It is our pleasure to update you about the 11plus selection test as we continually strive for continued excellence for all of our students.

Please find below some important information to prepare your mind and guide you on all that it will entail in the 12/18 months prior to the annual September  11+ selection test.

Registration for the exams usually commences from 1st of Mayor 1st June every year and via online registration and remains open for about one month.

There are 5 eligible grammar / highly selective school tests for children living and attending school in the London borough of Bexley and Greenwich.

1. St Olaves Grammar School for boys, a highly selective school. They run their test privately comprising a two-stage test, one in September which is to cut down applicants from 2500 to 500 boys and the second test in November to bring applicants down to the required 124 boys, strictly on merit basis. More importantly in October when choice schools are being selected when filling the CAF form, St Olaves must be your son’s first choice to be considered for a place in addition to passing both stages 1 and 2 tests.

2. Newstead school for Girls in Orpington, same exact process as (1) above but in addition they have always considered 9 miles distance from school which is why I usually do not encourage girls from Bexley to take the test as we have had the experience of girls passing both tests but not given space based on the 9 miles rules

3. The Medway test usually takes place on the  3rd Saturday of September, used to be the much easier test to pass however this changed in 2019 as it is becoming as competitive as other tests as parents are no longer bothered about the distance from us in Bexley and Greenwich.

Medway has 8 Grammar schools, 2 for Girls- Rochester Grammar, and Chatham Grammar School for girls.
1  for boys, Chatham Grammar and the remaining 5 are mixed in Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, and Rochester.
The Medway test comprises extended writing, English Mathematics  and Verbal Reasoning.

4. The Kent test comprises Maths and English for the first one hour, reasoning paper for the next hour, and a 30minutes writing exercise usually not marked but helps with appeals.

Kent test usually the second Saturday in September.
Schools under kent around us are Dartford for boys and girls and Wilmington for boys and girls, many other schools under kent in Gravesend, Ashford, and Tonbridge.
Very competitive due to its coverage around many boroughs.

5. Lastly our own very Bexley test. 
The test comprises verbal ability and English  Comprehension
Numerical reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Test usually on the 2nd Tuesday or  Wednesday in September. Bexley test covers the 4 Grammar schools in the borough, 2 mixed – Bexley Grammar and Chiselhurst and Sidcup Grammar, one for boys Beth’s Grammar and one for Girls Townley Grammar.

 Entry to Independent  Secondary schools 

Independent Secondary schools- Independent schools are schools which charge fees instead of being funded by the state. They are usually governed by an elected board of Governors and although they must be registered with the government, they do not necessarily have to follow the National Curriculum. There are around 2000 Independent Schools in the UK currently catering for around 8% of the pupils in the UK.

WHY GO TO AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL?

Independent Schools traditionally offer small classes; a high teacher to pupil ratio; good academic results; and a disciplined though not necessarily formal environment. They also typically provide a wide and well organized co-curricular program of Sport, Music, Drama, and Art. Some Independent Schools are highly selective academically, while others may specialize in Music, Theatre, or Sport. Parents may have a greater choice of schools, not constrained by Local Authority Allocations, especially if the pupils are boarding and not constrained by travel distance.

GUIDE FOR PARENTS CONSIDERING AN INDEINDEPENDENT SCHOOL for heir child into Year 7 (11+ Entry) or Year 9 (13+ Entry) at an Independent School in September.

Most Independent schools require prospective students to sit an Entrance Exam and if they do well in this they will be invited for an interview.

The Entrance Tests at 11+ for Year 7 Entry and 13+ for Year 9 Entry are usually taken 6 to 9 months before entry.

TIMELINE

Each school will have its own timeline for entrance procedures, and parents should look at the Admissions Pages on the website of the individual schools that they are considering for their child, but the following will be typical for entry in September

Families should visit the Schools they are considering on School Open Days

*October -*  (or earlier): ISEB Pre-tests are taken in Year 5 for Year or taken in Year 7 for Year 9 entry

*October :* Deadline for Entrance, Scholarship, and Bursary applications. This may require a non-refundable deposit of around £100.

*November to January:* Scholarship Assessments for Sport, Music, and Drama.

*January*:  11+ and 13+ Entrance Exam Days; may also be November of the previous year or  May

*January :* Academic Scholarship Exams

*January*:  Interviews and Offers.
I will continue to keep us updated as it is a Tripartite assignment for us at JRT, parent, and student.

We will all work hard and all celebrate at the end of it all to the glory of God.