Introduction
In the UK, grammar school consortia are collaborative partnerships formed by groups of grammar schools in a particular area or region. These alliances work together to facilitate the administration of entrance exams for prospective students and establish a unified and standardised entrance examination process, ensuring consistency and fairness across participating schools.
For many years, the South West Hertfordshire Grammar School Consortium has played a vital role in the region’s selective education system. By pooling their resources and expertise, the grammar schools within the consortium created a coordinated approach to the admissions procedure, streamlining the assessment and selection process for students seeking 11 Plus entry.
The member schools of the consortium use a unified entrance test, ensuring fairness and consistency throughout the admissions process. This means that students only need to take one test, even if they are applying to multiple schools within the consortium, simplifying the application procedure.
The main objective of the South West Herts Consortium is to maintain a consistent selection process among its member schools. Collaboration is fostered within the consortium, enabling resource sharing, expertise exchange and efficient administrative efforts. This collective approach aims to provide equal opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to access high-quality education within the grammar school system.
Complete List of Grammar Schools in South West Hertfordshire
There are currently seven grammar schools in the South West Hertfordshire Consortium:
Croxley Danes
Watford Grammar School for Boys
Watford Grammar School for Girls
⬇️ Read on to learn more about their exam and admissions process!
11 Plus (11+) Exam Information for South West Herts Grammar Schools
The South West Herts 11+ exam acts as a standardised benchmark for admissions among the grammar schools within the consortium. Strong performance in this entrance examination enhances students’ eligibility for potential admission to multiple schools within the consortium, significantly improving their prospects of securing a place at a grammar school. Here are key details regarding the South West Herts 11+ exam:
Registration closing date: June
Common Application Form (CAF) closing date: October
Exam date: 7th September 2024
Exam board type: GL Assessment
Pass mark: Aim for 80%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Results date: October
Allocations date: March
Admissions info: South West Herts Consortium
South West Herts Grammar Schools 11 Plus Admissions
To be eligible for a Year 7 place at any of the grammar schools within the South West Herts Consortium, students must sit the eleven plus test. As part of the admissions process, you are kindly advised to visit the preferred school/schools to learn more about everything on offer.
Typically held in autumn, open events for prospective Year 7 pupils and their parents provide the chance to learn more about the grammar’s culture, facilities and ethos.
All 11+ applicants must be registered for the entrance examinations in order to sit them. This is done using the South West Herts Consortium online portal.
How to Register for the South West Hertfordshire Grammar Schools 11 Plus Exam
Registration for the 11+ test is done through the Consortium’s website and the deadline for this is in June of the year preceding entry. Additionally, you must complete a Common Application Form (CAF), accessed through the Local Authority website.
Please note that you will also be required to complete and submit a Supplementary Information Form (SIF). This is done through the website of the relevant grammar school.
South West Herts Grammar Schools 11 Plus Exam Format
The South West Herts 11 Plus exam consists of two tests:
- A Mathematics paper set by GL Assessment, lasting approximately 50 minutes
- A Verbal Reasoning paper set by GL Assessment, lasting approximately 50 minutes.
The topics evaluated in the test are as follows:
➢ Mathematics: These sections assess students’ mathematical skills, problem-solving abilities and logical reasoning. The exam will include questions that test number operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, statistics and data handling.
➢ Verbal Reasoning: These sections test your child’s reasoning skills using language-based tasks, such as identifying patterns, completing analogies, solving codes and making logical deductions. They also measure your child’s ability to think critically and analyse information.
Once the eleven plus exam is completed, parents can expect to receive their child’s results in October. The final Year 7 place allocations will be published in March.
South West Hertfordshire 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Grammars in Hertfordshire don’t have a specific pass mark, however, data shows that applicants from the schools’ catchment area have been admitted with a minimum standardised score of:
- 216 at Parmiter’s School;
- 182 at Queens’ School;
- 184 at Rickmansworth School;
- 213 at St. Clement Danes;
- 200 at Watford Grammar School for Boys;
- 202 at Watford Grammar School for Girls.
Please note that the above scores are part of the schools’ recent historical data.
Pupils who are able to score 80%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests should be on track to pass the 11+ test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the South West Herts 11+ exam.
Passing the test does not guarantee that your child will be offered a place. It simply means they have surpassed the required threshold. As such, it makes sense to aim for as high a score as possible.
Don’t worry if your child is not scoring well in our practice papers from the outset. With targeted practice and focus, it’s possible to make big improvements in a short amount of time!
