Holcombe Grammar School 11+ Guide

About Holcombe Grammar School

Holcombe Grammar School is a selective secondary school in Medway, Kent. For children to get into Holcombe Grammar School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Holcombe Grammar School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled in the heart of Chatham, Kent, Holcombe Grammar School is a beacon of academic excellence, nurturing over 1,000 pupils across five distinct houses. This prestigious institution, formerly known as Chatham Grammar School for Boys, fosters a spirit of healthy competition among its students, encouraging them to strive for greatness in all aspects of their educational journey.

At Holcombe Grammar, students are immersed in a rich tapestry of subjects, ranging from the realms of technology and mathematics to the depths of science and humanities. The school's unique offering of astronomy lessons serves to sharpen pupils' logical deduction skills, as they delve into the analysis of observational data. This comprehensive approach to education ensures that students are well-equipped to tackle the challenges of the modern world.

As an accredited Thinking School, recognized by Exeter University, Holcombe Grammar is dedicated to cultivating a love for lifelong learning. By nurturing students' natural curiosity and fostering a resilient, can-do attitude, the school empowers them to think critically, reflect deeply, and grasp complex concepts with ease. This transformative approach to education lays the foundation for a bright and successful future.

Beyond the classroom, Holcombe Grammar offers a wealth of opportunities for students to explore their passions, whether it be in the creative arts, sports, or drama. This vibrant and friendly ethos is the bedrock of the school's profoundly holistic approach to education, ensuring that every pupil has the chance to thrive and grow as an individual.

Through this unwavering commitment to excellence, Holcombe Grammar molds its students into confident, tenacious, and dedicated individuals. Their remarkable achievements, as evidenced by their outstanding GCSE and A-Level results, stand as a testament to the school's transformative power and the students' unwavering dedication to their academic pursuits and personal growth.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Holcombe Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.

Holcombe Grammar School is a boys only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).

In total 1,067 pupils attend Holcombe Grammar School and it's led by the Principal, Mr Lee Preston.

Holcombe Grammar School Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Holcombe Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.

Medway 11+ Information

In order to get into Holcombe Grammar School, children need to pass the Medway 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

Medway 11+ Subjects & Structure

The Medway 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• English
• Maths
• Reasoning

Aspiring students seeking admission to Holcombe Grammar School are required to sit for an entrance examination known as the Medway Test. This assessment, provided by GL Assessment, is designed to evaluate the academic aptitude and potential of the applicants.

The Medway Test comprises three distinct papers, each focusing on a specific subject area. These subjects include English, which assesses the candidate's language skills, comprehension, and writing abilities; Maths, which tests the student's numerical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and mathematical knowledge; and Reasoning, which evaluates the applicant's logical thinking, pattern recognition, and ability to draw conclusions from given information.

By examining the performance of the candidates across these three subject areas, Holcombe Grammar School aims to identify students who demonstrate exceptional academic promise and are well-suited to thrive in the school's challenging and stimulating educational environment.

Other Schools using Medway 11+

As well as Holcombe Grammar School, several other schools also use Medway 11+. These are:

• Chatham Grammar
• Fort Pitt Grammar School
• Rainham Mark Grammar School
• Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
• The Rochester Grammar School

Medway 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Holcombe Grammar School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.

Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.

It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!

Medway 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Medway 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at Holcombe Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Medway 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Medway 11+ tests (to get into Holcombe Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Holcombe Grammar School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Holcombe Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 30/09/2014 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 22/10/2014, declaring that the school was 'Good'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Holcombe Grammar School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Unfortunately, Holcombe Grammar School has not made any of their past 11+ papers publicly available.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the Medway 11+ Ensure you double-check with Holcombe Grammar School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.