At a Glance
Assessment: GL 11 Plus (Kent test), Individual
Fees Type: Free
Boarding: Day school
Admissions: Boys Only
Places per year: 150
Introduction
Dover Grammar School for Boys recently finished work on their new school building in July 2022. Designed by Lee Evans and built by Kier, the facility is due to have an opening ceremony upon the start of term in September. The previous building, located on the same site is due to be converted into landscape gardens providing students with another place to relax and study within the school premises. The school site overlooks Dover town with views of both the castle and port making it a very picturesque place to school. The school offers a host of extracurricular activities including sports, music lessons and regular involvement in academic competitions such as the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge.Alongside this the school has links to the Cadet force programme which students from year 8-13 can enrol in with pupils fro the nearby sister school, Dover Grammar School for Girls. Dover Grammar School for Boys differs somewhat from other Kentish Grammar Schools in that the Kent Test is not compulsory for entry. Alongside its sister school, applying students have the option to sit either the Kent Test, the Dover Test or both. It is only necessary to pass one of these and either are given equal consideration. It is worth noting however that whilst the Kent test is accepted by any school in Kent to qualify for application, the Dover Test is only recognised by these schools.
At last full inspection in 2016 and follow-up in 2019, Dover Grammar School for boys received an Ofsted ranking of Good in all areas. Attainment 8 is a measure of how well pupils have performed in up to 8 of their highest qualifications in assigned categories including English, Maths, Sciences, humanities, languages and other selected subjects. In 2019 (the last recorded data) Dover Grammar School for boys ranked higher than the national (46.7) and local authority (47.3) averages at 56.4 points. Students also were warded a greater percentage of grade 5 and above scores in English and Maths at 71% versus the national 43% average.
Securing a place at Dover Grammar School for Boys and helping your son put their best foot forward might seem like a needlessly confusing task with so much information spread over so many different school and government sources. Especially when a school offers multiple option for selective admissions testing as Dover Grammar School for boys does in the Kent Test and Dover Test. 11 Plus Hero was created to help guide you through this process by providing you with all the vital information needed to make an application, and providing your son with the practise materials and practise papers to enable them to take the first step towards being awarded a Grammar School place.
Dover Grammar School for Boys Key Information
11 Plus hero provides all the information on key contacts, dates and school occupancy to help you decide if Dover Grammar School for Boys is the right school for your child.
School Address
Full Address:
Dover Grammar School for BoysAstor Avenue
Dover
Kent
CT17 0DQ
Contact Information
Parking in the school
There is limited parking on the streets around Dover Grammar School for Boys. The nearest car parks can be found 15-25 minutes walk away and many options exist in Dover itself.
Additional parking off site
- Dover District Council, Elms Vale Recreation Ground, Elms Vale Road, Dover, CT17 9PS. Mon-Sun 24h
- Dover District Council, Victoria Street, Dover, CT17 0EL. Mon-Sun 24h
Additional parking off site
- Dover District Council, Elms Vale Recreation Ground, Elms Vale Road, Dover, CT17 9PS. Mon-Sun 24h
- Dover District Council, Victoria Street, Dover, CT17 0EL. Mon-Sun 24h
Key Information for Dover Grammar School for Boys
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 Boys Key Dates and Application Information
Trying to locate all of the information on exactly when admission documents are due and tests are taking place for admission to Dover Grammar School for Boys can be a confusing task. 11 Plus Hero has created this guide to help you keep on top of arrangements for the Kent Test general to the county and the school specific Dover Test.
Applications for Secondary School intake 2023
Open Events
Virtual Open Evening
Registration for Kent test
Registration of Special educational needs and disability by the child's current school’s special educational needs coordinator.
Registration for the Dover Boys test & any special access requirements for this (with Dover Grammar School for Boys)
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school in Kent
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school outside of Kent
The Dover Boys Test - Exam date (Sat at Dover Grammar School for Boys)
Kent Test and Dover Test Results Date
Common Application form (CAF) Deadline
Application Documents for Dover Grammar School for Boys
11 Plus Hero has set out to provide you all of the information you will need to best prepare for selective Grammar school admissions and specifically to Dover Grammar School for Boys. For completeness we here provide links to key important documents.
Dover Grammar School for Boys Exam Format
There are two tests that boys can sit to gain admittance to Dover Grammar School for Boys with the option to sit either one or both depending entirely on preference as either are accepted equally. The first is the Kent Test which for every other Kentish Grammar School is compulsory, even when the school also sets its own exam. The only other exception to this being the sister school, Dover Grammar School for Girls. The second is the Dover Test which is only carried out and recognised for admission by the Dover Grammar Schools. 11 Plus Hero Here provides all of the details on both of these exams as well as practise materials to help you best prepare.
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Overview
The Kent Test is set by the GL 11 Plus exam board and is composed of four multiple choice elements split over two papers with an additional creative writing exercise. As this test is common to Kentish School we has a created a guide in one unified page to help provide consistent and thorough advice, but here give a more basic overview. See our article ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’ for specifics.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Dover Test
The Dover Test is carried out exclusively by Dover Grammar School for Boys and its sister school Dover Grammar School for Girls. Neither school clarifies if their test is provided by an external exam board such as the most common GL 11 Plus or CEM 11 Plus so it can be inferred that the Dover Test is set by the school itself. A headteacher’s letter to parents (https://dovergramgirls.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/2023-Letter-to-Parents.pdf?ts=1659534617) from the sister school makes note of using GL 11 Plus assessment materials but this may simply reflect that these are the best way to prepare for the type of questions on offer, especially when considering that CEM 11 Plus do not themselves produce commercial practise materials or papers beyond a familiarisation guide. The format of The Dover Test is detailed below. GL 11 Plus practise materials will most likely help your son prepare for Part Two of the assessment which contains Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning elements.
Part One
- An extended writting English test (not multiple choice)
- Tests 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
Grammar school educations do not benefit all children and selection tests are designed to identify the highest scoring individuals in a year group. Because if this there is no set pass mark or percentage which holds true for every year. Rather your sons scores from Papers One and Two will be standardised and used to generate an aggregate, making some consideration for difference in the age of a child within the year group. Using these standardised aggregate score a threshold score is decided upon on a yearly basis and children are ranked such that approximately the top 25% of students nationally will achieve teh rank of ‘Grammar’ and qualify for admission to Grammar School. For more detailed information see ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’.
Pass Criteria: The Dover Test
Neither of the Dover Schools publish detailed information about their pass criteria. Similar to the Kent Test and all other selective testing procedures it is highly likely that The Dover Test standardises marks from its two sections and uses these standardised marks to rank students, awarding places to the children scoring above a threshold to select for the top percentage of applicants. The Dover Grammar School for Boys states that the entry requirements from the test are the minimum score which can reasonably predict that if a Boy were to be Admitted to Dover Grammar School for Boys they would respond well to Grammar school teaching and achieve sufficient qualification to enter their sixth form. Similar to the Kent Test they estimate that this would equate to 25% of children nationally.
Pass Mark
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Pass Criteria
Grammar school educations do not benefit all children and selection tests are designed to identify the highest scoring individuals in a year group. Because if this there is no set pass mark or percentage which holds true for every year. Rather your sons scores from Papers One and Two will be standardised and used to generate an aggregate, making some consideration for difference in the age of a child within the year group. Using these standardised aggregate score a threshold score is decided upon on a yearly basis and children are ranked such that approximately the top 25% of students nationally will achieve teh rank of ‘Grammar’ and qualify for admission to Grammar School. For more detailed information see ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’.
Pass Criteria: The Dover Test
Neither of the Dover Schools publish detailed information about their pass criteria. Similar to the Kent Test and all other selective testing procedures it is highly likely that The Dover Test standardises marks from its two sections and uses these standardised marks to rank students, awarding places to the children scoring above a threshold to select for the top percentage of applicants. The Dover Grammar School for Boys states that the entry requirements from the test are the minimum score which can reasonably predict that if a Boy were to be Admitted to Dover Grammar School for Boys they would respond well to Grammar school teaching and achieve sufficient qualification to enter their sixth form. Similar to the Kent Test they estimate that this would equate to 25% of children nationally.
Catchment Area
The School does not specify a catchment or Priority access area. Places will be awarded to children who have passed either of the Kent Test and/ or Dover Test based on the proximity of a fixed position at Dover Grammar School for Boys and the child’s permanent home address as defined by the National land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) Address Point data. Dependant on certain criteria additional eligibility may afford certain students priority access to admission places.
Additional Eligibility
- Children in Local Authority care or who have previously been, children who have qualified for free school meals in the last six years or are otherwise qualified for Pupil Premium, Student with a sibling in attendance at the school already, where the school has been notified of health or special access considerations, children of school staff
- A supplementary Information form (SIF) must be completed and returned to Dover Grammar School for boys to claim these additional eligibility. This form can be found at the base of the Admission Policy 2023 in the Application Documents Section.
Dover Grammar School for Boys FAQs
- Pass marks for selective tests change on a yearly basis and are not published until all the tests have been taken by students, marked and standardised to produce a ranking system. It is estimated that the top 25% of students nationally will succeed in reaching the threshold for admission and being awarded a Grammar School position. For further details please see the section – Dover Grammar School for Boys Exam Format
Dover Grammar School for boys operates two selective tests, either or both of which can be taken and passing either is sufficient for admission. The Kent Test, common to all selective Grammar Schools in Kent, is divided into two multiple choice papers provided by the GL 11 Plus exam board and a creative writing task set by the school. The Devon Test, only carried out by Devon Grammar School for Boys and its sister Girls school, is set by the schools themselves. It contains two sections; one written English assessment and a computer based assessment which is similar to questions set by GL 11 Plus. A full breakdown can be found in the section – Dover Grammar School for Boys Exam Format
- Boys can elect to take either the Kent Test, Devon Test or both and passing either will constitute a passing mark for admission. Essentially then this gives your child a second chance at admission. Part two of the Devon Test is likely very similar to the GL 11 Plus Kent Test and both feature a creative writing element so no additional preparation need be done to also take the Devon Test. The additional testing may allow Devon Grammar to select for students displaying talents tehy do not believe are captured by the Kent Test, but the school themselves do not provide a reason.
- Familiarisation guides are available from Kent County Council to help your son get used to the style of question they will face in the Kent test. https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/kent-test#tab-3
- Neither of the Devon Schools provide practise materials for the Devon Test, however is is highly likely that section 2 of their test resembles GL 11 Plus exam board style questions.
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