Dartford Grammar School for Girls

Dartford Grammar School for Girls is a selective state school for girls aged 11 to 18. It prides itself on being a vibrant and happy community, where students flourish academically and are given plenty of opportunities to develop individual skills and talents.

Dartford Grammar School for Girls values respect, responsibility, excellence, dedication, and creativity. The school is the home of Thinking Hard – a national programme that supports the development of key 'high challenge, low preparation' habits to transform classroom teaching and support students' thinking. The school is also a specialist in teaching science (and was the first school in Kent to be designated Science Specialist School status), with a reputation for delivering an outstanding range of curriculum enhancement activities including an annual community Science Fair and partnerships with local businesses and universities.

• Address: Dartford Grammar School for Girls, Shepherds Lane, Dartford, Kent DA1 2NT
• Local authority: Kent County Council
• School type: girls' grammar
• Headteacher: Sharon Pritchard
• Number of pupils: 1,200+

1. Register for the Kent Test

Dartford Grammar School for Girls uses the Kent Test to select pupils for entry in Year 7. The Kent Test is an 11 plus exam taken by 32 grammar schools in the county and aims to identify children in the top 25% of the ability range in their year group. Girls who are successful in the Kent Test will be assessed as suitable for a grammar school.

Registration for the Kent Test will open on Thursday 1st June 2023 and close on Monday 3rd July 2023 at midnight. You will be able to complete your child's registration on the Kent County Council website. If you are also considering grammar schools in Medway or the London Borough of Bexley, you will need to register separately because these schools do not use the Kent Test.

If your child is eligible for the pupil premium, they may be prioritised for places under the school's admission criteria. You will need to provide proof of eligibility and complete a supplementary information form (SIF) – available to download from the school website – to indicate this.

2. Apply for a school place

You will receive your daughter's results in the Kent Test after 4 pm on Wednesday 18th October 2023. If they have achieved the pass mark in the exam, they will be eligible for a grammar school place. You can then name Dartford Grammar School for Girls as one of your preferred schools on your common application form.

Make sure to check the school admissions policy before you complete your common application form. Passing the Kent Test will not be a guarantee of a place as more children reach the qualifying standard each year than there are places available. We've summarised the key points in the admission policy below.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023. The form must be completed for your home local authority – i.e. if you live in Kent you will need to complete the form on the Kent County Council website. If you live in a different local authority, make sure to apply through the relevant website for that council.

Your child will receive four scores on the Kent Test. The results from the English, maths and reasoning sections will all be age-standardised to produce three separate scores, in addition to one overall (aggregate) score.

Children typically need a total score of 332 or more out of the total 423, with no single score lower than 108, to be eligible for a place at a grammar school in Kent.

However, achieving a particular score doesn't guarantee a place at a grammar school, as schools are usually oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admission policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area. We've included the admission criteria for Dartford Grammar School for Girls below.

Dartford Grammar School for Girls has 180 places available in Year 7. Children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school and who have been assessed as suitable for a grammar school will automatically be allocated a place. The number of remaining places will then be reduced accordingly.

If the number of eligible children who have applied for Dartford Grammar School for Girls is greater than the number of places available, the school will use oversubscription criteria. Places will be allocated in the following order:

1. Looked after children and previously looked after children

2. Girls who are eligible for the pupil premium (indicated by completing a supplementary information form)

3. Up to 100 places are reserved for girls living within Dartford or one of its named parishes (see 'catchment area' below)

4. Remaining eligible girls, irrespective of their address

If the school is oversubscribed within any of the criteria above, students will first be ranked by their performance in the Kent Test, and then ranked by how close they live to the school, to prioritise places.

The catchment area (also known as the priority area) for Dartford Grammar School for Girls incorporates Dartford and its parishes:

Ash-cum-Ridley, Bean, Crockenhill, Darenth, Eynsford, Farningham, Fawkham, Hartley, Hextable, Horton Kirby and South Darenth, Longfield and New Barn, Southfleet, Stone, Sutton at Hone and Hawley, Swanley, Swanscombe and Greenhithe, West Kingsdown, and Wilmington.