At a Glance
Assessment: GL 11 Plus (Kent test), Individual
Fees Type: Free
Boarding: Day school
Admissions: Girls Only
Places per year: 120
Introduction
Highsted Grammar School is a selective girls school in Sittingbourne Kent which was founded in 1904 and upon converting to academy status began accepting boys into the sixth form. The school encourages curiosity and self-led learning by the provision of its Super-Curriculum resources. These are freely available resources and assignments the girls can elect to undertake, as their interest in subjects leads them, with the intention of taking their studies and understanding into the wider world beyond the national curriculum. The school is very proud of its student council who have records dating back to 1947. Elected representatives from every school year meet fortnightly to discuss encountered issues and work together to generate solutions, with the older students supporting their peers. Points of discussion have included methods of making travelling to school greener and spreading awareness and information on resources surrounding mental health issues. Such endeavours instil in the girls experience of leadership and an awareness of community. Admission to Highsted Grammar School can be achieved by passing either the Kent Test as orchestrated by Kent County Council or, as of 2016, the school specific Highsted Test. It is worth noting that the Kent Test is made by the GL 11 Plus exam board whilst the Highsted Test is made by CEM 11 Plus. They each test similar areas, but with their own subtle quirks which we at 11 Plus Hero will advise you on in these pages!
At last Ofsted inspection Highsted Grammar School was rated outstanding in all areas, both for the main school and sixth form. Girls at the school perform far stronger than their peers nationally in terms of English and Maths GCSE’s with 72% of students receiving grades 5 or above in both subjects, versus the national average of 43%. They also do well in a border range of studies achieving an Attainment 8 score of 62.6 versus the national 46.7. Attainment 8 is a metric of how well students have performed in 8 of their best GCSE’s taken from a series of groupings including English, Maths, Sciences, Humanities, Languages and other subjects.
Making an admission to Grammar School can be a confusing ordeal with so much information floating about the internet. We at 11 Hero Plus have created this resource to help you decipher all of the dates, data and selection test requirements so that you can focus on the important part of helping your Daughter make her application. We host information, advice and familiarisation materials including practice papers which will help you and your child prepare for a successful admission to Highsted Grammar School.
Highsted Grammar School Key Information
11 Plus Hero presents key school information and contact details for Highsted Grammar School in Sittingbourne from the school itself, Ofsted and County websites.
School Address
Full Address:
Highsted Grammar SchoolHighsted Road
Sittingbourne
Kent
ME10 4PT
Contact Information
Parking in the school
- Parking at Highsted Grammar School is limited but there are a number of car parks within a 15 minute walk.
Additional parking off site
- Horizon Parking Ltd, Sainsbury’s, Avenue of Remembrance, Swale, ME10 4DN. Mon-Sat 7:00-21:00. Sun 10:00-16:00
- Swale Borough Council, The Swallows, 9 Roman Square, Swale, ME10 4AH. Mon-Sun 8:00-18:00
Additional parking off site
- Horizon Parking Ltd, Sainsbury’s, Avenue of Remembrance, Swale, ME10 4DN. Mon-Sat 7:00-21:00. Sun 10:00-16:00
- Swale Borough Council, The Swallows, 9 Roman Square, Swale, ME10 4AH. Mon-Sun 8:00-18:00
Key Information for Highsted 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 (2009)
Selection Test
Highsted Grammar School’s Key Dates and Application Information
11 Plus Hero presents the key dates for admission to Highsted Grammar School. Open events, registration deadlines and the dates of tests are presented in one place for your convenience!
Applications for Secondary School intake 2023
Open evening
Registration for Kent test (compulsory) & Registration for the Highsted test (optional)
Kent Test - Deadline for registration of Special educational needs and disability by the child's current school
Highsted Test - Deadline for registration of Special educational needs and disability by the child's current school
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school in Kent
Kent Test - Exam date for children attending school outside of Kent
Highsted Test - Exam date At Highsted Grammar School
Kent Test and Highsted Test Results Date
Common Application form (CAF) Deadline
Application Documents for Highsted Grammar School
On these pages we at 11 Plus Hero have presented all of the vital information need to make a well informed decision on whether Highsted Grammar is right for your Daughter. For completeness sake we here list the sources required to verify any information you desire.
