Wilmington Grammar School for Boys: 11+ Guide for Parents 2026

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Wilmington Grammar School for Boys (WGSB) is a selective boys' grammar school in Wilmington, Dartford, Kent, admitting 180 pupils each year through the Kent Test. To qualify for a place, your child must score 332 or higher across English, Maths, and reasoning combined, with no individual score below 107. For 2027 entry, Kent Test registration opens 1 June 2026 and closes 1 July 2026, with tests taking place in September 2026. This guide covers every aspect of the admissions process — the test format, the qualifying threshold, how places are allocated, the key dates, and how to prepare effectively — so that Dartford and Kent families can approach the process with confidence.

Wilmington Grammar School for Boys (WGSB): Overview

Wilmington Grammar School for Boys is a selective academy located at Common Lane, Wilmington, Dartford, DA2 7DA, within the Endeavour Multi-Academy Trust. The school has served the Dartford and surrounding Kent communities for decades and is widely regarded as one of the Dartford belt's leading secondary schools for academically able boys. It currently educates pupils from Year 7 through to Year 13 and operates a collaborative sixth form — WG6 — jointly with the adjacent Wilmington Grammar School for Girls, making Sixth Form provision co-educational.

The school's academic record is consistently strong. WGSB reports a Progress 8 score of +0.66 — well above the national average — meaning that boys at the school typically make significantly more progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally. An impressive 92.6% of students achieved Grade 5 or above in both English and Maths GCSEs, compared to a local authority average of 47.9%. At sixth form, 99% of WG6 students continued into further education or employment following their A-levels. These outcomes make WGSB one of the highest-performing schools in the Dartford area.

The school was last inspected by Ofsted in March 2023. WGSB partners with Atom Learning to provide eligible Pupil Premium families with free online 11+ preparation materials — a significant commitment to widening access for children from all backgrounds across the Dartford and Wilmington catchment. For an overview of all Kent grammar schools and how WGSB compares, see our Kent Grammar Schools Guide 2026.

How Does the Kent Test Work?

The Kent Test is the standardised entrance examination used by grammar schools across Kent to identify pupils suitable for selective education. It is administered by GL Assessment and taken in September of Year 6 — the September before your child's intended Year 7 start date. All Kent grammar schools, including WGSB, use the same test, which means your child only needs to sit it once regardless of how many Kent grammar schools you list on the Secondary Common Application Form.

The test consists of two papers and a short writing task:

Paper 1: English and Maths. This paper is split into two 30-minute sections. The English section tests reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling. Your child will read one or more passages and answer multiple-choice questions, plus answer questions about word meanings, synonyms, antonyms, and sentence structure. The Maths section covers curriculum content to the start of Year 6, including the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, area and perimeter, and data interpretation. Each section includes a 5-minute unscored practice activity before the 25-minute test begins.

Paper 2: Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. This paper tests two reasoning domains that are not routinely taught in primary school. Verbal reasoning assesses your child's ability to identify patterns, codes, and logical relationships involving words, letters, and numbers. Non-verbal reasoning tests visual pattern recognition, shape sequences, and spatial reasoning using diagrams and symbols. The paper lasts approximately one hour including its own practice sections, and both reasoning domains are roughly equally weighted.

Creative Writing Task. All children complete a short creative writing exercise, with 40 minutes allowed (including 10 minutes for planning). This is not included in the main standardised score but may be reviewed by a headteacher panel if a child's results are borderline or if there is an appeal.

Your child receives three standardised scores — one for English, one for Maths, one for reasoning — each converted to a scale running from 69 (lowest) to 141 (highest). The maximum combined total is therefore 423. These standardised scores are age-adjusted, meaning children born later in the academic year are not disadvantaged compared to older pupils in the same Year 6 cohort. For a deeper understanding of how these scores are calculated and what they mean, our guide to 11+ standardised scores explained covers the mechanics in full.

The WGSB Score Threshold: Qualifying for Entry

To qualify for a Year 7 place at Wilmington Grammar School for Boys, your child must achieve a combined total score of 332 or more across all three standardised scores (English, Maths, and reasoning), AND must score at least 107 in each individual component. A high overall total does not compensate for a weak score in one area — a child who scores 141 in both English and Maths but only 100 in reasoning would not qualify, even though their combined total would be 382.

It is essential to understand that qualifying for the school does not guarantee a place. With 180 places available and a school that is consistently oversubscribed, a substantial number of boys who meet the 332+ qualifying threshold will still not receive an offer on National Offer Day. The school's oversubscription criteria (explained in the next section) determine which qualifying boys are offered places when demand exceeds supply.

The practical implication for preparation is that aiming for the qualifying minimum is not a sound strategy. Families targeting WGSB should prepare their child to score well above 332 — ideally in the 350–380 range — to provide a comfortable buffer and improve chances of receiving an offer, particularly if your family lives further than 1.5 miles from the school and does not have the sibling or Governor Place advantages.

How Are Places Allocated at Wilmington Grammar?

When more boys meet the qualifying standard than there are places available — which is typical every year at WGSB — the school applies oversubscription criteria to determine who receives an offer. Understanding these criteria is just as important as understanding the test itself, because a child's address and family circumstances significantly affect their chances of receiving a place even after they have qualified.

