0
Introduction
Located in Kent, Tonbridge Grammar School is a selective school for girls. Founded in 1905 with just 19 students, Tonbridge occupies a beautiful 14-acre campus in Deakin Leas and educates pupils in line with high standards, adhering to the motto Courage and Honour. [1]
The school follows the national curriculum, which is revised and improved yearly. It is both comprehensive and ambitious, aiming to provide pupils with the essential knowledge they need to pursue their desired career paths and grow into responsible members of society.
Trips to destinations such as Iceland and Japan and a myriad of extracurriculars are central to the enrichment programme. Clubs range from Jazz Band and debating to STEM Club and hockey, allowing the cohort to expand their interests in line with the school’s ethos and dynamic learning environment. [2]
The school provides a safe, inclusive, and encouraging learning environment where students can grow intellectually, socially and emotionally. It fosters global connectedness and aims to ensure students become individuals who can actively contribute to the betterment of the world.
Tonbridge Grammar School also prioritises its learners’ mental health, incorporating a holistic approach to education. For this purpose, it established its own “Wellbeing Hub”, where each pupil can receive personalised and professional support from trained staff.
The school boasts impressive academic results each year and students secure placements in well-respected universities. Recently, 94% of pupils scored 5 or more grades at 7-9 in GCSE, and 84% attained the equivalent of 3 A* grades or above in A-levels. Ofsted awarded the school with an “Outstanding” report. [3]
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026
Address: Deakin Leas, Tonbridge, TN9 2JR
County: Kent
Admissions info: office@tgs.kent.sch.uk, 01732 365125
School type: Girls’ grammar
Number of places in Year 7: 180
Open Day dates: June, October
Exam date: September 2026
Pass mark: Aim for 75%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Exam type / Board: Kent 11 Plus (PESE) Test
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
Year 7 admission to Tonbridge Grammar School is determined by student performance in the Kent 11 Plus Test. To be considered for one of the available places, prospective pupils must achieve the required standard in this entrance exam.
The school encourages both parents and pupils to attend one of its open events before registering for a Year 7 place. The school holds larger-scale open events in June and October, during which you and your child can ask questions about the overall provision.
In case of oversubscription, Tonbridge Grammar School gives priority to:
- Looked after children and previously looked after children
- Children who meet the required score in the 11 Plus (135 Area places / 35 Trustee places)
- Students who are eligible for Pupil Premium (10 places), with priority being given to:
a) Girls who perform highly in the Kent Test
b) Girls who live closer to the school
c) Randomly selected pupils.
For more details about Tonbridge Grammar School’s Year 7 admissions policy, please visit the school’s website. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
How to Apply for 11 Plus (11+) Entry to Tonbridge Grammar School
If you wish your daughter to be considered for a Year 7 place at Tonbridge Grammar School, you should register her for the Kent Test. This can be done online through the website of the Local Authority (LA), Kent County Council.
You also have to submit the Secondary School Common Application Form (SCAF). In it, you should state Tonbridge Grammar School as a preferred school. For more details about the registration process, please reach out to the school.
Does Tonbridge Grammar School belong to a Consortium?
Tonbridge Grammar School belongs to the Kent 11+ Consortium, a group of schools that use the same entrance exam format and share a very similar admissions process.
Does Tonbridge Grammar School have a catchment area?
Yes, there is a catchment area with an Inner and Outer area of priority. The Inner area consists of the following council areas:
– Tonbridge & Malling Borough
– Tunbridge Wells Borough
– Sevenoaks District
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
Along with the majority of selective grammar schools in Kent, Tonbridge Grammar uses the Kent Test at 11+ to allocate its 180 Year 7 places. The exam consists of tests in Reasoning, English and Maths and also includes a writing task.
The exam is divided as follows:
Part 1: Reasoning – A one-hour exam that evaluates Reasoning abilities. The test is split into three shorter sections and focuses on Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Part 2: English and Maths – A one-hour exam that is split into two sections. Each section consists of a 5-minute practice exercise and a 25-minute test. The English section will test comprehension and literacy skills, while the maths section is made up of multiple-choice questions.Part 3: Writing – This 40-minute writing task will not be marked as part of the eleven plus test, but might be referred to in borderline or appeal cases.
How to Prepare for the Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam?
One of the best ways to prepare your daughter for the highly competitive Kent Test is to familiarise her with the types of questions and the format of the actual exam. You can achieve this with the use of our practice tests.
