Oakwood Park Grammar School 11+ Exam

Key Information about Oakwood Park Grammar School

Oakwood Park Grammar School uses the Kent Test for Year 7 entry.

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

Oakwood Park Grammar School 11+ at a glance

School: Oakwood Park Grammar School

Address: Oakwood Road, Maidstone, ME16 8AH

Entry Age: 11+ / Year 7

School Website: https://www.opgs.org

Gender: Boys

Number of pupils: 1,100

Year 7 Places: 160

Admissions: Selective

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

12-13 September (Non-Kent Primary Schools)

Results: 15 October 2026

Test Providers: GL Assessment (Kent 11+)

About Oakwood Park Grammar School

Oakwood Park Grammar School is a selective boys’ school for pupils aged 11 to 18, with girls admitted to the Sixth Form from the age of 16. All GCSE students follow the English Baccalaureate, providing a broad academic curriculum. Across Years 7–13, students also take part in seven enrichment days throughout the academic year, giving them opportunities to broaden their experiences and explore subjects beyond the classroom, with activities including Space Camp and visits to the Imperial War Museum. The school offers a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, from Film Club and Debating Club to sporting and academic activities. Students can also take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, providing opportunities to develop skills, independence and teamwork outside the classroom.

Oakwood Park Grammar School was judged as ‘Good’ in their last Ofsted inspection in May 2024.

View Oakwood Park Grammar School's Ofsted report here.

Not sure how to prepare for the Kent 11+?

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

Find out about 11+ Tuition

The Kent Test

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 Test 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 Test Familiarisation Paper

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

Familiarisation Paper

Kent Test 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 Common Application Form (SCAF) via the Kent local authority website.

Kent Test 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 Oakwood Park Grammar School. 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 Test 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, where applicable. 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.

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

Preparing for the Oakwood Park Grammar School 11+?

Students need to pass the Kent 11+ to be eligible for entrance at Oakwood Park Grammar School. Our online tuition is designed to build the skills, speed and confidence your son needs for selective-school entrance exams.

Explore 11+ Tuition

In-Year Admissions at Oakwood Park Grammar School

For in-year admissions, applications should be made directly to Oakwood Park Grammar School using the In Year Admission Form (IYAF), which is available from the school or Kent County Council. If a place is available, the applicant will be invited to sit the school’s own admission tests in English and Maths, which are assessed against the expected standard for their year group. A place will be offered if the pupil meets the required academic standard and there is a vacancy in the relevant year group. If the pupil passes the tests but the year group is full, they will be placed on the waiting list. If admission is refused, parents have the right to appeal the decision.

Oakwood Park Grammar School FAQs

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

How hard is it to gain admission to Oakwood Park Grammar School?

Admission to Oakwood Park Grammar School is competitive. The school currently has 160 places available in Year 7, and pupils must first be assessed as suitable for grammar school through the Kent Test. However, passing the Kent Test does not guarantee a place, as the school can be oversubscribed. In 2025, 401 boys in the Maidstone and Malling area were assessed as grammar-eligible, compared with 365 places across the two local boys’ grammar schools. Kent County Council reported that Oakwood Park had no spare Year 7 places as of January 2026, highlighting the level of demand for places. Parents should therefore be aware that a strong Kent Test result is important, but the likelihood of receiving an offer also depends on the school’s admissions criteria and the number of applications in that particular year.

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

No. It is not uncommon that the number of students who passed the test will be greater than the number of places available. The school will apply its oversubscription criteria to determine which students are offered a place.

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 statements of Special Educational Needs where Oakwood Park is names on the statement of Education (SSEN) or a 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:

1. Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children
Children who are currently in care or who were previously in care.

2. Current Family Association
Children with an eligible brother or sister attending the school at the time of entry.

3. Health and Special Access Reasons
Priority will be given to children or parents/guardians whose mental or physical health mean that they have a demonstratable need to attend Oakwood Park Grammar School.

4. Children in receipt of Student Premium
A child is eligible for Student Premium if they have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

5. Nearness to School
The distance between the child’s home and school are measured in a straight line.

Can you get into Oakwood Park Grammar School if you live outside Kent?

You can apply to Oakwood Park Grammar School if you live outside Kent by registering for the Kent 11+ through the Kent County Council website. You can list Oakwood Park Grammar School as your preference on the Common Application Form which is provided by your Local Authority.

However, if the school is oversubscribed, distance from home to school is one of the factors used in the oversubscription criteria, which can make it more competitive for applicants who live further away.

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 daughter is a Kent resident and is currently in receipt of Free School Meals, you will also need to complete the school's Supplementary Information Form (SIF).

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.

Give your child the best preparation for the Oakwood Park 11+

Get specialist online 11+ tuition tailored to your child's needs.

Find out more about 11+ Tuition

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse