At a Glance
Assessment: GL 11 Plus (Kent test)
Fees Type: Free
Boarding: Day school
Admissions: Boys Only
Places per year: 205
Introduction
Maidstone Grammar School is a selective school in Kent established in 1549 and offering admission to boys in year 7 based on their performance in the Kent Test, common to all Kentish grammar schools. The School is dedicated to providing a rounded education, preparing its students for the adult world in accordance with its two underlying principle pillars ‘Inspire to Learn and Inspire to Belong’. Maidstone Grammar operates a house system which is designed to impart a sense of community and support with a ‘family feel’ for its students. Tutor groups and their staff tutor will remain the same for Boys throughout their education and contain a mixed age group, with the elder students offering support and guidance to their younger peers. The pursuit of extracurricular activities is strongly encouraged at Maidstone Grammar School and their dedicated programme ‘MGS Extra’ organises activities under four themes: Creativity, Activity, Service and Extended Learning. Children will have the opportunity to join inter year societies dedicated to art, creative writing, music, drama, sports, book clubs, debate club as well as the Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh awards.
Maidstone Grammar School received an Ofsted rating of ‘Good’ at last assessment in 2019, with an ‘Outstanding’ accreditation in the category of Personal development, behaviour and welfare. Compared to the national average of 43%, far more students receive grades 5 or above in English and Maths at 91%. Across a wider range of subjects the boys also perform well. Attainment 8 is a metric of how well children perform across 8 of their best GCSE’s and takes into account both subjects included in the English Baccalaureate and those beyond. Boys at Maidstone Grammar School on average achieve a point score of 65.5 compared to the national average of 46.7.
11 Plus Hero was created to help you and your child prepare for applications to Grammar School. If you have identified Maidstone Grammar School as a good fit and are considering making an application then we can provide you with all of the vital information to make an informed application as well as the material needed to best prepare for the selective entrance examination, the Kent Test, with practice paper materials.
Maidstone Grammar School’s Key Information
We provide information for Maidstone Grammar School such as key contacts, occupancy data and Ofsted results to make it as easy as possible to decide if Maidstone Grammar School is the right fit for you and your child.
School Address
Full Address:
Maidstone Grammar SchoolBarton Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 7BT
Contact Information
Parking in the school
Parking is not available on the premises of Maidstone Grammar School however parking can be found within 10 minutes walk.
Additional parking off site
Mote Park, Mote Avenue, Maidstone, ME15 7SX. Mon – Sun 8am to 12pm.
Additional parking off site
Mote Park, Mote Avenue, Maidstone, ME15 7SX. Mon – Sun 8am to 12pm.
Key Information for Maidstone 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 (2019)
Selection Test
Maidstone Grammar School’s Key Dates and Application Information
To help you stay on top of Grammar School application dates and deadlines 11 Plus Hero has compiled the key events for Maidstone Grammar School.
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 Maidstone Grammar School
We at 11 Plus Hero have created this resource to help streamline the application and preparation process for admission to Maidstone Grammar School from school and local government resources. For confirmation or anything we might have missed please here find the main resources to make a successful application.
Maidstone Grammar School Exam Format
Maidstone Grammar School uses the Kent Test, provided by the GL 11 Plus Exam board to determine if boys applying for admission would benefit from an intensive grammar school education and so should be offered a place at the school. To help your son prepare for the Kent Test we at 11 Plus Hero can provide detailed information on the format and content of the assessment, alongside practise materials to get a feel for the test in advance.
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Overview
Presented here is an overview of Kent Test components. As ths test is used by the 32 other Kentish Grammar Schools we have curated a centralised article for all School requiring the Kent Test in order to give consistent and clear advice. This can be found here ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’.
