West Kirby Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2024
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Located on the Wirral in Merseyside, West Kirby Grammar School (WKGS) is a selective grammar for girls aged 11-18, with boys admitted into the school’s Sixth Form. It was founded in 1913, providing extensive education in line with the motto Ad metam contendo (Strive towards the goal). [1]
Over 1,260 pupils are divided across six houses: Furniss, Gonner, Hudson, Paton, Stewart and Wallis. They benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum, including mathematics, PSHE, science, DT, French and religious studies, delivered effectively to transform their learning into a dynamic and engaging experience.
Numerous extracurricular activities, from trips and clubs to sports and languages, assist girls’ social and soft skills development. Past expeditions have taken pupils to exciting destinations such as China, Mongolia, Iceland and France, allowing them to acquire different cultural perspectives and an in-depth understanding of various customs and traditions. [2]
West Kirby Grammar takes immense pride in fostering a strong sense of belonging, extending its influence beyond its gates to contribute positively to the local and broader communities. The school is deeply rooted in values such as collaboration, empathy and honesty, which help foster a nurturing and compassionate environment.
Personal growth, collective success and high behavioural standards are evident in not only academic but also extracurricular pursuits. Pupils’ commitment to hard work and achievement is underscored by recent exam results, with 40% of students earning nine or more grades in the 9-7 range. [3]
To learn more about West Kirby’s overarching provision, watch the below video:
West Kirby Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2024
Address: Graham Road West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 5DP
County: Merseyside
Admissions info: office@wkgs.net, 0151 632 3449
School type: Girls’ grammar
Number of places in Year 7: 180
Open Day dates: September and May
Exam date: September
Pass mark: Aim for 80%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Exam type / Board: GL Assessment
West Kirby Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
West Kirby Grammar welcomes pupils from Wirral and surrounding areas to apply for a place in Year 7. With 180 places available, admission is based on student performance in the eleven plus exam.
The 11 Plus exam follows the GL Assessment exam format. Parents should be aware that good performance in the exam does not guarantee a place at the school, due to oversubscription.
In the event of there being more applications than there are places, the school will apply the following criteria, giving priority to:
- Looked After, or previously Looked After, girls
- Girls with a valid medical reason, supported by a doctor’s letter
- Girls eligible for Free School Meals (up to 15 places)
- Girls who have a sister at the school at the time of application
- Girls who live closer to the school.
West Kirby’s full admissions policy is available on their website. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
How to Apply for 11 Plus (11+) Entry to West Kirby Grammar School
West Kirby Grammar is one of four Wirral-based schools that follow a coordinated scheme for secondary school admissions, maintained by Wirral Council, the Local Authority (LA).
You should apply for a Year 7 grammar place online, via the LA’s portal, by the May deadline. Please note that you will also be asked to submit a preference form by the October deadline, indicating your child’s preferred schools in a ranked order.
Is West Kirby Grammar School part of a Consortium?
West Kirby Grammar School belongs to the Wirral 11+ Consortium, a group of schools that use the same entrance exam format and share a very similar admissions process.
Does West Kirby Grammar School have a catchment area?
No, West Kirby Grammar School doesn’t have a formal catchment area. However, as part of its oversubscription criteria, it will prioritise pupils who live closer to the school. The distance will be measured from the child’s home to the nearest school gate via the shortest road route unless a footpath, considered by the school to be a safe walking route, can be used instead.
West Kirby Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The 11 Plus exam at West Kirby Grammar School consists of two tests that will each cover all of the following subjects:
⇒ 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.
⇒ Non-Verbal Reasoning (including Spatial Reasoning)
These sections test students’ ability to solve problems using visual and abstract reasoning, challenging them to identify patterns, relationships and sequences within shapes, figures and diagrams. They also assess the ability to understand and manipulate visual representations of objects and space.
⇒ Mathematics
These sections assess students’ mathematical skills, problem-solving abilities and logical reasoning. The exam could include questions that test number operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, statistics and data handling.
Each test will take around one hour to complete. Results are age-standardised to ensure that no pupil has an advantage based on their age.
How to Prepare for the West Kirby Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam?
The entrance examination for a selective school can be stressful for your child. As such, we highly recommend that you make use of quality practice tests as part of your preparation process. Becoming familiar with the types of questions and the format of the actual exam will increase your child’s confidence and reduce stress ahead of exam day.
Our practice tests consist of thoroughly researched and up-to-date question types that reflect a competitive 11+ examination format. They will help ensure that your child responds to the exam questions accurately.
Practice tests will also help your child get used to answering questions quickly, under time pressure. This will give them a significant advantage over their peers.
Our practice tests are designed to replicate the format and layout of the actual exam, offering the perfect platform for students to hone their timed response skills. Each year, our resources assist thousands of students to ace the 11+ exam. They are therefore an ideal resource for efficient and effective exam preparation.
West Kirby Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
West Kirby Grammar School has an age-standardised pass mark of 236. 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 West Kirby Grammar School 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.
West Kirby Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers
We highly recommend the following practice tests to help your child prepare for the West Kirby Grammar School Exam:
Wirral: Full Practice Tests
The following practice tests are specifically designed to help your child prepare for the Wirral 11+ Exam. They provide excellent mock exam preparation, highlighting your child’s strengths and weaknesses:
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11+ Wirral Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 15%
11+ Wirral Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 15%
Wirral: Skill Practice Tests
Mathematics
The following 11+ resources extensively cover the Mathematics section of the Wirral 11+ exam, 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 Wirral 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
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Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning
The following resources will help boost your child’s Non-Verbal (NVR) and Spatial Reasoning (SR) abilities ahead of the Wirral 11+ exam:
NVR Full Practice Tests
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning – Pack 1
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning – Pack 2
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning – Pack 3
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning – Pack 4
Skill Specific Practice
NVR Masterclasses
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Masterclass
SR Full Practice Tests
11+ Spatial Reasoning – Pack 1
SR Skill Specific Practice
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning section of the Wirral 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Wirral NVR & SR Bundle
Verbal Reasoning
To help your child master Verbal Reasoning skills in the lead-up to the Wirral 11+ exam, we recommend the following 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 Wirral 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Wirral Verbal Reasoning Bundle - Save 30%
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in West Kirby Grammar School 11+ past papers. The information provided about West Kirby Grammar School was 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 post.
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