The King's School, Grantham 11+ Guide

About The King's School, Grantham

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

Nestled in the charming market town of Grantham, Lincolnshire, The King's School is a prestigious all-boys' grammar school with a rich heritage. This esteemed institution has nurtured the minds of countless young men, including the renowned scientist Sir Isaac Newton, who attended the school in the 17th century. With a dedication to academic excellence and a commitment to holistic education, The King's School continues to shape the lives of its students, preparing them for a bright future.

The school's comprehensive curriculum is designed to foster intellectual growth and cognitive development, offering a wide array of subjects ranging from the sciences and technology to languages and mathematics. By providing a diverse and challenging academic program, The King's School ensures that its students are well-equipped to tackle the rigors of higher education and beyond. The school's unwavering commitment to academic excellence is reflected in its position as the top-performing state secondary school in Lincolnshire.

Beyond the classroom, The King's School offers a wealth of enrichment activities that contribute to the vibrant and dynamic character of the school. From the melodic strains of the orchestra to the camaraderie of the Combined Cadet Force, and from the entrepreneurial spirit of the Young Enterprise Club to the thrill of cricket, football, and drama, these pursuits provide students with opportunities to explore their passions, develop new skills, and forge lasting friendships.

At the heart of The King's School lies a strong sense of honour, respect, and consideration. These values permeate every aspect of school life, guiding students to act with integrity and empathy in their interactions with others. The school's dedicated pastoral care team works tirelessly to create a nurturing and supportive environment that caters to the unique needs of each student, fostering resilience, self-discipline, and personal growth. Through this holistic approach to education, The King's School aims to produce not only academically successful individuals but also well-rounded, compassionate, and forward-thinking leaders of tomorrow.

School Information

Below you will find further information about The King's School, Grantham together with their admissions contact details.

The King's School, Grantham 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 1,188 pupils attend The King's School, Grantham and it's led by the Head Master, Mr Simon Pickett.

The King's School, Grantham 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 The King's School, Grantham for the 2022-23 academic year.

Lincolnshire 11+ Information

In order to get into The King's School, Grantham, 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 11 plus exam for The King's School Grantham is administered by the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The assessment consists of two separate papers that evaluate the candidate's abilities in verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and spatial reasoning.

The first paper focuses on verbal reasoning and includes 80 multiple-choice questions divided into 15 sections. Candidates are allotted 50 minutes to complete this paper. The second paper assesses non-verbal and spatial reasoning through 70 multiple-choice questions split across 5 sections. Each section of this paper is individually timed by the invigilator.

Candidates record their answers on separate answer sheets, which are then electronically marked. Success in both papers is essential for admission to The King's School Grantham.

Other Schools using Lincolnshire 11+

As well as The King's School, Grantham, several other schools also use Lincolnshire 11+. These are:

• Boston High School
• Bourne Grammar School
• Carre's Grammar School
• Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
• Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy
• 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 Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough

Lincolnshire 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as The King's School, Grantham 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 The King's School, Grantham, 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 The King's School, Grantham) 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 The King's School, Grantham as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

The King's School, Grantham was last inspected by Ofsted on 13/12/2022 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 06/02/2023, 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

Ofsted Report Summary

The King's School, Grantham was inspected by Ofsted on 13 December 2022 and received an overall outcome of Good. The school demonstrated a good quality of education, with pupils benefiting from effective teaching and a well-planned curriculum.

The behaviour and attitudes of students were also rated as good, with pupils showing respect for one another and displaying positive attitudes towards learning. The school's provision for personal development was deemed good, with a range of opportunities available for pupils to develop their skills and interests beyond the classroom.

Leadership and management at The King's School, Grantham were found to be good, with leaders demonstrating a clear vision for the school and a commitment to ongoing improvement. The sixth form provision was also rated as good, with students receiving effective support and guidance to help them progress to their chosen destinations after school.

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for The King's School, Grantham 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, The King's School, Grantham 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 The King's School, Grantham which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.