Dover Grammar School for Boys 11+ Exam

Key Information about Dover Grammar School for Boys

Dover Grammar School for Boys is a selective grammar school in Kent.

Unlike most Kent grammar schools, Dover Grammar School for Boys offers two routes to grammar-school assessment. Boys can be assessed through either the Kent Test or the school's own Dover Boys Test. You do not need to pass both tests to be considered for admission.

Passing the Kent Test or the Dover Boys Test does not guarantee a place at Dover Grammar School for Boys. If more eligible applicants apply than there are places available, the school's published oversubscription criteria determine which applicants are offered places.

Dover Grammar School for Boys 11+ at a glance

School: Dover Grammar School for Boys

Address: Astor Avenue, Dover, CT17 0DQ

Entry Age: 11+ / Year 7

School Website: www.dgsb.co.uk

Gender: Boys

Number of pupils: 899

Year 7 Places: 150

Admissions: Selective

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

12-13 September (Non-Kent Primary Schools)

Dover Boys Test Date: 12 September 2026

Results: 15 October 2026

Test Providers: GL Assessment (Kent 11+) and Dover Grammar School for Boys (Dover Boys Test)

About Dover Grammar School for Boys

Dover Grammar School for Boys (DGSB) was opened in 1905 and currently educates boys between the ages of 11 and 16 as well as a mixed cohort in the school's Sixth Form. The school is guided by the school motto - "Fiat Lux" or "Let there be light".

In July 2022, DGSB moved to a brand new school building. The new building offers excellent facilities such as modern laboratories, a spacious sports hall and computer hubs.

Ofsted made the following key judgements following the school inspection of Dover Grammar School on 21 January 2025:

Quality of education:

Good

Behaviour and attitudes:

Outstanding

Personal development:

Outstanding

Leadership and management:

Good

Sixth form provision:

Good

View Dover Grammar School for Boys' Ofsted report here.

Dover Grammar School for Boys 11+ Exam Routes

Unlike most Kent grammar schools, Dover Grammar School for Boys offers two routes to grammar-school assessment. Your child can be assessed through either the Kent Test or the school's own Dover Boys Test. You do not need to pass both tests to be eligible. Either assessment route can establish grammar-school eligibility.

Not sure which Dover 11+ route your son needs to prepare for?

We can help you understand the Kent Test and Dover Boys Test and identify where your son would benefit from additional preparation.

Find out more about our 11+ Admissions Consultation

Application Process for Dover Grammar School for Boys

Entrance to DGSB is through successful completion of either the Kent Test or the school's own entrance exam (Dover Grammar School for Boys entrance test).

Parents who wish to use the Kent Test should register their child through Kent County Council. Families who wish to use the Dover Boys Test must register separately with the school.

You do not need to register for both tests to establish grammar-school eligibility.

Registering for the Kent Test can be done online via Kent County Council.

The application form for the Dover Boys Test can be found on the school's website.

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. You should indicate that Dover Grammar School for Boys is your school of preference.

Dover Boys Test

The Dover Boys Test is the entrance exam used by Dover Grammar School for Boys for pupils applying at age 11. It assesses a child’s ability through a combination of Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers, as well as English and Mathematics tests based on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum.

The standard required is designed to show that a pupil has the academic ability to succeed throughout their time at the school and to continue on to Sixth Form. In simple terms, the expected level of performance is similar to that achieved by roughly the top quarter of pupils nationally, helping to ensure students are well prepared for the challenges of a selective grammar school education.

Dover Boys Test Format

The Dover Boys Test includes the following elements:

Verbal Reasoning and English (Paper 1)

Non-Verbal Reasoning and Mathematics (Paper 2)

English (creative writing and comprehension) (Paper 3)

The entire test is paper based.

Scoring the Dover Boys Test

The Dover Boys Test does not have a publicly published numerical pass mark. Instead, the school's admissions policy states that the required standard is intended to identify boys whose performance is approximately at or above the level achieved by the top 25% of pupils nationally.

The Kent 11+ Exam

Your child will need to develop the following skills:

English

Maths

Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Writing*

* 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 Dover Grammar School for Boys. Test scores ranged from 69 to 141. The highest possible total score is 423.

Please note that the pass mark changes each year. Being assessed as suitable for a grammar school does not necessarily guarantee a place at a particular grammar school. Schools rank eligible applicants according to its oversubscription criteria.

Kent 11+ Appeals

If your child did not reach the threshold score and their primary school referred their case to the local Head Teacher Assessment Panel, the panel will have looked at their achievement in school and examples of their work, including the writing task completed on the day, before a final decision was made.

If your child does not qualify, the Head does not seek a review or if the review is unsuccessful, you still have the right to have your child’s case heard by an Independent Appeals Panel. You are only able to appeal a decision after school allocations have been sent out to parents in March.

In-Year Applications at Dover Grammar School for Boys

Applicants of other ages will be tested to ascertain their ability in comparison to pupils already at the School in the appropriate cohort. If they are of at least the same standard and there are places available, they will be admitted. The school will notify a parent or carer in writing within 15 school days of their in-year application.

Preparing for Dover 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.

Explore 11+ Tuition Services

FAQs: Dover Grammar School for Boys Admissions Process

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

How hard is it to gain admission to Dover Grammar School for Boys?

Dover Grammar School for Boys is a selective grammar school and children must pass an entrance examination to be considered for admission. 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 either the Kent Test or Dover Boys Test means that your child has been assessed as suitable for grammar-school education, but it does not guarantee a place at Dover Grammar School for Boys. 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 Dover Grammar School for Boys?

There are two different entrance tests available: the Kent Test or the Dover Boys Test. The Kent Test assesses English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with an additional 40-minute writing exercise that is not included in the standardised score. The Dover Boys Test assesses Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English and Mathematics, with a separate English paper covering creative writing and comprehension.

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:

Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children
Children who are currently in care or who were previously in care.
Children Eligible for Pupil Premium
Children who have been registered for free school meals at any point within the last six years.
Sibling Link (Current Family Association)
Children who have a sibling attending the school at the time of entry.
Health and Special Access Reasons
Priority may be given where a child’s physical or mental health needs, or those of a parent or guardian, make attendance at this specific school essential.
Children of Staff
Distance from Home to School
Priority is given to children who live closest to the school, measured in a straight line using the National Land and Property Gazetteer.

Do I have to live in Kent to apply to Dover Grammar School for Boys?

No — you do not have to live in Kent to apply to Dover Grammar School for Boys. Families living outside Kent are welcome to apply and register for the relevant entrance assessment. If more eligible applicants apply than there are places available, the school's published oversubscription criteria determine which applicants are offered places. Distance from home to school may be used as a tie-breaker where required.

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.

Optional: Register for the Dover Boys Test
Families may also choose to enter their child for the Dover Boys Test, which is the school’s own entrance assessment. Registration for this test must be completed directly with the school by the stated 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.

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