Consisting of thoroughly researched and up-to-date questions, our practice tests will help you identify the strong and weak areas in your daughter’s knowledge base, and thus remove unnecessary stress from the exam preparation process. By getting used to answering questions quickly and under time pressure, she will gain a significant advantage over other candidates who prefer a less structured approach towards exam preparation.
We highly recommend that you make use of our practice tests in order to increase your daughter’s confidence ahead of the Tonbridge Grammar School exam. They are available for immediate download, print and use after purchase.
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Following the exam, your child will receive three standardised scores, one for English, one for Mathematics, and one total score including Reasoning. In order to pass the exam, your child’s standardised score must be over 109 and their total score must be 332 or more. [1]
Based on historical data, we have found that students who are able to score 75%+ consistently in our 11+ Kent practice tests are on track to pass the Tonbridge Grammar School Test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the Tonbridge Grammar School 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers
For students to have the best chance of gaining a Year 7 place at Tonbridge Grammar School, we would recommend starting with these practice tests:
The Kent Pre-11+ Practice Tests are designed for Year 4 and 5 students to introduce the exam format and boost their confidence. These tests are less challenging than the Kent 11+ Exam. They offer an accurate yet more straightforward representation of the actual exam, allowing students to familiarise themselves with exam specifics. This approach provides a solid foundation for students to progress to more challenging 11+ Practice Tests.
Practice Papers
The following practice tests are specifically designed to help your child prepare for the Kent Test. They provide excellent mock exam preparation, highlighting your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Practice Papers
The following 11+ resources provide full preparation for the English section of the Kent Test, maximising your child’s comprehension and writing skills.
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
The following 11+ resources extensively cover the Mathematics section of the Kent Test, allowing your child to thoroughly prepare for exam day.
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
In order for your child to master Verbal Reasoning skills in the lead-up to the Kent Test, we recommend the following resources.
Practice Papers
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
The following resources will help boost your child’s Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning abilities ahead of the Kent Test.
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
Video Masterclasses
Don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250 if you don’t buy a bundle.
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in Tonbridge Grammar School 11+ past papers. The information provided about Tonbridge Grammar School is believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the article.
Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tonbridge Grammar School.
Frequently Asked Questions About 11+ Entry to Tonbridge Grammar School
Tonbridge Grammar School was founded in 1905.
Tonbridge Grammar School converted to academy status in 2011.
Tonbridge Grammar School typically hosts Open Events in the Summer and Autumn terms (in June and October), welcoming prospective families on campus for a day packed with fun activities.
Tonbridge Grammar School assesses prospective pupils through the standardised Kent Test (PESE), also used by other schools in the Kent Grammar School Consortium. The assessment covers English, Mathematics and Reasoning (Verbal, Non-Verbal and Spatial).
Parents applying to Tonbridge Grammar School must register their child for the 11+ exam using an online portal, which can be accessed through the Kent County Council website. Residents of Kent also need to state Tonbridge Grammar School as their preferred secondary school on the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF).
Yes, you can apply for entry to up to four Kent grammar schools by naming them as preferences on the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF).
All 11+ applicants for entry to Tonbridge Grammar School will be asked to sit the Kent (PESE) Test which tests English comprehension, Reasoning abilities and Mathematics. There will also be a creative writing paper, which isn’t marked for the purposes of the 11 Plus exam but may be used as evidence for borderline cases.
Yes, the Tonbridge Grammar School 11+ entrance exam does test Non-Verbal Reasoning, combining it with Spatial Reasoning questions.
One of the best ways to prepare for a challenging entrance exam, such as the Kent Test, is to use practice tests. They will provide your daughter with the opportunity to become familiar with the format and question types that she will encounter in the actual exam. Our practice papers are used successfully every year by hundreds of thousands of students targeting schools with a competitive entrance exam.
We recommend beginning with a few full practice tests, such as this one. These will act as diagnostics so you can quickly work out which areas your child needs to focus on. You can then select the relevant topic based material listed above to target weaker areas. Please get in touch if you need advice on how to prepare or what to focus on for each section and stage of the exam.
Our 11+ Kent Practice Tests replicate the format and style of the actual exam, effectively preparing students for success in this competitive assessment. Each practice test is designed to mimic the full examination experience, covering relevant Maths, English and Reasoning question types. More details are available on this page.
Historical data shows that most schools in the area do not admit applicants who have a standardised score of less than 109 and a total score of less than 332. Exam results from previous years suggest this correlates with a score of roughly 75%+ in our 11+ practice tests.
Bookmark Article
Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.
Author(s)
Louise Lang
Director of Learning