At a Glance
Assessment: GL 11 Plus (Kent test)
Fees Type: Free
Boarding: Day school
Admissions: Boys Only
Places per year: 180
Introduction
Dartford Grammar School is a selective Grammar for male students in years 7 to 11, with a co-educational sixth form. This is not to be confused with ‘Dartford Grammar school for Girls’ which is a separate selective school catering for female students in years 7 to 11, again with a mixed sixth form.
Dartforth Grammar School is one of the oldest Grammar schools in England having been founded in 1576. Alongside their far reaching history however they operate a very modern teaching curriculum. A rarity among UK schools, Dartforth Grammar opts for the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and does it well having received the Sunday Times IB school of the year in 2017 and 2022 as well as the best IB school of the decade in 2022. The international baccalaureate seeks to develop confident, capable and thoughtful students teaching children not just the subject material but also how to learn and why their studies are important to produce life-long learners with a grounding in their place as a member of the international community. This choice of curriculum aligns with the schools mission statement – ‘A learning community developing international citizens’. Dartforth grammar school boasts a number of excellent facilities with numerous sports fields, indoor facilities and the Allen library, freely accessible to students, on site. The Mick Jagger Centre, opened by the man himself and the Duke of Kent in honour of the ex-pupil, is on the site of Dartford School. Dartford Music School offers group and individual music lessons to Dartford pupils and children in the wider area. The venue contains performance and rehearsal spaces as well as a recording studio and is home to the Dartford Symphony orchestra.
Academic Achievement
The most recent Ofsted inspection rated Dartford Grammar School as Grade 1: Outstanding in every single category which is very rare to see. Due to the fact that Dartforth Grammar follows the International Baccalaureate which provides a broader range of teaching subjects then most other schools 99% of students qualify for the English Baccalaureate meaning they have been entered for GCSE in English, Maths, Sciences, Language and a humanity subject simply as a feature of the IB curriculum. This breadth of teaching does not appear to be reflected by a reduction in quality as 96% of GCSE students receive a grade 5 or above in English and Maths versus the national average of 43% and an English Baccalaureate average point score of 7.4 versus the national average 4.07.
11 Plus Hero is here to help
Applications to selective Grammar Schools can be a confounding problem to overcome as the necessary information is spread across many different sources and knowing how best to prepare can be stressful. At 11 Plus Hero we have designed this resource to be your guide on the timings, information and preparations that you will need to make a successful application to Dartford Grammar School. To select students Dartforth uses the GL 11 Plus Kent test and we can provide you with all of the details and access to practise pacers and materials.
Dartford Grammar School Key Information
Core school information on Ofsted and pupil occupancy numbers as well as vital contact are important tools in your belt so 11 Plus Hero has catalogued them here for your convenience.
School Address
Full Address:
Dartford Grammar SchoolWest Hill
Dartford
Kent
DA1 2HW
Contact Information
Parking in the school
Parking can be found on the school premises and a number of car parks within a 15 minute walk.
Additional parking off site
- Dartford Borough Council, Highfield Road South, Dartford, DA1 2JU. Mon-Sat 8:00-16:30
- Premier Park Ltd, The Priory Centre, Lowfield Street, Dartford, DA1 2HS. Mon-Sat 07:00-17:00
Additional parking off site
- Dartford Borough Council, Highfield Road South, Dartford, DA1 2JU. Mon-Sat 8:00-16:30
- Premier Park Ltd, The Priory Centre, Lowfield Street, Dartford, DA1 2HS. Mon-Sat 07:00-17:00
Key Information for Dartford Grammar School
PAN for Year 7 intake (2023)
Total Student Capacity Years 7 to 13 (2022)
Total Students Years 7 to 13 (2022)
Percentage Capacity (2022)
Latest Ofsted Rating (2021)
Selection Test
Dartford Grammar School’s Key Dates and Application Information
With so many different dates and deadline to keep track of it can become stressful so we have compiled the information here for you to see in one place.
Applications for Secondary School intake 2023
Open Events
Registration for Kent test
Registration of Special educational needs and disability by the child's current school’s special educational needs coordinator.