Highsted Grammar School Virtual Open Evening Presentation
View PDFHighstedGrammar School Admissions Policy 2023-2024
View PDFHighstedGrammar School Supplementary Application Form
View PDFInformation for the Kent test
View PDFKent Test Familiarisation materials
View PDFInformation for the Highsted Test
View PDFCEM 11 Plus - Highsted Test Familiarisation
View PDFKent council school application dates
View PDFHow to apply
View PDFHighsted Grammar School Exam Format
Highsted Grammar school uses both the Kent Test common to all selective schools under the authority of the Kent County Council as well as its own assessment – the Highsted Test. The Kent Test is compulsory but success will grant admission to any other Kentish Grammar School. The Highsted Test is an optional extra assessment and will only qualify students for Highsted Grammar School. A passing mark on either test is sufficient for admission and both are considered equally.
The Kent Test is produced by the GL 11 Plus exam board whilst the Highsted test is produced by CEM 11 Plus. These institutions produce assessments which test the same core developmental skills in children: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. However there are some distinctions to the tests which are important to be aware of. Here at 11 Plus Hero we can provide you with a detailed description of each test, practise papers and familiarisation materials so that you can help your daughter have the best possible chance of securing a place at Highsted Grammar School!
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Overview
The best way of providing consistent and thorough advice for Kent Test preparations which are taken by all children applying for Kentish Grammar schools is to provide a detailed central article which can be found here ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’. Below however we provide a brief overview of the format.
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 Highsted Test by CEM 11 Plus:
Since 2016 Highsted Grammar School has additionally been setting its own admissions test alongside the Kent Test. The Highsted test is actually set by a different exam board – CEM 11 Plus. CEM exams do not draw on any material beyond that which is covered by the key stage 2 curriculum. The Highsted Test is divided into two sections which are taken at the Grammar School itself.
Part one: Computer based Test
- Set by CEM Durham, this test is taken on a computer and asks children questions answered via multiple choice, drag and drop or asks them to complete words by typing.
- Practise examples prior to real question within the actual test to acclimatise
- Question topics are a mix of Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
- The marking weighs Verbal reasoning more heavily than Maths or Non-verbal Reasoning.
Part two: Written English
- An English paper to assess reading and writing skills in two areas
- First Comprehension – A short passage to read with questions assessing a child’s capacity for inference and deduction from the text
- Second Creative Writing – Children will be given a title prompt to write about, demonstrating their development in written English in line with Key Stage 2 targets
- Factors such as sentence structure, grammar and spelling are taken into account
- Marked by an external body
The Highsted Test - CEM 11 Plus Assessment Criteria
| English | Maths | Verbal Reasoning | Non-Verbal Reasoning | Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English: Comprehension & Creative WritingEnglish: Comprehension & Creative Writing |
Pass Mark
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Pass CriteriaSelective Grammar School testing does not work in the same way as other tests where achieving a consistent number or percentage of marks always awards a certain grade. The threshold for successful selective test scores is determined on a yearly basis depending on the marks from the entire school year. Your daughter’s marks from papers one and two will be aggregated and standardised, comparing them to other applicants. It is estimated that the top 25% of students nationally will score sufficiently high to exceed this threshold and be granted admission to a Grammar School of their choice. Mor information can be found in the central article – ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’ LINK.
Pass Criteria: The Highsted Test by GL 11 Plus
The threshold score to pass, similar to the Test Kent and all grammar school selective tests, is determined based on the results of students in that year group. As such there is no quotable passing number or percentage of marks, however it is estimated that nationally 25% of students would achieve the threshold score or above. Scores from the computerised and written english tests are marked separately and aggregated to produce a final score which must reach the determined overall threshold, without either score for the separate parts falling below a minimum acceptable level. The Verbal Reasoning element of Part one is weighted more heavily that he Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning elements.