The oversubscription criteria, in priority order, are as follows. First priority goes to looked-after children and previously looked-after children. Second priority goes to boys who have a sibling currently attending either WGSB or Wilmington Grammar School for Girls. Third priority is for children of staff employed at the school. Fourth priority consists of 18 Governor Places — these are awarded to boys who demonstrate exceptional performance in the Kent Test across English and reasoning (specifically excluding Maths) and who live within 5 miles of the school. Families whose child scores exceptionally in the English and reasoning components but lives near the school should be aware of this route.

Fifth priority goes to boys living either within 1.5 miles of the school or within a list of specified parishes. These parishes include Dartford, Wilmington, Swanley, Swanscombe and Greenhithe, Longfield and New Barn, Stone, Sutton at Hone and Hawley, Bean, Darenth, Horton Kirby and South Darenth, Farningham, Eynsford, Crockenhill, Hextable, Meopham, Gravesend-area parishes, West Kingsdown, Sevenoaks district parishes (Kemsing, Otford, Shoreham), and others listed in the full admissions policy. Sixth priority is for Pupil Premium children who live within 3 miles of the school. Remaining places are allocated purely by proximity, with the closest child taking precedence in any tie-break.

What Are the Key Dates for the 2026 Kent Test (2027 Entry)?

The Kent Test for September 2027 entry takes place in September 2026. Registration must be completed before your child sits the test — late registrations are not accepted unless a family is moving into the area. Here are the key dates confirmed for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle:

One important logistical note: registration is handled through Kent County Council's website (for families in Kent primary schools) and must be completed by 1 July 2026. Your child's primary school will be able to confirm the exact process for registrations and will receive information directly from KCC. If your child attends a primary school outside Kent, their school may not automatically be informed — parents must proactively register via the KCC admissions process. You can also check the 11+ exam dates 2026-2027 timetable for a cross-school comparison of key admissions dates across grammar schools.

If your child qualifies and you receive a positive result in October, you name WGSB on your Secondary Common Application Form — the standard secondary school application form submitted to your home local authority. You do not apply directly to WGSB. Even if your child's primary school is in London rather than Kent, you still register for the Kent Test through KCC and name WGSB on your home local authority's SCAF or CAF. The school's admissions are co-ordinated by Kent County Council, not by the individual family's local authority.

How Should Your Child Prepare for the Kent Test?

Effective Kent Test preparation requires a structured, long-term approach that develops skills in all three assessed areas — English, Maths, and reasoning — while also building the timing and exam technique needed to perform well under test conditions. The Kent Test rewards accuracy, speed, and genuine ability; it is designed to identify potential, not simply recall of learned content. This means preparation must go beyond repetition of facts and focus on developing flexible thinking across all three domains.

When to start. Most families preparing for WGSB entry begin structured 11+ preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5. Starting in Year 4 allows for a gradual, low-pressure build that develops reasoning skills and extends vocabulary without the stress of an imminent test. Families who begin in Year 5 (September of the year before the test) still have adequate time with a focused programme but will typically need to work more consistently. Starting in Year 6 — the September of the test year — is possible but leaves limited time for any significant skill development, particularly in verbal and non-verbal reasoning which require extended practice to improve.

English preparation. Reading widely and regularly is the single most effective preparation for the English section of the Kent Test. A child who reads a broad range of fiction and non-fiction — across different genres, authors, and periods — will develop the comprehension skills, vocabulary, and inferential reading that the test demands. Beyond reading, targeted practice with comprehension questions, vocabulary extension (synonyms, antonyms, word meanings in context), and grammar and punctuation exercises all directly support the English paper. Encourage your child to look up words they do not know and to discuss what they read rather than passively consuming text.

Maths preparation. The Maths section tests curriculum content to the start of Year 6, which means your child's school learning provides a significant foundation. However, the Kent Test presents Maths questions in ways that require application rather than straightforward recall — your child needs to read, interpret, and apply their mathematical knowledge under time pressure. Particular areas to focus on include times tables (rapid recall), fractions and percentages, ratio and proportion, problem-solving with multiple steps, and data interpretation from tables and graphs. Our 11+ Maths tuition programme covers all of these areas in a structured sequence.

Verbal and non-verbal reasoning. These are the areas where dedicated 11+ preparation makes the biggest measurable difference, because they are largely absent from primary school curricula. Verbal reasoning involves identifying patterns in sequences of letters, numbers, and words; completing analogies; identifying coded relationships; and selecting words that share properties. Non-verbal reasoning tests visual pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and the ability to identify sequences and relationships between shapes and diagrams. Both require your child to learn a set of question types systematically, then practise them extensively under time conditions. Most children improve significantly with targeted practice — typically 3 to 6 months of consistent work.

Mock papers and timing. As the September test approaches, timed mock papers become essential. They help your child become familiar with the format, build the stamina required to stay focused across two papers, and identify which question types cause the most difficulty. The goal is not simply to practise but to review every error, understand why the correct answer is right, and revisit the underlying skill if necessary. Completing five or more full timed mock papers in the summer term before the test is a reasonable target. For general guidance on exam preparation timeline, see our 11+ preparation timeline from Year 4 to Year 6.

Familiarisation materials. WGSB partners with Atom Learning to provide free familiarisation materials for Pupil Premium families. These are available through the school's website by completing a short form confirming eligibility. For non-Pupil Premium families, GL Assessment also publishes free familiarisation tests that give your child an accurate sense of the question format and timing before the actual test day. Using official familiarisation materials — rather than only commercial preparation materials — is an important step in the final weeks of preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions