Dartford Grammar School 11+ Exam

Dartford Grammar School: Key information about the 11+ Exam

Dartford Grammar School is a selective grammar school in Kent.

Dartford Grammar School uses the Kent Test for Year 7 entry. There is no separate Dartford Grammar School entrance test for normal Year 7 admissions.

Passing the Kent Test does not guarantee a place. If more eligible children apply than there are places available, Dartford Grammar School uses its published oversubscription criteria to determine which applicants are offered places.

Dartford Grammar School at a glance

School: Dartford Grammar School

Address: West Hill, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2HW

Entry Age: 11+ /Year 7

School Website: www.dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk

Gender: Boys

Number of pupils: 1576

Year 7 Places: 180

Admissions: Selective

Kent Test Date: 10 September 2026 (Kent Primary Schools)

12-13 September (Non-Kent Primary Schools)

Results: 15 October 2026

Kent Test Provider: GL Assessment

About Dartford Grammar School

Dartford Grammar School was founded in 1576 and is one of the oldest schools in England. The school was last inspected by Ofsted in 2022 and was graded ‘Outstanding’.

Dartford Grammar School provides a broad, balanced international education, following the principles of The International Baccalaureate both in the Middle Years and the Sixth Form. Every student studies either Mandarin Chinese or Japanese from Year 7 and an additional European language from Year 8.

View Dartford Grammar School's Ofsted reports here.

Preparing for Dartford Grammar School 11+?

Preparing for the 11+ can feel overwhelming, especially with different exam formats and timelines to consider. If you’d like structured guidance and personalised support, you can find out more about our 11+ tuition services using the link below.

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The Kent 11+ Exam

Your child will need to develop the following skills:

English

Maths

Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Writing Skills*

* A 40-minute writing exercise is also completed as part of the Kent Test. It is not marked and does not contribute to the final Kent Test score, but it may be considered by a local headteacher assessment panel where required.

Kent 11+ Exam Format

The tests are multiple-choice with a separate answer sheet. They are marked by an automated marking machine.

The first test will be an English and maths paper and will take 1 hour. Each section will involve a 5-minute practice exercise followed by a 25-minute test. The English section will involve a comprehension exercise as well as some additional questions drawn from a set designed to test literacy skills.

The second test will be a reasoning paper. It will take about 1 hour, including the practice sections and questions. It will contain a verbal reasoning section and a non-verbal reasoning section of roughly the same length. The non-verbal reasoning will be split into short sections, administered and timed individually.

There will also be a writing exercise which will not be marked but may be used by a local headteacher panel as part of the headteacher assessment stage of the process. 40 minutes will be allowed for the writing task, including 10 minutes planning time.

Kent 11+ Familiarisation Paper

This document explains the Kent Test papers for children who will take them.

Familiarisation Paper

Kent 11+ Application Process

In the first instance, parents must register their child to sit the Kent Test, which can be done online via Kent County Council. Once students have taken the test in September, parents will receive their results in October and must then submit their Secondary School Common Application Form (SCAF) via the Kent local authority website.

Kent 11+ Standardised Scores

Your child will get 3 standardised scores, one for English, one for maths and one for reasoning, and a total (aggregate) score. Standardisation is a statistical process which compares your child's performance with the average performance of other children in each test. A slight adjustment is made to take account of each child's age so that the youngest are not at a disadvantage.

The grammar school threshold for the test will not be published until the results have been sent out.

In order to calculate a standardised score the company producing and marking the tests will create a reference table – called a “look-up table” – for each test paper that is written, and the table is specific to that test paper, because it takes account of the difficulty of the paper. The minimum standardised score is derived from the look-up table and the actual number will vary depending on the average score of all those taking the test and the number of applicants.

Below is an example look-up table. The vertical axis is the “raw score”, i.e. the number (percentage) of actual questions that a child gets right on a paper. The horizontal axis represents the age of the child at the time of taking the exam, shown as years + months.

Kent 11+ Grammar School Assessment Threshold

In 2025, the Kent Test grammar-school assessment threshold was 332, with no individual score below 108. Being assessed as suitable for grammar school does not guarantee a place at Dartford Grammar School. Test scores ranged from 69 to 141. The highest possible total score is 423.

Kent 11+ Appeals

If your child does not reach the Kent Test grammar-school assessment threshold, their case may be considered through the local Head Teacher Assessment Panel process. The panel can consider evidence such as your child's achievement at school, examples of their work and the writing exercise completed during the Kent Test before making a decision on grammar-school suitability.

If your child is not assessed as suitable for grammar school, or a review is unsuccessful, you still have the right to appeal after school places have been allocated. Appeals are heard by an Independent Appeals Panel.

Still unsure about next steps?

Our 11+ admissions consultations help parents think through school choice, entrance pathways and preparation priorities before committing to preparation.

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In-Year Admissions to Dartford Grammar School

In-year admissions to Dartford Grammar School are separate from the normal Year 7 admissions process. Applications can be made if a child moves into the area or wishes to transfer from another school.

The number and type of tests varies according to year group but usually applicants are assessed using Cognitive Abilities Tests in Maths, English and Modern Foreign Languages.

The school currently states that all year groups are full, so passing the assessments does not necessarily mean that a place will immediately be available.

FAQs: Dartford Grammar School Admissions Process

The questions below address the issues parents most commonly misunderstand when considering this school.

How hard is it to gain admission to Dartford Grammar School?

Dartford Grammar School is a selective grammar school and children must be assessed as suitable for grammar school through the Kent Test. Dartford Grammar School is a competitive selective school. In recent years, the number of applicants has exceeded the number of available places. In short, pupils need strong test performance and, when there are more eligible applicants than places, they must also meet the school’s oversubscription criteria to secure a place.

If my child passes the test, will they automatically be accepted?

No. Passing the Kent Test means that your child has been assessed as suitable for grammar school, but it does not guarantee a place at Dartford Grammar School. If more eligible applicants apply than there are places available, the school's published oversubscription criteria determine which children are offered places.

What is actually tested in the entrance exam for Dartford Grammar School?

The Kent Test assesses English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. There is also a 40-minute writing exercise, but this is not marked as part of the standardised Kent Test score.

What does oversubscription to a school mean exactly?

Oversubscription means that more children apply for a school than there are places available.

When the school is oversubscribed, how does the school decide which children are given priority for admission?

Before oversubscription criteria are applied, children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that names the school will be offered a place.

If the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, places will be allocated in the following order of priority:

Category 1- Priority Area (130 Places)

Children who live in Dartford Electoral Wards or named parishes: Ash-cum-Ridley, Crockenhill, Eynsford, Farningham, Fawkham, Hartley, Hextable, Horton kirby and South Darenth, Swanley and West Kingsdown.

Children will be considered according to the following:

Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children
Children who are currently in care or who were previously in care.
Pupil Premium
Up to 13 places reserved for children who have been registered for free school meals within the last 6 years, who have scored at least 20 points above the Kent Test threshold score.
Score
The child's score needs to be at least 40 points higher than the Kent Test threshold score.

Category 2 - All Applicants Outside the Priority Area (50 Places)

Children will be considered according to the following:

Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children
Children who are currently in care or who were previously in care.
Pupil Premium
Up to 5 places reserved for children who have been registered for free school meals within the last 6 years, who have scored at least 20 points above the Kent Test threshold score.
Score
All remaining eligible boys.

Do I have to live in Kent to apply to Dartford Grammar School?

No — you do not have to live in Kent to apply to Dartford Grammar School. Families living outside Kent can register their child for the Kent Test and name the school on their SCAF. If more eligible applicants apply than there are places available, Dartford Grammar School uses its published oversubscription criteria to allocate places. Distance from the school is only used as a tie-breaker where applicants have the same relevant score.

What is the admissions process for this school?

Register for the Kent Test (11+)
Parents must register their child for the Kent Test through Kent County Council by the published deadline.

Receive test results
You will be informed whether your child has met the grammar school standard.

Submit the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF)
Parents must complete the SCAF through Kent County Council, ranking schools in order of preference.

Submit the Supplementary Information Form

If your child has been registered for free school meals in the last 6 years, complete this form.

Offers are made
School places are offered on National Offer Day - If more eligible children apply than there are places, oversubscription criteria are used to decide who is offered a place.

Waiting list or appeal (if needed)
If a place is not offered, parents can choose to join the waiting list and/or submit an appeal.

My child has a learning difficulty - will the entrance exam be adjusted to meet their needs?

If your child has a disability or special educational needs which will affect their access to testing, you need to discuss this with their primary school's special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) before you register them for the test as the school will need to apply for any necessary access arrangements.

Does my child need to do 11-plus preparation prior to the exam?

It is helpful for pupils to practise the types of questions they may be asked, particularly verbal and non-verbal reasoning, as these question styles are often unfamiliar to many children. It is also beneficial to become familiar with exam techniques, such as working to time, understanding instructions and managing pressure on the day. Preparation can help identify and bridge any gaps in knowledge and support from an experienced tutor can guide pupils through all of these areas, building confidence and ensuring they are able to show their true ability in the test environment.

Still have questions?

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