Barton Court Grammar School: Comprehensive 11+ Admissions Guide

Key Information Summary

• School Type: State Grammar School (Academy Converter)
• Age Range: 11-18 years
• Gender: Co-educational
• Location: Canterbury, Kent
• Headteacher: Mr Jonathan Hopkins
• Ofsted Rating: Good with Outstanding Features (February 2020)
• Special Status: Advanced Thinking School, Lead School of Barton Court Academy Trust
• Admissions: Selective entry via Kent Test (11+)

About Barton Court Grammar School

Barton Court Grammar School occupies a distinctive position within Canterbury's educational landscape, having evolved from its origins as Canterbury Technical School for Girls before the Second World War into today's thriving co-educational grammar school. Located in the historic city of Canterbury, the school converted to academy status in 2011 and now serves as the lead institution of the Barton Court Academy Trust.

The school has earned recognition as an 'Advanced Thinking School', reflecting its commitment to developing critical thinking skills and intellectual curiosity amongst its students. This prestigious accreditation, combined with its recent Ofsted rating of 'Good' with many outstanding features, demonstrates the school's dedication to academic excellence and holistic student development.

Barton Court Grammar School prides itself on maintaining a caring and supportive ethos whilst delivering exceptionally high academic standards. The school's comprehensive extracurricular programme includes orchestra, choir, and debating club, ensuring students develop both academically and personally. The institution's strong community spirit and commitment to nurturing each student's potential creates an environment where academic achievement flourishes alongside personal growth.

The 11+ Assessment Process

As a selective grammar school in Kent, Barton Court Grammar School requires prospective students to sit the Kent Test, commonly known as the 11+ examination. This standardised assessment determines eligibility for grammar school places across the county and is administered annually for students in Year 6.

Assessment Components

The Kent Test typically evaluates students across four key areas:

• Verbal Reasoning: Assesses vocabulary, comprehension, and logical thinking using words and language
• Non-Verbal Reasoning: Tests spatial awareness, pattern recognition, and problem-solving using shapes and diagrams
• Mathematics: Covers numerical reasoning, arithmetic, and mathematical concepts appropriate to primary school level
• English: Evaluates reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation, and writing skills

The examination is designed to identify students who will thrive in a grammar school environment, focusing on aptitude and potential rather than curriculum-specific knowledge. Students typically sit the test in September of Year 6, with results determining secondary school allocations for the following academic year.

How to Apply

The admissions process for Barton Court Grammar School follows Kent County Council's standardised grammar school application procedure:

• Registration: Register your child for the Kent Test through Kent County Council's online portal, typically opening in May for September testing
• Kent Test: Students sit the 11+ examination at designated test centres across Kent in September of Year 6
• Results: Kent Test results are released in October, indicating whether students have achieved the qualifying score
• School Application: Submit secondary school preferences through Kent's online application system, ranking up to four preferred schools
• Allocation: Places are offered in March based on Kent Test performance and school preferences

Parents should note that achieving the qualifying score guarantees eligibility but not automatic admission to Barton Court Grammar School, as places are allocated based on proximity and availability. The school strongly recommends visiting during open days to understand the school's ethos and determine suitability for your child.

Preparing for the Barton Court Grammar School 11+ with Taylor Tuition

Families preparing for the Barton Court Grammar School 11+ usually come to us a year or so before the assessment, though shorter runs work where the foundations are already sound. Having prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools, with placements including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, our tutors build each programme around the format the school actually uses, whether a written paper, an online pre-test, an interview or a combination of them.

More than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status and around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and the pool includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools, so the preparation is led by people who know how selective schools assess. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.

Families work with us online from anywhere in the UK or abroad, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, with no registration fee and a free initial consultation to talk through your child's current level and the timeline to the 11+. Families receive progress reports after sessions and have a dedicated point of contact, and we reply to enquiries within one working day with tutor recommendations.

Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.