Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School 11+ guide

Atom Learning is partnered with Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School. You can read more about our partnership here.

Thinking about applying to Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School? Find out everything you need to know about admissions and how to prepare your child for success in the Kent Test in 2025.

Key information for Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School

• Address: Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School, Southfield Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9UJ
• Number of pupils: approx 1,000
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• Number of places in Year 7: 145
• 11+ exam: Kent Test
• Catchment area: yes

Dates for your diary

• Monday 2nd June 2025: Kent Test registration opens
• Tuesday 1st July 2025: Kent Test registration closes
• Thursday 11th September 2025: Kent Test date for children in Kent primary schools
• Saturday 13th – Sunday 14th September 2025: Kent Test date for children not in Kent primary schools
• Thursday 16th October 2025: Kent Test results sent to parents
• Friday 31st October 2025: secondary school common application deadline
• Monday 2nd March 2026: national school offers day

Dates can vary, so always check with your target schools!

About Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School

Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School (TWGGS) is a small selective school for girls in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It's consistently rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted.

Founded in 1905, the school embraces traditional values. It aims to offer students a well-rounded education within a caring environment. With high academic standards, TWGGS supports its students extensively to excel in GCSE and A level exams.

How to apply to Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School

Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School is a selective school. This means that your child will need to take the 11 plus exam to be eligible for a place. In Kent, the 11 plus is known as the Kent Test.

Registration for the 2025 Kent Test opens on Monday 2nd June 2025 and closes on Tuesday 1st July 2025. The exam will take place in September 2025 and you’ll receive your child’s results in mid-October. You can then use these results to decide whether to apply for a place at Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School.

To apply, you’ll need to name the school as one of your preferred schools on the secondary school common application form. This will be available on your home council website from early September and must be submitted by Friday 31st October 2025.

Remember – passing the 11 plus doesn’t guarantee that your child will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Many grammar schools are often oversubscribed with qualified children. Schools and their admissions authorities work through admissions criteria to prioritise children for places. We’ve included the admissions criteria for Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School below.

What's on the Kent Test?

The Kent Test is made up of two multiple-choice papers and a short writing task. It’s designed to assess your child’s skills in English, maths and reasoning — and to help grammar schools identify potential.

Each paper lasts around an hour, and your child will mark their answers on a separate answer sheet (this gets marked electronically).

Here’s what to expect:

Paper 1: English and maths

This paper is split into one 30-minute section that tests English, and another 30-minute section which assesses maths.

Each section includes a short 5-minute practice activity. This part isn’t marked; it just helps your child get familiar with the questions.

What’s in the English section?

The English section is mainly made up of a reading comprehension task. There are also questions that check your child’s grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. These might include:

• Choosing the best word to complete a sentence
• Spotting spelling or grammar mistakes
• Finding synonyms or antonyms

What’s in the maths section?

Your child will be tested on what they’ve learned in school in maths up to the start of Year 6. They should feel confident with:

• Times tables
• The four operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing)
• Fractions, decimals and percentages
• Ratio
• Area, perimeter and measurements

Some of the questions might feel more challenging than usual. This is so your child can show how they use their knowledge to solve new types of problems.

Paper 2: Reasoning

This paper focuses on verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning.

These topics aren’t usually taught in school. They’re included in the test to measure your child’s potential, not just what they’ve learned so far.

Verbal reasoning

This checks how well your child can solve problems using words, letters and numbers. For example, they might be asked to spot patterns in sequences or choose words with similar meanings.

• Time: 30 minutes
• Includes a 10-minute practice and a 20-minute test

Non-verbal & spatial reasoning

These sections use shapes, diagrams and patterns. Your child will need to spot similarities and differences, complete sequences, and mentally rotate shapes.

• Time: 30 minutes in total
• Broken into short, timed sections (each lasting around 4–5 minutes)

Each section starts with a short, guided practice session.

Creative writing task

All children also complete a short creative writing exercise. This isn’t marked as part of the main test, but it might be used if your child’s results are reviewed by a headteacher panel or at appeal stage.

