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Fully selective state school · Kent

Dover Grammar School for Boys 11+ admissions

September 2027 entryEvidence reviewed 1 October 2026

Current entrance requirements, dates and school facts with links to the official evidence used. Unknown information is labelled rather than estimated.

At a glance

Address
Astor Avenue, Dover, South East, CT17 0DQ
Year 7 admission
Boys for Year 7 admission
School type
Fully selective state school
Funding
State-funded
Day or boarding
Day school
Religion or denomination
GIAS records no applicable religious character.
Published admission number
150September 2027 entry
Academically selected places
150September 2027 entry
Preferences per offer
2.2DfE National Offer Day, September 2026 entry. This is not a pass probability.
Assessment provider
GL AssessmentGL Assessment is verified for the linked assessment route. GIAS does not publish the current assessment provider.

Selection route

  • Kent Test

    Local authority selection test · GL Assessment · Paper-based multiple-choice tests with separate answer sheets, followed by an unmarked writing exercise

    English, mathematics and reasoning results are age-standardised. Kent sets an aggregate threshold and minimum component scores for each test year. The September 2027 thresholds are not yet published, a grammar assessment does not guarantee a school place, and each school applies its own admissions criteria when oversubscribed.

    Official registration page
Eligibility
Boys must pass either the Dover Boys Test or Kent Age-11 assessment.
Score policy
Dover test uses verbal, non-verbal, English and maths; anticipated standard is approximately top 25% nationally, not a fixed published cutoff. Kent route has no 2027 numeric threshold published.
Registration
GIAS does not publish the current test registration URL.

Who gets priority

No fixed catchment is set in the reviewed policy. Distance can still affect priority.

Boys can qualify through the Dover Boys Test or the Kent Age 11 assessment. EHCP-named admissions come before the categories: looked-after or previously looked-after children, including the policy-defined international care/adoption cases; Pupil Premium applicants; siblings attending at entry; evidenced health or special-access need; qualifying staff children; then nearer homes. Pupil Premium covers Targeted FSM in the previous six years, excluding Expanded FSM and universal infant meals alone. Return the supplementary form and evidence by 31 October 2026 and name the school on the common application. Siblings must live as siblings in the same home; the policy allows multiple-birth siblings to exceed the PAN when the final places would split them. Health or special-access claims need a significant school-specific need affecting the child or parent/guardian and written evidence from a suitably qualified practitioner. Staff need two years of service at application and/or a demonstrable shortage post. Distance is straight-line NLPG home-to-school distance, with special arrangements for unregistered properties. Equal eligibility for the last place uses a random draw overseen by an independent adjudicator. No fixed catchment is defined.

For September 2027 entry. Policy checked 2026-10-01. A priority category does not guarantee an offer.

Read the admissions policy

Applications and offers over time

DfE preferences and offers at National Offer Day. Each preference is a school named on an application; a child can name several schools. These figures describe past demand and do not predict an offer.

Dover Grammar School for Boys: National Offer Day preferences and offers
2026Preferences340Offers157Preferences per offer2.17
2025Preferences373Offers157Preferences per offer2.38
2024Preferences349Offers154Preferences per offer2.27
2023Preferences335Offers145Preferences per offer2.31
2022Preferences297Offers149Preferences per offer1.99
2021Preferences374Offers143Preferences per offer2.62
2020Preferences289Offers125Preferences per offer2.31
2019Preferences271Offers137Preferences per offer1.98
2018Preferences285Offers150Preferences per offer1.90
2017Preferences292Offers138Preferences per offer2.12
2016Preferences326Offers127Preferences per offer2.57
2015Preferences326Offers120Preferences per offer2.72
2014Preferences312Offers120Preferences per offer2.60

School identifiers are joined across documented predecessor links. Missing and suppressed values stay unpublished. Latest dataset: September 2026 entry. Checked 2026-10-01.

What the assessment covers

These subjects are verified for the linked shared assessment route. GIAS does not publish the current assessed subjects.

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Verbal reasoning
  • Non-verbal reasoning
  • Spatial reasoning
  • Writing

These stages are verified for the linked shared assessment route. GIAS does not publish the current assessment stages.

  1. 1. English and mathematics paper

    Approximately one hour, with separate English and mathematics sections. Each section includes about five minutes of practice followed by about 25 minutes of test questions.

  2. 2. Reasoning paper

    Approximately one hour including practice. It covers verbal reasoning and individually timed non-verbal and spatial-reasoning sections.

  3. 3. Writing exercise

    A 40-minute writing exercise including 10 minutes of planning. It is not marked for the Kent Test score but can be considered by a headteacher assessment panel.

