At a Glance
Assessment: GL 11 Plus (Kent test), Individual
Fees Type: Free
Boarding: Day school
Admissions: Girls Only
Places per year: 140
Introduction
Dover Grammar School for Girls is a specialist humanities college and selective school operating single sex education up untill the sixth form where the cohort is co-educational.The School can boast very strong Ofsted results and at last full inspection was awarded an Outstanding classification in all categories. In addition to the well informed and thorough curriculum this success stems from the schools commitment to each students ‘Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development’. Ofsted commented on exemplary moral and social behaviour which originates from the girls supporting one another and the school at large. In the sixth form students have the option of running for democratic election to a leadership position coordinating one of the school houses. This involves the coordination of competitive events in artistic, performance and sporting outlets but also the arrangement of charitable events. In recent years the girls have raised money for Asthma UK, the children’s liver disease foundation and food banks. All in all the house system fosters a sense of community both within the school and in the wider world. Dover Grammar School for Girls and the local Boys Grammar operate the Kent Test common to those under the Local Authority as well as their own specific Dover Test. At 11 Plus Hero we have created this resource to help you provide for both, so your child can take the first step towards a Grammar School education confidently.
Dover Grammar School for Girls has a strong positive effect in improving the overall standing of its students. Progress 8 is a metric which compares the progression of children from across the country who achieved similar results in Key Stage 2 with their results by the end of Key Stage 4. Schools are attributed a score from -1 to 1 where 0 means children showed the national average progression in their secondary schooling and positive values mean they showed more development than average across this period versus students with the same starting point. Dover Grammar School for Girls can boast an above average Progress 8 score of 0.36. Results are strong in core GCSE subjects with a staggering 83% of students receiving grades 5 or above in English and Maths versus the national average of 43%. A broad range of subjects are taken by students at GCSE with 98% entering for the English Baccalaureate and Girls receiving an average point score of 6.13 versus the national 4.07.
Making sure your daughter receives the best education available is of paramount importance to you and your child. If you believe that Grammar Schooling is the best way forward for you and yours then 11 Plus Hero is here to help. We hae compiled this resource with all of the school specific information, dates and importantly guides and practise papers to prepare your daughter for the 11 Plus selective testing at Dover Grammar School for Girls. The School is somewhat unusual for Kentish Grammar School given that the majority have a compulsory requirement to sit the GL 11 Plus Kent Test to be eligible for Admission to any Grammar in Kent. At Dover Grammar School for Girls, along with Dover Grammar School for Boys, the Kent Test and/ or the schools own Dover Test are both acceptable for admission. We provide advice and practise materials for both Tests here.
Dover Grammar School for Girls Key Information
We at 11 Plus Hero have compiled all of the key school contact and capacity information that you need to help choose the best school for your daughter.
School Address
Full Address:
Dover Grammar School For GirlsFrith road
Dover
Kent
CT16 2PZ
Contact Information
Parking in the school
- There is very limited street parking but ample car park options 10-15 mins walk away.
Additional parking off site
- Civil Enforcement Ltd, Charlton Shopping Centre, Crafford St, Dover, CT16 1TT. Mon-Sun 7:00-18:30
- Dover District Council, Maison Dieu Road, Dover, CT16 1RL. Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00.
Additional parking off site
- Civil Enforcement Ltd, Charlton Shopping Centre, Crafford St, Dover, CT16 1TT. Mon-Sun 7:00-18:30
- Dover District Council, Maison Dieu Road, Dover, CT16 1RL. Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00.
Key Information for Dover Grammar School for Girls
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 (2019)
Selection Test
Dover Grammar School for Girls Key Dates and Application Information
Given that Dover Grammar School for Girls has not one but two selective tests in the Kent Test and Dover Test, trying to find all of the information about both can be a challenge. 11 Plus Hero has compiled all of the key dates and sources into one place for your ease.
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
Registration for the Dover Girls test & any special access requirements for this (with Dover Grammar School for Girls)
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school in Kent
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school outside of Kent
The Dover Test - Exam date (Sat at Dover Grammar School for Girls)
Kent Test and Dover Test Results Date
Common Application form (CAF) Deadline
Application Documents for Dover Grammar School for Girls
11 Hero Plus presents links to the key document used to gain information on admissions from Dover Grammar School for Girls, the Kent County Council and where they provide more detailed relevant information, documents from the Dover Grammar School for Boys.
Dover Grammar School for Girls Admissions Policy 2023
View PDFSupplementary Admission form - Pupil Premium
View PDFInformation for the Kent test
View PDFInformation for the Dover Test - From the Boys School Admissions Policy
View PDFHeadmasters letter to parents on Dover Test preparation
View PDFKent council school application dates
View PDFHow to apply
View PDFDover Grammar School for Girls Exam Format
Dover Grammar School for Girls and the nearby Dover Grammar School for Boys operate selective testing slightly differently in other Kentish Grammar Schools. They operate both the Kent test set by the GL 11 Plus exam board and the Dover Test set by the schools themselves. Either test is accepted equally and children may choose to take either one or both. For admission to every other Grammar School in Kent the Kent Test is compulsory, even if they also have their own school exam. If you are in the process of helping your Daughter apply for Grammar School selective tests then 11 Plus Hero is your guide to preparing for both the Kent Test and Dover Test with practise papers and familiarisation materials.
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Overview
Three elements make up the Kent test. Two multiple choice papers testing either English and Maths or Verbal Reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning. One Creative writing task which is taken into consideration only if appealing for a place following unsuccessful selection from test scores. 11 Plus hero provides a brief outline here but for in depth discussion please see our article ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’ where we can offer consistent advice for all the study sitting the Kent Test.
