scholarship at the heart of its ethos. Pupils receive good grades at both GCSE and A Level, with 92% of students achieving a 5 or above in maths and English GCSE last year. The Langton Grammar School for Boys received ‘outstanding’ status in its last Ofsted report.

The Langton maintains a house system, with houses named after former pupils whose lives were lost in the First World War: Burgess, Hardman, Mackenzie, Sharp and Young.

11 plus information for The Langton Grammar School for Boys

• Address: The Langton Grammar School for Boys, Langton Lane, Nackington Road, Canterbury, CT4 7AS

• County: Kent

• Admissions info: [email protected], 01227 463567

• School type: boys’ grammar (co-ed sixth form)

• Number of pupils: 1,240

• Number of places in Year 7: 150

• Open day date: not yet available

• 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)

The Langton Grammar School for Boys term dates

The school term dates for 2022-2023 are:

• Autumn term: 5th September - 20th December

• Half term: 21st October - 1st November

• Spring term: 4th January - 31st March

• Half term: 13th - 17th February

• Summer term: 17th April - 18th July

• Half term: 29th May - 2nd June

How and when to apply to The Langton Grammar School for Boys

The Langton Grammar School for Boys complies with Kent’s Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme. To apply to the school, your son will need to register for the Kent Test and complete the Kent Secondary Common Application Form in the year before entering Year 7.

Registration for the Kent Test is usually open from 1st June to 1st July, and you can find more details on the registration process at kent.gov.uk. To apply to The Langton Grammar School for Boys, you will need to put the school’s name on the Kent Test application form.

The Langton Grammar School for Boys 11 plus admissions process

The Langton Grammar School for Boys’ admissions are selective. Applicants will need to score within the top 25% in the Kent 11 plus exam, known as the Kent Test, to secure a place at the school. The Kent Test is normally held in September, a year before your child would enter Year 7.

The Langton Grammar School for Boys’ catchment area encompasses a range of approximately 8.5 miles from the school site. However, the majority of pupils live within a 6-mile radius.

The Kent Test 11 plus format and content

Applicants to The Langton Grammar School for Boys take the Kent Test. This includes three papers:

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

• Section 2: Reasoning - consisting of verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning (one hour total)

• Section 3: Writing - a 40-minute exercise plus ten minutes’ planning time

Sections 1 and 2 consist of multiple-choice questions. Section 3 is a creative writing exercise, but it isn’t marked as part of the Kent Test and is only used by headteachers in ‘borderline’ cases.

For more information on what to expect from the exam, take a look at our guide to the Kent Test.

How to prepare for The Langton Grammar School for Boys 11 plus exam

As The Langton Grammar School for Boys is academically selective, we recommend that your son starts revising comfortably in advance of the 11 plus test to ensure the best chance of scoring well, feeling confident and securing a place at the school. Encourage your child to try a range of exercises, celebrate their progress and work together to identify and improve weaker areas.

Mock tests, such as those provided on the Atom platform, or additionally the reasoning paper available from kent.gov.uk, are a great resource for practising time management as the exam day gets closer. You may also wish to consider booking a one-to-one tutoring session through the Atom platform to help your child excel, and to receive targeted help in any areas in which they may struggle.

We can help

With over 90,000 teacher-written practice questions, friendly video tutorials and live lessons, Atom is here to support your child with everything they need to know for The Langton Grammar School for Boys 11 plus exam. We also have unlimited mock tests which mirror the Kent Test to help your child feel empowered to perform to the best of their ability on the exam day.

Atom’s adaptive learning algorithm tailors the ideal learning journey for your child to keep them engaged and challenged while giving you data-driven insights into where they need to focus next.

Start your 5-day free trial of Nucleus today to help your son feel fully prepared for success in The Langton Grammar School for Boys 11 plus exam.

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 Test or preparing for The Langton:

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