Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy 11+ Guide

About Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy

Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy is a selective secondary school in Lincolnshire. For children to get into Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled in the charming market town of Sleaford, Lincolnshire, Kesteven and Sleaford High School (KSHS) is a prestigious selective academy for girls, renowned for its exceptional academic standards and inclusive learning environment. As a proud member of the Robert Carre Trust, KSHS is committed to fostering a strong sense of community and belonging, not only within the school itself but also across the trust's network of educational institutions.

At KSHS, students are immersed in a dynamic and engaging curriculum that spans a wide array of subjects, from the sciences and humanities to languages and computing. The school's dedicated staff work tirelessly to cultivate an atmosphere of intellectual curiosity and confidence, encouraging girls to embrace challenges and reach their full potential. Beyond the classroom, KSHS offers a wealth of extracurricular activities, including debating, sports, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, providing students with ample opportunities to explore their interests and develop new skills.

The school's unwavering commitment to academic excellence is evident in its impressive examination results, with a significant proportion of students achieving top grades in English and Mathematics. This success is a testament to the effectiveness of KSHS' teaching strategies and governance, as well as the school's robust pastoral care system. By prioritizing the individual needs of each student and nurturing their resilience and adaptability, KSHS creates a supportive and empowering environment that maximizes every girl's chances of success in her future endeavors.

At the heart of KSHS' ethos lies a deep-rooted belief in the power of community and collaboration. The school actively encourages its students to participate in fundraising events and community-focused initiatives, fostering a spirit of empathy and compassion that extends far beyond the school's walls. This commitment to social responsibility, combined with the school's outstanding academic provision and supportive learning environment, makes Kesteven and Sleaford High School an exceptional choice for girls seeking a truly transformative educational experience.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy together with their admissions contact details.

Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy is a girls 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 763 pupils attend Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy and it's led by the Head of School, Mrs Josephine Smith.

Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy 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 Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy for the 2022-23 academic year.

Lincolnshire 11+ Information

In order to get into Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy, children need to pass the Lincolnshire 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

Lincolnshire 11+ Subjects & Structure

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

• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-verbal Reasoning
• Spatial Reasoning

The admissions process for Kesteven and Sleaford High School involves sitting the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11 plus exam. This assessment consists of two separate papers, each focusing on different aspects of reasoning abilities.

The first paper, Verbal Reasoning, comprises 80 questions divided into 15 sections. Students are allotted 50 minutes to complete this paper. The second paper evaluates Non-verbal and Spatial Reasoning skills through 70 questions split across 5 individually timed sections.

All questions in the Lincolnshire 11 plus exam are presented in a multiple-choice format. Students record their answers on dedicated answer sheets, which are subsequently marked electronically. This rigorous assessment aims to identify pupils with the aptitude and potential to thrive in a selective grammar school environment.

Other Schools using Lincolnshire 11+

As well as Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy, several other schools also use Lincolnshire 11+. These are:

• Boston High School
• Bourne Grammar School
• Carre's Grammar School
• Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
• King Edward VI Grammar School
• Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford - A Selective Academy
• Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
• Skegness Grammar School
• Spalding Grammar School
• Spalding High School
• The Boston Grammar School
• The King's School, Grantham
• The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough

Lincolnshire 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy 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!

Lincolnshire 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Lincolnshire 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 Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Lincolnshire 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Lincolnshire 11+ tests (to get into Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy) 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 Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy was last inspected by Ofsted on 08/05/2013 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 04/06/2013, 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 Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy 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, Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy 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 Lincolnshire 11+ Ensure you double-check with Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.