Paper One
A multiple choice English and Maths paper written by GL 11 Plus
Paper One
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Dover Test
The Dover Test is operated exclusively by the two Grammar Schools in Dover and is set by the school itself rather than an exam board like GL 11 Plus who make the 11 Plus multiple choice papers. A letter to parents from the Headmaster (see Application Documents section) makes reference to preparing for the Dover Test using GL 11 Plus familiarisation materials, but this is likely the closest commercially available example as the other major exam board CEM do not produce such materials. 11 Plus here displays an overview of the Dover Test in as much detail as either Dover Grammar School provides.
The Dover Test is divided into two main parts which contains a Written English task and multiple choice assessment of Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Whilst the test is set by the school itself the headmaster states that GL 11 Plus materials may be of use in preparing, especially for the multiple choice elements.
Part One
- A written English assessment – Not multiple choice as in part 2
- Assess your son’s development towards Key Stage 2 English targets.
Part Two
A computer based assessment with question in three areas
Mathematics
- Assessing development at Key Stage 2 targets –
- Some material will be beyond what is encountered in schools, testing a child’s ability to apply information to new kinds of problems.
Verbal Reasoning
- An assessment of your child’s ability to identify patterns, similarities and differences in written language. Demonstrating logical thinking in the application of the rules and meaning of language to solve problems.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
- Processing graphic information with pictures and shapes. Demonstrating logic and mathematical skills involving rotation, reflection, symmetry and spatial awareness to solve problems.
The Dover Test - Set by the School
| English | Maths | Verbal Reasoning | Non-Verbal Reasoning | Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pass Mark
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Pass Criteria
The required threshold constituting a passing grade is calculated on a yearly basis based on the marks received from a school year cohort. Students are not aiming to reach a certain fixed percentage of marks but to perform best amongst their peers. It is estimated that nationally the top 25% of students will reach this threshold and be afforded the option to attend Grammar school. Further details and examples of thresholds from previous years can be found in our centralised article ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’. Do note however that these threshold values are very unlikely to hold perfectly true in subsequent years.
Pass Criteria: The Dover Test
No information is publicly available on the pass criteria for the Dover test. It is highly likely that, as with the most common selective tests from GL 11 Plus and CEM 11 Plus, the raw scores from this test are standardised and used to rank the applicant, awarding places to girls who score above a certain standardised point score threshold. Similar to the Kent Test they estimate that this would equate to 25% of children nationally. The Dover Grammar School for Boys states that a passing grade in the Dover test is a score such that one could reasonably expect that if the child were to be accepted into the school they would respond well to the more rigorous Grammar School Curriculum and achieve sufficient qualifications to enter the sixth form. This presumably holds true for the girls school, but what this criteria means in terms of raw score is opaque.
Pass Mark
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Pass Criteria
The required threshold constituting a passing grade is calculated on a yearly basis based on the marks received from a school year cohort. Students are not aiming to reach a certain fixed percentage of marks but to perform best amongst their peers. It is estimated that nationally the top 25% of students will reach this threshold and be afforded the option to attend Grammar school. Further details and examples of thresholds from previous years can be found in our centralised article ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’. Do note however that these threshold values are very unlikely to hold perfectly true in subsequent years.
Pass Criteria: The Dover Test
No information is publicly available on the pass criteria for the Dover test. It is highly likely that, as with the most common selective tests from GL 11 Plus and CEM 11 Plus, the raw scores from this test are standardised and used to rank the applicant, awarding places to girls who score above a certain standardised point score threshold. Similar to the Kent Test they estimate that this would equate to 25% of children nationally. The Dover Grammar School for Boys states that a passing grade in the Dover test is a score such that one could reasonably expect that if the child were to be accepted into the school they would respond well to the more rigorous Grammar School Curriculum and achieve sufficient qualifications to enter the sixth form. This presumably holds true for the girls school, but what this criteria means in terms of raw score is opaque.
Catchment Area
Students will be granted an admission place based on them having passed either the Kent or Dover Tests and the proximity of their permanent residence with the premises of Dover Grammar School for Girls as based on the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) address point data.
Additional Eligibility
Admission to Dover Grammar School for Girls is subject to certain oversubscription categories giving priority admission to certain protected groups. These are consistent with other Grammar Schools.
Applying Girls with an Education, Health and Care Plan which names the school, children either previously or currently looked after by the local authority in care, those with a sibling already in attendance, children with special health or access requirements and those in receipt of pupil premium – eligible if they have received free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. Please find the supplementary application form to report these in the Application Documents section above.
Dover Grammar School for Girls FAQs
Raw scores from either test are standardised and used to rank applying girls. It is estimated that the top 25% of students nationally would receive a passing grade. There is no consistent pass mark or grade across multiple years. Your daughter needs to prove their distinction within their school year to show that they would respond well to Grammar School education. See the above section Dover Grammar School for Girls Exam Format.
Passing either or both of the Kent Test and the Dover Test will qualify your daughter for admission to Dover Grammar School for Girls. The Kent test is accepted by any Grammar School in Kent whereas the Dover Test is specific. See the above section Dover Grammar School for Girls Exam Format.
- Kent County Council orchestrates the Kent Test to provide a consistency of accessibility to Kentish Grammars. For the grand majority of Schools this selection Test is compulsory to take, even if a school has its own specific test.
- Individual schools may choose to offer other Tests if they feel the Kent Test does not address a certain group of students they wish to admit. It affords a school more control over who can gain access.
- Material for familiarisation with the Kent Test is available from the Kent County Council website itself and practice materials from the GL 11 Plus exam board.
- https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/kent-test#tab-3
There are no specific available practice materials for the Devon Test and the school sets the exam themselves. However, the headmaster has stated in a letter to parents that using GL 11 Plus materials may be helpful preparation. Please see the Application documents section above for details.
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