Key dates

Registration opens
GIAS does not publish the current registration opening date.
Registration deadline
GIAS does not publish the current registration deadline.
Test date
GIAS does not publish the current test dates.
CAF deadline
GIAS does not publish the current CAF deadline.
National Offer Day
GIAS does not publish the current offer date.

Shared assessment-route dates

Assessment dates
Registration opensRouteKent TestWhen1 June 2026
Registration deadlineRouteKent TestWhen1 July 2026
Kent-primary-school test dateRouteKent TestWhen10 September 2026
Out-of-county test weekend startsRouteKent TestWhen12 September 2026
Out-of-county test weekend endsRouteKent TestWhen13 September 2026
ResultsRouteKent TestWhen15 October 2026
Kent secondary-school application deadlineRouteKent TestWhen2 November 2026
National Offer DayRouteKent TestWhen1 March 2027

Every 11+ test's dates are in the 11+ dates calendar. To decide where this school goes on the application form, use the school application order planner.

Fees

Fee per term
This is a state-funded school.
Fee per year
This is a state-funded school.
Published fee context
This is a state-funded school.

Inspection context

Inspection outcomes are maintained separately and are not present in current GIAS downloads.

Practise for this school's test

Start with the subjects confirmed in the admissions sources. Topic quizzes build skills; they are not replicas of this school's entrance test.

Three topic quizzes to try

Try a short GL-style timed mock

24 original questions across four subjects in 30 minutes. This is a short practice sample; check the local test format and timings separately.

Official paper directory records

No school-specific paper records are listed here yet. Check the school's official admissions page for its latest familiarisation material.

Try the free diagnostic to choose what to practise next.

Questions families ask

Which 11+ test does Dover Grammar School for Boys use?

Dover Grammar School for Boys uses Kent Test for September 2027 entry. The route names GL Assessment as the assessment provider.

How many Year 7 places does Dover Grammar School for Boys have?

Dover Grammar School for Boys's published admission number is 150 for September 2027 entry.

Who is eligible to apply to Dover Grammar School for Boys?

Boys must pass either the Dover Boys Test or Kent Age-11 assessment.

Are Dover Grammar School for Boys's 2027/28 oversubscription criteria published?

Boys can qualify through the Dover Boys Test or the Kent Age 11 assessment. EHCP-named admissions come before the categories: looked-after or previously looked-after children, including the policy-defined international care/adoption cases; Pupil Premium applicants; siblings attending at entry; evidenced health or special-access need; qualifying staff children; then nearer homes. Pupil Premium covers Targeted FSM in the previous six years, excluding Expanded FSM and universal infant meals alone. Return the supplementary form and evidence by 31 October 2026 and name the school on the common application. Siblings must live as siblings in the same home; the policy allows multiple-birth siblings to exceed the PAN when the final places would split them. Health or special-access claims need a significant school-specific need affecting the child or parent/guardian and written evidence from a suitably qualified practitioner. Staff need two years of service at application and/or a demonstrable shortage post. Distance is straight-line NLPG home-to-school distance, with special arrangements for unregistered properties. Equal eligibility for the last place uses a random draw overseen by an independent adjudicator. No fixed catchment is defined.

What subjects should a child prepare for Dover Grammar School for Boys?

The verified school or linked route evidence covers English, Mathematics, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Spatial reasoning, and Writing.

How current is the information for Dover Grammar School for Boys?

Trace Learn reviewed 9 attached evidence sources by 2026-10-01. Unknown facts stay labelled and should be checked again before applying.

Sources and review record

  1. Dover Grammar School for Boys admissions criteria 2027-2028

    Kent County Council. Accessed 26 August 2026. September 2027 entry.

  2. Open state-funded school fields CSV

    Department for Education. Accessed 25 August 2026. GIAS register snapshot on 25 August 2026.

  3. Kent coordinated secondary admissions scheme 2027-2028

    Kent County Council. Accessed 26 August 2026. September 2027 entry.

  4. Kent Test familiarisation booklet

    Kent County Council. Accessed 26 August 2026. September 2027 entry.

  5. Prepare for the Kent Test

    Kent County Council. Accessed 26 August 2026. September 2027 entry.

  6. Register for the Kent Test for September 2027 entry

    Kent County Council. Accessed 26 August 2026. September 2027 entry.

  7. Kent Test results guidance

    Kent County Council. Accessed 26 August 2026. September 2027 entry.

  8. ONS Postcode Directory May 2026 school-postcode centroid extract

    Office for National Statistics. Accessed 25 August 2026. ONS Postcode Directory, May 2026.

  9. Dover Grammar School for Boys admissions criteria 2027-2028

    Kent County Council. Accessed 1 October 2026. September 2027 entry.

Explore the verified directory

Turn the shortlist into a preparation plan

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