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Book a Free ConsultationKingston upon Thames sits in a distinctive position in the London 11+ landscape. Families here are not choosing between a handful of local grammar schools — they are targeting two of the most oversubscribed state schools in England. Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls' School both sit in Kingston, both use the same bespoke entrance assessment, and both attract applicants from across Surrey, south-west London, and beyond. If you are beginning to research grammar school entry for your child, understanding exactly what makes this process different — and how demanding it genuinely is — is the most important first step you can take.
The starting point for most Kingston families is recognising that preparation for Tiffin School or Tiffin Girls' School is not the same as general 11+ preparation. The Kingston Grammar Test (KGT) is a purpose-built assessment, not a standard GL or CEM paper. It is designed specifically to identify the highest-performing candidates from a very large field, and the children who do well on it are those who have prepared for its particular demands — not just those who are academically able in a general sense.
Starting early, understanding the format, and practising under realistic conditions are the foundations of any serious preparation plan. The families who find the process most stressful are usually those who underestimate the competition or begin too late. The families who feel most prepared are those who treat this as a structured, long-term project rather than a last-minute push.
Kingston has two grammar schools: Tiffin School (boys) and Tiffin Girls' School. Both are state-funded, non-fee-paying, and consistently ranked among the highest-performing schools in the country. Both use the Kingston Grammar Test (KGT) as their sole entrance assessment.
The KGT is a bespoke exam administered by both schools jointly. It typically involves papers in mathematics and English, with the English component including both comprehension and writing tasks. The mathematics paper tests reasoning and problem-solving rather than rote recall, and questions are designed to stretch the most able candidates. The exam is sat by thousands of children each year — typically over 2,000 applicants per school — competing for approximately 180 places each. That means fewer than one in ten applicants will receive an offer.
Because the KGT is not a commercially available test format, preparation requires familiarity with the style and difficulty level of the questions, not just general academic revision. Past papers and school-specific practice materials are essential tools.
The mathematics paper rewards children who can think flexibly under time pressure. Questions often involve multi-step problems, unfamiliar contexts, and reasoning tasks that go beyond the primary school curriculum. Children who have only revised standard topics without practising problem-solving under timed conditions frequently find the paper harder than expected — not because they lack knowledge, but because they have not developed the pace and adaptability the exam demands.
The English component tests reading comprehension at a high level, with questions that require inference and analysis rather than simple retrieval. The writing task is marked for quality of expression, structure, and vocabulary — not just content. Many children lose marks here by writing at length without precision, or by misreading what the question is asking.
Common preparation mistakes include:
One concrete tip: in the mathematics paper, children should practise showing working clearly even when they arrive at an answer quickly. Partial marks may be available, and the habit of structured working also reduces careless errors under pressure.
The KGT is typically sat in September or October of Year 6, which means the exam falls at the very start of secondary school application season. For most families, serious preparation should begin no later than Year 5, with many starting earlier.
A realistic timeline looks something like this. In Year 4 or early Year 5, the focus should be on consolidating core mathematics and developing strong reading habits — wide, varied reading at a challenging level makes a measurable difference to comprehension performance. From mid-Year 5 onwards, structured practice with KGT-style papers should begin, alongside targeted work on any subject areas where gaps exist. By the start of Year 6, children should be working through timed papers regularly and sitting full mock exams in conditions that replicate the real thing. The final weeks before the exam should focus on consolidation and confidence rather than introducing new material.
This is not a timeline that allows for a slow start. The children who perform best in October of Year 6 are almost always those who have been preparing consistently for twelve to eighteen months beforehand.
Leading Tuition provides specialist 1-to-1 tutoring for children preparing for Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls' School. Our tutors are experienced with the Kingston Grammar Test specifically — not just the 11+ in general — and work with each child to build the subject knowledge, exam technique, and confidence that this particular assessment demands.
We work with families across Kingston and the surrounding area, and we are honest with parents about what preparation realistically involves. Our approach is structured and progressive: we assess each child's starting point, identify the areas that need the most work, and build a preparation plan that fits the timeline available. We use KGT-style practice materials throughout, and we incorporate timed conditions and mock assessments from an early stage.
If your child is in Year 4 or Year 5 and you are beginning to think seriously about Tiffin School or Tiffin Girls', now is the right time to put a plan in place.
Do both Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls' use the same entrance exam?
Yes. Both schools use the Kingston Grammar Test (KGT), which is a bespoke assessment developed specifically for these two schools. Children applying to both schools sit the same test, and results are used by each school independently to rank applicants for their respective places.
How competitive is entry to Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls' School?
Both schools are among the most competitive state grammar schools in England. Each school typically receives over 2,000 applications for around 180 places, meaning fewer than one in ten applicants will be offered a place. The standard required is consistently high, and the margin between a successful and unsuccessful application is often very narrow.
When should we start preparing for the KGT?
Most families who are successful begin structured preparation in Year 5, with some starting earlier. The exam is sat in September or October of Year 6, so beginning in Year 5 allows twelve to eighteen months of focused work. Starting in Year 6 is possible but leaves very little time to address gaps or build exam technique properly.
Is the Kingston Grammar Test the same as standard 11+ papers?
No. The KGT is a purpose-built assessment, not a GL Assessment or CEM paper. While it tests mathematics and English, the style, difficulty level, and question format are specific to this exam. Preparing exclusively with generic 11+ materials is unlikely to be sufficient — children need practice with KGT-style questions to be properly prepared for what they will face on the day.
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