Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls: Comprehensive 11+ Admissions Guide

Key Information Summary

• School Type: Selective grammar school for girls aged 11-18
• Location: Old Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3EW
• Head Teacher: Mr Paul Pollard
• Contact: 01227 463711
• Application Deadline: October (via Kent Choices)
• Results Released: March
• 11+ Subjects: English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning

About Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls

Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls has been providing exceptional education to young women in Canterbury for over a century. This voluntary controlled grammar school combines rigorous academic standards with a nurturing environment that prioritises student well-being alongside educational excellence.

The school's philosophy centres on helping each student aspire to their personal best, fostering both intellectual curiosity and personal development. Located in the historic city of Canterbury, students benefit from the rich cultural heritage of the area whilst accessing modern educational facilities and programmes designed to prepare them for university and beyond.

The school maintains strong traditions whilst embracing innovation, offering students opportunities to excel in STEM subjects, humanities, and the arts. The sixth form provision extends the school's commitment to academic excellence, with many students progressing to top universities including Oxford and Cambridge.

The 11+ Assessment Process

Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls uses the Kent 11+ examination system to select students based on academic ability. The assessment is designed to identify students who will thrive in a grammar school environment and benefit from the accelerated pace of learning.

Assessment Components

English: Students complete comprehension exercises and creative writing tasks that assess reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and written expression skills.

Mathematics: The mathematics paper evaluates numerical reasoning, problem-solving abilities, and mathematical concepts appropriate for Year 6 students, including arithmetic, algebra basics, and geometry.

Verbal Reasoning: These questions test logical thinking through word relationships, analogies, and language-based puzzles that require students to identify patterns and connections.

Non-Verbal Reasoning: Visual puzzles and spatial reasoning tasks assess students' ability to recognise patterns, sequences, and logical relationships using shapes and diagrams.

Scoring and Selection

Results are standardised and students are ranked based on their combined performance across all four components. The school admits students who achieve the highest scores, with places allocated according to the school's published admission criteria and Kent County Council guidelines.

How to Apply

Applications for Year 7 entry must be submitted through Kent County Council's online portal, Kent Choices. This centralised system manages applications for all Kent grammar schools and coordinates the 11+ testing process.

Application Timeline

Summer Term (Year 5): Research schools and begin 11+ preparation
September: Registration opens for 11+ tests
October: Application deadline (typically mid-October)
November: 11+ examinations take place
March: Results and school offers announced
April: Accept or decline school places

Required Documentation

• Completed Kent Choices application form
• Current school report or academic reference
• Proof of address and residency
• Birth certificate or passport
• Any relevant supporting documentation for special educational needs

Admission Criteria

Places are allocated based on 11+ performance, with consideration given to students who demonstrate exceptional ability in specific circumstances. The school follows Kent's standard grammar school admission policies, prioritising students who meet the academic threshold regardless of background.

Preparing for the Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls 11+ with Taylor Tuition

Families preparing for the Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls 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.