Paper One
A multiple choice English and Maths paper set by GL 11 Plus and lasting 1 hour
Paper One
A multiple choice Verbal Reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning paper set by GL 11 Plus and lasting 1 hour
Additional
A creative writing exercise set by the School and lasting 40 minutes
The Kent Test - GL 11 Plus Assessment Criteria
| English | Maths | Verbal Reasoning | Non-Verbal Reasoning | Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YES Creative WritingYES Creative Writing |
Pass Mark
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Pass Criteria
The score required for an applicant to succeed in the Kent Test is not fixed on a year by year basis as the purpose of the Kent Test, and selective testing in general, is to identify the top performers in a year group as they are the candidates most likely to benefit from Grammar School education. Raw test scores are standardised, age adjusted and used to rank applicants with approximately the top 25% of students nationally qualifying for grammar school places. Further information can be found in the centralised article ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’. Maidstone Grammar School does however give priority of admission to Boys achieving a pass mark of over 360 in the Kent Test. See ‘Additional eligibility’ below for more details.
Pass Mark
The GL 11 Plus Kent Test: Pass Criteria
The score required for an applicant to succeed in the Kent Test is not fixed on a year by year basis as the purpose of the Kent Test, and selective testing in general, is to identify the top performers in a year group as they are the candidates most likely to benefit from Grammar School education. Raw test scores are standardised, age adjusted and used to rank applicants with approximately the top 25% of students nationally qualifying for grammar school places. Further information can be found in the centralised article ‘Selective Tests in Kent – The Kent Test’. Maidstone Grammar School does however give priority of admission to Boys achieving a pass mark of over 360 in the Kent Test. See ‘Additional eligibility’ below for more details.
Catchment Area
Maidstone Grammar School gives priority of admission to boys who have passed the Kent Test and who occupy permanent residence in any of the following parishes, as listed in their Admissions Arrangements for Sept 2023:
- Addington, Aylesford (includes Eccles), Barming, Bearsted, Bicknor, Birling, Borough Green, Boughton Malherbe, Boughton Monchelsea, Boxley, Bredhurst, Broomfield and Kingswood, Burham, Chart Sutton, Collier Street, Coxheath, Detling, Ditton, Downswood, East Farleigh, East Malling and Larkfield, East Sutton, Frinsted, Harrietsham, Headcorn, Hollingbourne, Hucking, Hunton, Ightham, Kings Hill, Langley, Leeds, Lenham (includes Lenham & Platts Heath), Leybourne, Linton, Loose, Maidstone, Marden, Mereworth, Nettlestead, Offham, Otham, Platt, Ryarsh, Snodland, Stansted, Staplehurst, Stockbury, Sutton Valence, Teston, Thurnham, Tovil, Trottiscliffe, Ulcombe, Wateringbury, West Farleigh, West Malling, West Peckham, Wichling, Wormshill, Wrotham, Wouldham, Yalding (includes Laddingford).
Additional Eligibility
Priority of admission is given to Boys with certain extenuating circumstances which would make admission to Maidstone Grammar School particularly important for their specific educational or health requirements. Boys achieving a passing mark with an Education Health Care Plan which specifically mentions Maidstone Grammar School will be admitted. Boys achieving a passing mark who either are or have previously been in the care of the local authority will be admitted. Following this Maidstone Grammar operates tiered admissions categories.
- The highest scoring candidates who have achieved a pass mark of over 360 in the Kent Test and occupy permanent residence in one of the named parishes
- Boys who have passed the Kent Test and occupy permanent residence in one of the named parishes
- Boys who have passed the Kent Test but do not occupy permanent residence in one of the named parishes.
Within these groups are further prioritised subdivisions.
- Boys receiving free school meals at the time of application
- Boys with a sibling in attendance of the main school or sixth form
- Boys living closest to Maidstone Grammar School as determined by the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) address point data.
Maidstone Grammar School FAQs
- The passing mark for the Kent Test changes every year as the raw marks are standardised to creating a student ranking and so identify the best performing students in a year.
- For more details see the Pass Mark section
Alongside the other Grammar Schools under the authority of Kent County Council, Maidstone Grammar School operates the Kent Test supplied by the GL 11 Plus exam board to select its students. This is different from the process used by grammar schools under the Medway county council. The Kent Test contains 4 sections of multiple choice questions set by GL 11 Plus in ENglish, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. For more details see Maidstone Grammar School Exam Format.
- Familiarisation materials hosted by Kent County Council can be found in the Application Document section and GL 11 Plus themselves offer a number of practice papers for purchase on their website.
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