Practice Papers for the South West Hertfordshire Grammar Schools 11 Plus Exam
Those studying for the South West Herts eleven plus exam would benefit from using the following resources, which are specifically designed to help prepare for GL Assessment style 11 plus exams:
Full Practice Tests
The following practice tests are specifically designed to help your child prepare for the SW Hertfordshire 11+ exam. They provide excellent mock exam preparation, highlighting your child’s strengths and weaknesses:
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 1
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 2
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 3
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 4
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 5
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 6
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 7
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 8
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 9
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 10
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 11
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 12
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 13
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 14
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 15
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 16
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 17
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 18
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 19
11+ SW Hertfordshire Practice Test 20
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Subject Specific Practice
Mathematics
The following 11+ resources extensively cover the Mathematics section of the SW Hertfordshire Test, allowing your child to thoroughly prepare for exam day:
Full Practice Tests
Skill Specific Practice
11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages
11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry
Masterclasses
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Maths section of the 11+ SW Hertfordshire Test at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ South West Herts Maths Bundle
Verbal Reasoning
To help your child master Verbal Reasoning skills in the lead-up to the SW Hertfordshire Test, we recommend the following 11+ resources:
Full Practice Tests
Skill Specific Practice
Masterclasses
11+ Verbal Reasoning Masterclass
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Verbal Reasoning section of the 11+ SW Hertfordshire Test at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ South West Herts VR Bundle
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South West Hertfordshire Grammar Schools: Results & Leavers’ Destinations
South West Hertfordshire Grammar Schools – Progress 8 Scores
Progress 8 is a metric that assesses the progress students make as they move from primary school (end of Key Stage 2) to secondary school (end of Key Stage 4). It provides important information about the quality of education offered by schools by measuring students’ academic growth.
To calculate the Progress 8 score, pupils’ actual achievements in eight key subjects, such as English, mathematics, sciences, humanities and languages, are compared to their expected achievements. These expectations are based on their previous attainment at the end of primary school, and the score is determined by evaluating the average progress students make across these subjects.
📊 Please refer to the chart below for details on Progress 8 scores at grammar schools in SW Hertfordshire:
Source: Gov.uk
A positive Progress 8 score indicates that students, on average, have made more progress than expected, while a negative score suggests that they have made less progress than expected. A score of zero means that students have progressed as expected.
South West Hertfordshire Grammar Schools – Leavers’ Destinations
Leavers’ destinations here refer to the next steps that students take after completing their studies at Hertfordshire grammar schools.
Russell Group universities are renowned worldwide for their outstanding accomplishments across various significant indicators. These institutions are celebrated for their exceptional research contributions, hosting distinguished scholars and groundbreaking discoveries. They have established a remarkable academic reputation, attracting talented individuals from around the world.
Among the esteemed roster of Russell Group members, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge shine prominently. These universities possess rich legacies of academic excellence and rigorous educational programmes. With an unwavering dedication to upholding high standards, Oxbridge has maintained its prominent standing for centuries.
📊 The chart below shows the recent leavers’ destinations for grammar schools in South West Hertfordshire:
Source: Gov.uk
As the chart above shows, a significant number of students from Hertfordshire are offered places at top universities in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions About The 11 Plus (11+) South West Herts Grammar School Consortium
Are there grammar schools in Hertfordshire?
Yes, there are seven grammar schools in Hertfordshire. Click here to access the articles we have for each of these schools, addressing their values and ethos, as well as all the details about their 11+ entry procedure.
When is the application deadline for the 11+ exam in Hertfordshire?
The deadline to register for the 11+ test through the Consortium’s website is in June of the year preceding entry. Additionally, you must complete a Common Application Form (CAF), accessed through the Local Authority website.
When do pupils sit the 11+ exam in Hertfordshire?
In Hertfordshire, pupils sit the 11+ exam in September of the year preceding entry.
What is tested in the Hertfordshire 11+ exam?
The Hertfordshire test consists of two GL-style papers, one for Mathematics and one for Verbal Reasoning.
What is the pass mark for grammar schools in Hertfordshire?
Grammars in Herts don’t have a specific pass mark. Pupils who are able to score 80%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests should be on track to pass the 11+ test.
Which 11+ provider do grammar schools in Hertfordshire use?
Hertfordshire’s grammar schools use GL Assessment as their 11+ exam provider.
The information provided about the South West Hertfordshire Consortium was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the schools directly if you are unsure of anything. Contact details are provided within individual school posts.
Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by South West Hertfordshire Consortium.