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Are you considering West Kirby Grammar School for your child? We've collated all the information you need to know about 2024 entry to Year 7. Keep reading to learn about the grammar school admissions process on the Wirral and how to excel in the 11 plus exam.
About West Kirby Grammar School
West Kirby Grammar School is a girls' selective school on the Wirral. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted, the school aims to equip students to 'thrive in a complex world, ready to make a positive contribution locally and globally as tomorrow’s leaders'.
The school has a particularly extensive co-curricular and international outreach programme, including Combined Cadet Force activities, science visits to CERN and NASA, and expeditions to work with children in Inner Mongolia.
Address: Graham Road, West Kirby, CH48 5DP
Local authority: Wirral Council
School type: girls' grammar
Headteacher: Simeon Clarke
Number of pupils: 1,262
National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 193
A level results: 68.4% A*–B
GCSE results: 59.4% 9/8/7
Key info for Year 7 admissions
Admissions contact: [email protected]
Number of places in Year 7: 180
11 plus registration opens: 1st May 2023
11 plus registration closes: 31st May 2023
Open day: TBC
Exam date: 18th September 2023
Exam type: Wirral Admissions Test
Common application form (CAF) deadline: 31st October 2023
National school offer day: 1st March 2024
West Kirby Grammar School term dates
The 2023–2024 term dates at West Kirby Grammar School are:
Autumn term: 4th September – 22nd December 2023
Half term: 23rd–27th October 2023
Spring term: 8th January – 28th March 2024
Half term: 19th–23rd February 2024
Summer term: 15th April – 23rd July 2024
Half term: 27th–31st May 2024
How to apply to West Kirby Grammar School
West Kirby Grammar School shares an entrance test with three other schools on the Wirral (Calday Grange Grammar, Wirral Grammar for Boys and Wirral Grammar for Girls). This means that your child only needs to take one exam – known as the Wirral Admissions Test – to apply for these schools.
1. Register for the 11 plus
Before registering, speak to your child’s teacher to see if the 11 plus and grammar school is right for them.
While your child is in Year 5, register them to take the Wirral Admissions Test on the council website. Registration opens on 1st May and closes on 31st May.
If you are considering schools that do not use the Wirral Admissions Test, such as Upton Hall School or The Blue Coat School, remember to register for their 11 plus exams too.
2. Apply for school places
Once your child has taken the exam, you will get their results in mid-October. You can use the results to decide which schools to include on your local authority application form.
Before listing West Kirby Grammar School as a preference on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible. As well as your child's exam score, how close you live to a school is an important factor in whether your child is likely to be offered a place.
The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023.
What's on the West Kirby Grammar School 11 plus exam?
The 11 plus exam for West Kirby Grammar School (the Wirral Admissions Test) takes place on 18th September 2023.
The exam is provided by GL Assessment. It's in multiple-choice format and consists of two papers, each lasting about one hour. Children write their answers in a separate answer booklet which is marked electronically.
The two papers contain questions across three subjects:
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Maths
The maths questions assess your child's knowledge of Key Stage 2 national curriculum objectives for Year 5 and 6. The reasoning questions assess your child's ability to solve problems and analyse written and visual information.
Learn more and get free preparation resources in our full guide to the Wirral Admissions Test:
What is the pass mark for West Kirby Grammar School?
A score of 236 or above is needed to be considered for a place. Achieving a particular score doesn't guarantee a place at the school, as it is likely to be oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admission policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area.
After your child takes the exam, their scores are age-standardised and combined to give them a total score across both papers. These total scores are ranked in order, and oversubscription criteria are applied. As a result, the specific cut-off score varies from year to year and is only decided after the tests have been marked.
West Kirby Grammar School oversubscription criteria
The planned admission number (PAN) for the school is 180. When there are more eligible applicants than there are places available, places are allocated in this order:
Looked-After or previously Looked-After Children.
Children with a valid medical reason supported by a doctor's letter.
Up to 15 places are offered to children who get free school meals and achieve the qualifying score. These places are prioritised in order of who lives the shortest walking distance from the school.
Children who have a sibling at the school.
Children with the shortest walking distance to the school. Distances are measured from the home to the school gate nearest the child's home, using the shortest road route unless it is possible to use a footpath which is considered by the school to be a safe walking route.
West Kirby Grammar School catchment area
West Kirby Grammar School does not have a defined catchment area. The school welcomes pupils from all areas of the Wirral peninsula as well as Chester, North Wales, Liverpool and Warrington. The places offered on distance (criteria 5 above) vary each year depending on the number of available places and where the applicants live.
How to help your child prepare for the 11 plus
Here are our top tips on how to best prepare your child for the Wirral Admissions Test.
Cover all the content
The 11 plus assesses a large breadth and depth of learning objectives across the Key Stage 2 national curriculum and beyond.
We recommend that your child starts revising content at least one year before the test. Setting aside study periods using a 'little and often' approach will give them time to build the skills and knowledge they need. When preparing, avoid falling into the trap of over-focusing on either the topics your child enjoys or the topics they find hardest.
Atom Nucleus is an 11 plus online course that tailors your child's personalised learning journey to cover all elements of the Wirral Admissions Test at the right pace for them.
No surprises
Your child will encounter lots of unfamiliar types of questions in the 11 plus exam. Building exam technique with 11 plus test papers will help your child to feel fully confident with the styles of questions they'll encounter in the exam, reducing the potential for stress on the day.
Celebrate their progress
Setting regular goals and celebrating achievements will help keep motivation high. Atom Nucleus offers data-driven insights into your child’s progress towards mastering the 11 plus curriculum, making it easy to see where they need to focus next.
Personalised 11 plus prep for your child
Wondering how to make sure your child covers the depth and breadth of the entire 11 plus curriculum, stays on track with their progress, and gets help when they're stuck? Online learning is a particularly efficient, cost-effective (and fun) way to do this!
Atom Nucleus is the award-winning online 11 plus practice platform that gives your child everything they need to prepare for grammar school exams.
Children work independently through over 90,000 interactive practice questions in English, maths and reasoning. Teacher-created helpsheets and videos help them discover new concepts and consolidate their learning.
Atom's algorithm keeps children on their ideal learning path, tailored to their unique learning style and pace to keep them challenged and motivated.
Wirral 11 plus practice papers
Atom Nucleus gives children access to online practice papers. Our online tests are designed to mirror the format and style of the real Wirral Admissions Test, so your child will go into the exam knowing exactly what to expect.
And what's more, everything is automatically marked for you.
Try Atom Nucleus free for 5 days
Begin your child's journey to West Kirby Grammar School today. Use the full features of Atom Nucleus free for 5 days – cancel anytime.
Personalised support for you
We understand how important this next step is for them, and for you. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions you may have about the 11 plus or grammar schools on the Wirral.
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