Beths Grammar School 11+ Guide 2026

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Beths Grammar School is a boys' selective state grammar school in Bexleyheath, South East London, admitting 192 boys into Year 7 each September through the Bexley Selection Test — a two-paper, multiple-choice examination administered by Quest Assessments. For September 2027 entry, the 2026 test window runs from 7 to 10 September 2026 at grammar school test centres, with results published in early October 2026 and the common application deadline on 31 October 2026. This guide covers everything you need: the school, the test format, the scoring system, admissions criteria, and a preparation plan grounded in what the Quest assessment actually tests.

What Is Beths Grammar School?

Beths Grammar School sits on Bexley Road in Bexleyheath and is the only boys' grammar school within the London Borough of Bexley. Founded in 1938, it is one of four state grammar schools in Bexley — alongside Bexley Grammar School (mixed), Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School (mixed), and Townley Grammar School (girls). All four schools use the same Bexley Selection Test for 11+ entry, which means a boy who passes the test can apply to any combination of the four schools on a single common application form.

The school holds strong academic results and a broad sixth form. Its published admissions number (PAN) for Year 7 is 192 — the largest of the four Bexley grammar schools. There is no catchment area: boys from any borough or county can apply, provided they achieve the selective standard in the Bexley test. A notable change from 2026 onwards is that Beths now also considers boys who have passed the Kent 11+ but not the Bexley test, with places allocated by proximity to the school once all Bexley-selective applicants have been considered.

Beths describes itself as a community-focused, inclusive grammar with a strong co-curricular programme. Parents considering Beths alongside other Bexley grammars should note that the schools do differ in ethos, size and sixth-form offer — it is worth attending open events (typically September and October 2025 for 2026 entry) to compare them directly before naming Beths as a preference on the common application form.

What Is the Bexley Selection Test and Who Provides It?

The Bexley Selection Test is the only route into all four Bexley grammar schools at Year 7. It is provided by Quest Assessments, the specialist admissions test company that also supplies tests for a number of grammar schools across Kent and the South East. The test is distinct from the Kent 11+ (which uses separate Quest papers); achieving a selective standard on the Kent test does not qualify a child for the Bexley selective standard, and vice versa — though Beths' 2026 policy change allows Kent passers to be considered for any remaining places after Bexley-selective pupils.

For a detailed breakdown of the test structure, our companion guide Quest Assessment for Bexley Grammar Schools covers the paper-based format, section timings and practice approach in depth. The key facts are:

• Two separate test booklets, both taken in one session on the same morning or afternoon
• Each paper lasts approximately 50 minutes, with additional time for reading instructions
• A short break is provided between the two papers
• The full test session runs from two and a half to three hours
• All questions are multiple choice — there is no writing component
• No rough paper is provided; all working must be done in the test booklet
• Children sit at one of the four Bexley grammar schools or at their own Bexley primary school if it has opted in as a test centre

Children are told when to start and stop each section by the invigilator. Smart watches are not permitted. Children should bring two sharp HB pencils, an eraser and a pencil sharpener in a clear bag, along with a small snack and water for the break. No calculator or ruler is required — or allowed.

What Does the Bexley Selection Test Actually Assess?

The test covers three domains, each contributing a different proportion to the final age-standardised score:

Verbal ability and comprehension carries the heaviest weighting at 50% of the total score. This makes reading widely — fiction, non-fiction, broadsheet articles — one of the highest-return preparation activities a child can do in the year leading up to the test. Strong vocabulary and the ability to identify tone, inference and meaning under time pressure are what separate the top scorers from those who just cross the selective threshold.

Numerical reasoning is capped at the Year 5 curriculum, which means it does not require knowledge of algebra, fractions beyond Year 5 expectations, or formal written methods beyond what primary school covers by the end of Year 5. The challenge is speed and accuracy under pressure, not content complexity. Non-verbal reasoning assesses the ability to identify rules, rotate shapes and complete series — skills that respond well to structured practice with Quest-style question types, since the Quest format is slightly different from the CEM and GL non-verbal papers used in other regions.

What Are the Key 2026 Dates for Beths Grammar School?

Registration for the 2026 Bexley Selection Test is now closed — the deadline was 31 March 2026 and late registrations are not accepted under any circumstances. If your child is currently in Year 5 and you are reading this guide for the first time, mark 1 March 2027 in your calendar as the first date you can register for the September 2028 entry cycle. Out-of-borough parents should note that they must register through the London Borough of Bexley, not through their home local authority.

There is one important consequence of the Bexley testing calendar to be aware of: the Bexley test in September often coincides with tests for grammar schools in Sutton, Medway and other nearby areas. Bexley will not offer alternative test dates to accommodate other exams. Families applying to multiple selective schools across boroughs must plan test dates carefully.