The creative writing task lasts around 40 minutes, including 10 minutes for planning and 30 minutes for writing.

How does place allocation work at Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School?

Your child will get three standardised scores in the Kent Test – one each for English, maths and reasoning. They will also get one total (aggregate) score. Children need a total score of 332 or higher and no single score lower than 107 to qualify for a place at a Kent grammar school.

Girls with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school who pass the Kent Test are offered places first. If more than 145 children applying to Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School achieve these scores, the school applies oversubscription criteria. Children are prioritised for places in the following order:

1. Looked After and previously Looked After children, as well as girls who have been in state care outside England.
2. Girls who receive Pupil Premium (eligible for free school meals within the last 6 years), who pass the Kent Test and live in the school's named parishes (see below) or within four miles of the school.
3. Girls who have a sibling at the school and live in the school's named parishes or within four miles of the school.
4. Girls with a medical, health or special access reason to require a place at the school, or whose parents have such a reason. This will need to be supported by written evidence from a relevant practitioner.
5. Girls who pass the Kent Test and live in the named parishes or within four miles of the school.
6. Other girls in order of distance from home to school (measured in a straight line to a point on the school site).
7. Governors' places: 14 places are offered to girls living in the area defined below, who scored highest in the Kent Test but would not otherwise be offered a place.

TWGGS catchment area

As part of its admissions policy, Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School prioritises children who live within four miles of the school, or in one of these parishes:

Badger’s Mount, Bidborough, Brasted, Brenchley, Capel, Chevening, Chiddingstone, Cowden, Dunton Green, East Peckham, Edenbridge, Hadlow, Halsted, Hever, Hildenborough, Horsmonden, Ightham, Kemsing, Knockholt, Lamberhurst, Leigh, Otford, Paddock Wood, Pembury, Penshurst, Plaxtol, Riverhead, Rusthall, Seal, Sevenoaks, Sevenoaks Weald, Shipbourne, Shoreham, Southborough, Speldhurst, Sundridge with Ide Hill, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Westerham.

A map is available in the school's admissions policy.

How can I help my child prepare for the Kent Test?

The Kent Test is designed to challenge (and stretch!) children applying for grammar school places. But with the right approach, your child can build the skills and confidence they need to shine in September 2025.

Here are four key ways you can support their preparation at home.

1. Take a bitesize approach

The most effective 11+ preparation happens in short, consistent bursts. For 10–11-year-olds, educational psychologists recommend daily learning sessions of 20–30 minutes – just enough time to reinforce core skills without losing focus.

On Atom Home, your child will follow an adaptive learning journey, answering interactive questions at just the right level for them. They'll earn coins, unlock collectibles, and explore exciting worlds, making learning a rewarding adventure.

2. Read a wide range of texts

The Kent Test includes a challenging English section that assesses comprehension, inference, and vocabulary. Daily reading is one of the best ways to help your child strengthen these skills.

Encourage them to read a variety of genres and authors, from classic fiction to contemporary stories, non-fiction and poetry. Exposure to different styles and voices will help them build a deeper understanding of tone, purpose, and meaning – all key skills for 11+ success.

3. Build exam technique early

As your child becomes more confident with Year 5 content, it’s time to focus on exam technique. The Kent Test includes multiple-choice questions across English, maths, reasoning and spatial reasoning – so it’s important your child is familiar with the format.

Regular practice with mock tests can help them:

• Develop problem-solving strategies

• Improve time management

• Stay calm under pressure

With Atom Home, you’ll get access to online mock tests and printable practice papers tailored to the Kent Test.

4. Encourage a growth mindset

Success in the 11+ isn’t just about knowledge; it’s also about mindset. Praise your child for their effort, not just their results. When they face a tricky topic or make a mistake, remind them that every challenge is a chance to learn and grow.

Set small, achievable goals and celebrate their progress along the way. This will help them stay motivated, build resilience, and approach the exam with confidence.