The CEM 11 Plus exam board themselves do not provide any commercially available practice materials; however a resource has been set up to allow children to become familiar with the format of CEM 11 Plus exam type questions, which Highsted Grammar School strongly recommends prospective students make use of. A link to which can be found in the above section Application Documents for Highsted Grammar School
Pass Mark
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Pass CriteriaSelective Grammar School testing does not work in the same way as other tests where achieving a consistent number or percentage of marks always awards a certain grade. The threshold for successful selective test scores is determined on a yearly basis depending on the marks from the entire school year. Your daughter’s marks from papers one and two will be aggregated and standardised, comparing them to other applicants. It is estimated that the top 25% of students nationally will score sufficiently high to exceed this threshold and be granted admission to a Grammar School of their choice. Mor information can be found in the central article – ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’ LINK.
Pass Criteria: The Highsted Test by GL 11 Plus
The threshold score to pass, similar to the Test Kent and all grammar school selective tests, is determined based on the results of students in that year group. As such there is no quotable passing number or percentage of marks, however it is estimated that nationally 25% of students would achieve the threshold score or above. Scores from the computerised and written english tests are marked separately and aggregated to produce a final score which must reach the determined overall threshold, without either score for the separate parts falling below a minimum acceptable level. The Verbal Reasoning element of Part one is weighted more heavily that he Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning elements.
The CEM 11 Plus exam board themselves do not provide any commercially available practice materials; however a resource has been set up to allow children to become familiar with the format of CEM 11 Plus exam type questions, which Highsted Grammar School strongly recommends prospective students make use of. A link to which can be found in the above section Application Documents for Highsted Grammar School
Catchment Area
Highsted Grammar does not specific a catchment area or priority scaling area at all. They admit girls into Year 7 based on them having passed the Kent and/ or Highsted Test and living in the closest proximity to the school as defined by the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) address point data taking the measurement form a fixed point at Highsted in a straight line to the applying girls permanent home address.
Additional Eligibility
Girls with certain eligibility will qualify for preferential admittance to Highsted Grammar School, which is a common trend for all Schools.
- Girls specifically mentioning Highsted Grammar Schools in a statement of Special Educational Need or Education, Health and Care Plan
- Children currently or recently in care, children who have been in receipt of Pupil Premium, children with either a sister or a brother (in the sixth form) in attendance at the school already
Highsted Grammar School FAQs
Highsted Grammar School operates both the Kent Test and the Highsted test. As with all selective Grammar School tests the score required to pass either is determined on a yearly basis, based on the results received from that school year of children and so no number or percentage of marks can be quoted. Raw marks are standardised in order to effectively rank the applicants and students surpassing a decided upon threshold which approximately 25% of children nationally would achieve, are awarded a Grammar school place. A more detailed description can be found in the above section Highsted Grammar School Exam Format.
- The Kent test is composed of two papers; one English and Maths, the other Verbal reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, in addition to a creative writing exercise.
- The Highsted Test has a computer based Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning task and a written English comprehension and creative writing section.
For more details see the above section Highsted Grammar School Exam Format.
- Opting for additional tests allows a school to select for students that it might believe are going to be under-selected in the standard Kent Test. Comparing the two, the Highsted test has more emphasis on English and Verbal Reasoning than Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
- The English test contains two elements (comprehension and creative writing) and is taken into account as part of the aggregate score unlike in the Kent Test where the creative writing is only considered at appeal stage. Highsted Grammar School says that the Verbal Reasoning is weighted more highly than Maths or Non-Verbal Reasoning.
- Familiarisation materials are available from Kent County Council for the specific layout of the Kent Test.
- The Highsted Test is set by the CEM exam board and whilst they do not put out practise papers there are some limited familiarisation materials.
Links to both can be found in the above section Application Documents for Highsted Grammar School
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