How Does the Bexley Selection Test Scoring Work?

Understanding the Bexley scoring system is important because it affects both how competitive a score needs to be and what sections to prioritise in preparation. The London Borough of Bexley uses age-standardised scores, which means a child's raw mark is converted to a standardised score that accounts for their exact date of birth. An older child in Year 6 is held to a higher raw-mark standard than a younger child in the same year group, which levels the playing field across the autumn, spring and summer birthday groups.

The weighted total score is calculated as: 50% from the verbal ability and comprehension score, 25% from the numerical reasoning score, and 25% from the non-verbal reasoning score. The average total weighted age-standardised score is 200, and approximately two-thirds of all candidates score between 170 and 230. The London Borough of Bexley, in conjunction with the four grammar school head teachers, sets the selective score threshold each year — children above this score are deemed selective; children below are not.

Three statistics matter most for Beths applicants:

• Approximately 35% of test-takers achieve the selective standard. In 2025, 5,866 children sat the Bexley test and 2,070 were deemed selective.
• Only 800 grammar school places are available across all four Bexley schools, meaning that passing the test is necessary but not sufficient for a guaranteed place.
• Children scoring in the top 180 age-standardised scores are placed in the highest priority group for their preferred school. Scoring above the selective threshold but outside the top 180 means place allocation depends on the school's oversubscription criteria — primarily home-to-school distance.

Beths offers 192 places in Year 7. The top 180 scorers who name Beths as a preference are given first priority. The remaining 12 places are allocated using the school's oversubscription criteria, which weight sibling priority, looked-after children and distance. The practical implication: a child who scores above the selective threshold but not in the top 180 needs to live reasonably close to Beths to receive an offer. Raw scores are not released to parents; you will receive only the total age-standardised score and whether your child is deemed selective.

How Should My Child Prepare for the Bexley Selection Test?

Effective preparation for the Bexley Selection Test requires three things: building the underlying skills in each domain, adapting to the Quest question format specifically, and developing the timing and exam technique needed to sustain accuracy across a two-and-a-half-hour session. Preparation that relies only on generic 11+ resources will be less effective than preparation tailored to the Quest paper structure and its specific verbal, numerical and non-verbal question styles.

Starting timeline. Most families targeting Beths begin focused preparation in January or February of Year 5, giving roughly 18 to 20 months before the September Year 6 test. A 12-month preparation window — starting in September of Year 5 — is also workable, particularly if your child is already a strong reader and numerically confident. Preparation starting after January of Year 6 is possible but leaves limited time for timed-paper practice, which is where most children make their biggest gains.

Verbal ability and comprehension (50% of the score). This is the section where sustained preparation pays off most. The verbal component of the Quest test includes vocabulary questions, verbal analogies, comprehension passages and cloze-style questions. Regular reading — daily, across different genres and text types — is the single most effective preparation activity. Beyond reading, children should practise vocabulary work explicitly: word definitions, prefixes, suffixes and roots. Timed comprehension passages specific to Quest format are essential in the final three to four months before the test.

Numerical reasoning (25% of the score). The content ceiling is end-of-Year-5 maths: fractions, decimals, percentages, basic ratio, geometry, data handling and word problems. The challenge is not the content — most Year 6 children have covered this material — but the question format and pace. Quest numerical questions are multiple choice, and they frequently present maths in unfamiliar or indirect ways that reward mathematical reasoning over rote procedures. Timed practice with Quest-specific numerical papers from the autumn term of Year 6 onwards is important.

Non-verbal reasoning (25% of the score). Non-verbal reasoning is the domain where structured practice delivers the fastest visible gains, particularly for children who have not encountered this question type before. Quest non-verbal questions include series completion, figure classification, matrices and reflection patterns. Children who have prepared for CEM or GL non-verbal tests will find Quest non-verbal slightly different in style, so it is worth using Quest-specific practice materials rather than generic NVR resources.

Timed practice and exam conditions. In the final two to three months before the test, full timed-paper sessions under exam conditions are essential. The Quest familiarisation materials, available free on the Quest Assessments website, include sample questions and a parent information booklet. These should be used alongside commercially available Quest practice papers. Running mock tests at home at the actual session length — two and a half to three hours including the break — helps children build the concentration stamina the test requires.

Our guide to the Quest Assessment for Bexley Grammar Schools covers the preparation approach in more detail, including the section timing structure and what parents can do to support practice at home. For tailored one-to-one support, our 11+ tuition programmes are specifically designed around the Bexley Selection Test.

Frequently Asked Questions