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school in Kent
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school outside of Kent
Kent Test Results Date
Common Application form (CAF) Deadline
Application Documents for Dartford Grammar School
Dartford Grammar School Grammar School Admissions Policy 2023-2024 (Including Supplementary Admission document)
View PDFInformation for the Kent test
View PDFKent council school application dates
View PDFHow to apply to sit the Kent Test
View PDFDartford Grammar School Virtual Open Event
View PDFDartford Grammar School Exam Format
Boys wishing to be admitted to Dartford Grammar School must achieve a distinction of ‘Grammar’ by passing the Kent Test set by the GL 11 Plus exam board. As well as Dartford Grammar School passing this test permits a child to apply for any other Grammar School in Kent, as they all operate the same testing procedure. In this guide 11 Plus Hero breaks down the format and contents of the Kent Test so that you can make preparations for test day!
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Overview
There are two multiple choice papers covering four areas in the Kent Test plus an additional Creative Writing stage which is considered by a panel of headteachers at the appeal stage if a student is unsuccessful at passing the Kent Test and achieving ‘Grammar’ distinction. Below is an overview of the Kent Test requirements and we link to a detailed guide in a cntralised location which enables us to provide consistent assistance for all schools in Kent – Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test.
Paper One
A multiple choice English and Maths paper written by GL 11 Plus
Paper Two
A multiple choice Verbal Reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning paper written by GL 11 Plus
Additional
A creative writing exercise written by the School
The Kent Test - GL 11 Plus Assessment Criteria
| English | Maths | Verbal Reasoning | Non-Verbal Reasoning | Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pass Mark
There is no consistent year-on-year passing score or percentage which can be quoted as a passing grade. Selective testing in general and the Kent Test specifically are designed to rank the children within a year group in terms of their suitability to make effective use of a Grammar School education. Scores from children within a year group are standardised and compared to select for approximately the top 25% of students and as such the ‘passing score’ changes every year. We provide example thresholds in the centralised article but it should b noted that these figures are not necessarily representative of following years. ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’.
Pass Mark
There is no consistent year-on-year passing score or percentage which can be quoted as a passing grade. Selective testing in general and the Kent Test specifically are designed to rank the children within a year group in terms of their suitability to make effective use of a Grammar School education. Scores from children within a year group are standardised and compared to select for approximately the top 25% of students and as such the ‘passing score’ changes every year. We provide example thresholds in the centralised article but it should b noted that these figures are not necessarily representative of following years. ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’.
Catchment Area
The Dartford Grammar School initially selects students who have passed the Kent Test and occupy permanent primary residence in closest proximity to the school. This is divided into two categories each of which are initially assigned 90 places, but if Zone A doesn’t fill all these they spill into Zone B.
- Zone A – Children with permanent residence in the Dartford Electoral Wards and consequently pay council tax to Dartford Borough Council details can be found here https://www.streetcheck.co.uk/constituency/dartford
- Zone B – Children with permanent residence in any other area. Not that priority will be given to those passingthe Kent Test who reside closest to Dartford Grammar School according to the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) address point data
Additional Eligibility
Dartford Grammar School operates common additional eligibility considerations which are addressed first within Zone A first and then Zone B. Full details can be found in the Admission policy which itself can be found in the section ‘Application Documents’ on this page. The Admissions Policy also includes the supplementary application document to apply for additional eligibilities.
- Children in or previously in the care of the local Authority.
- Up to 5 children from each zone who are or have been in receipt of Pupil premium in the last 6 years
Dartford Grammar School FAQs
- Selection tests like the GL 11 Plus Kent Test do not have a passing mark or percentage that is the same from year to year. They are designed to select for approximately the top 25% of students and so depending on the marks for a particular school year of children, this barrier alters. For more details see the section Dartford Grammar School Exam Format.
- The Kent Test is a selective Grammar School exam consisting of two hour-long multiple choice papers containing either English and Maths or Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal reasoning. There is also an additional Creative Writing exercise which is assessed only if an appeal is made for admission following an unsuccessful Kent Test. For full details see the section Dartford Grammar School Exam Format.
- The GL 11 Plus exam bourd provide familiarisation material for their style of 11 Plus question but also specific familiarisation materials for the Kent Test. The only difference between these will be the specific format and arrangement of questions in the Kent Test.
- https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/kent-test#tab-3
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