King Edward VI Grammar 11 Plus Guide
It might be difficult to find your way around the 11 Plus the first time as a parent. How do you aid your kid in getting ready for the King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford 11 Plus Exam? What kind of exam structure is it? What stores sell test papers? We’ve provided parents with a “King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford 11 Plus Tips” in this article that seeks to address all of your concerns.
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King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
King Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS) is a wholly selective all-boys grammar school (with a mixed Sixth Form) in Chelmsford, Essex’s county town. With only 150 Year 7 places available for the 2024 entry, there is a significant amount of competition to secure a place. This page has everything parents and guardians need to know to successfully apply for a place at the school, with details and key dates outlining the entire admissions procedure. There is also information about the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) 11+ test, with resources to help candidates prepare.
School details:
Address: King Edward VI Grammar School, Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, CM1 3SX
County: Essex
Type of School: Boys’ Grammar School Academy Converter
Age range: 11-18
Ofsted rating: Outstanding (View full report)
Number of pupils: 1101
Admissions to Year 7 (PAN): 150
Open day (2024 entry): Monday 28 & Tuesday 29th June, Thursday 1 & Friday 2nd July, Tuesday 6th July to Friday 9th July and Monday 12 & Tuesday 13th July 2023
11+ exam date (2024 entry): 18th September 2023
Exam board: CSSE Essex Test
Admissions phone number: (01245) 35 35 10
Admissions email address: office@kegs.org.uk
Brief Overview of King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford and the School’s Performance
The school has a rich history as an educational institution for young men, originally dating back to Tudor England, having first opened its doors in 1551. Today, it is held in high regard for its students’ academic accomplishments, and it is for that reason that the school is heavily oversubscribed each year. In KS3, GCSE and A-LEVEL, many students achieve the highest grades possible, particularly in science and mathematics.
KEGS considerably outperforms state-funded counterparts both in its local authority and nationally, as seen in the data below:
Progress 8 score: 0.84: this means that, on average, pupils are likely to achieve almost an entire grade higher than expected than predictions made based on their primary school attainment. For instance, if based on your child’s KS2 SATs results, they were predicted a ‘B’ in GCSE maths, they are more likely to achieve an ‘A’ at this school.
Attainment 8 score: 82: Schools get a score based on how well pupils have performed in up to 8 qualifications.
Over 44% of KEGS’s A-level students in 2022 earned the highest possible A* mark, 78% obtained an A* or A, and over 93% received an A*-B. Over 93% of the results from the GCSEs they took in Summer 2022 were scored at 7, 8, or 9, and over 50% of the results were the very top grade 9 (this number increases to nearly 94% if early submissions from the prior two Summers are also included).
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford Admissions Process: 2024 Entry
For the 2024 entry to this school, your child should now be preparing to sit the 11 plus exam this September. KEGS is part of the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), and the 11 plus exam date for the CSSE test is 18th September 2023. Scroll down to view upcoming events and key dates for getting prepared.
More information is available in the KEGS 2024 Admissions Policy.
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford 11 Plus Admissions Timetable: 2024 Entry
| Monday 28 & Tuesday 29th June, Thursday 1 & Friday 2nd July, Tuesday 6th July to Friday 9th July and Monday 12 & Tuesday 13th July 2023 | Open Day |
| 16 May 2023 | 11+ registration opens |
| End of June or early July 2023 | 11+ registration closes |
| 23 September 2023 | 11+ Exam Date |
| 31 October 2023 | Common Application Form (CAF) deadline |
| 1 March 2024 | National Offer Day |
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford 11 Plus Exam
With 150 places available for prospective pupils, successful candidates will be selected based on their performance in the CSSE’s 11 plus exam. As the exam is scheduled for September 2023, your son should be getting prepared. If he has not started preparing yet, it is not too late. Discover Help your Child Become 11 Plus-Ready in the Six-Month Countdown to the exam for support in approaching exam readiness and preparation. For parents who are unsure where to begin, you might like to check out this Top 10 Tips to Pass the 11+ Exam guide.
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford 11 Plus Exam Sample Test Papers and Resources
The CSSE is the provider of the 11 plus exam tests for this school. There are two equally weighted parts to the exam; English (50%) and maths (50%). Your son will be required to sit both tests on the same day.
The English test includes questions about grammar and vocabulary, comprehension, creative writing, and ‘applied reasoning’ (literacy and verbal). Questions included in the maths test are similar to those your son will be familiar with from the KS2 new national curriculum. However, it will also have some ‘applied reasoning (maths/non-verbal).
Below you will find a selection of CSSE’s familiarisation papers from previous tests. It would help if you encouraged your son to practise using these, as it will help him get used to the question style. You can download the papers and the mark scheme for free, and you can refer to the mark scheme to check their answers.
2017
English Continuous Writing Paper
2016
English Continuous Writing Paper
2015
English Continuous Writing Paper
You can also order test paper packs from the CSSE website. Each pack contains two test papers and costs £15.50 each. Alternatively, there are additional 11+ resources available to download digitally for free. You can easily print these at home to support your son’s study plan.
Additional Information about King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
The school has a broad curriculum from KS3 up to GCSE and A-LEVEL and a wide variety of extracurricular activities to choose from. With lots of sports and other clubs such as drama and music to for pupils to choose from, the school also offers more unique activities. One example is the World Challenge. Here teams of students undertake an eighteen-month build-up to raise money for and participate in a month-long expedition in a remote, wild destination. It is an excellent opportunity for pupils to start building a CV while also exploring other cultures, with previous destinations including Croatia, Costa Rica, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Peru, Bolivia, Tanzania and the Silk Route.
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford Parent FAQs
What is the School’s Ofsted rating?
The school’s current Ofsted rating is ‘Outstanding’. You can access the full report here.
KEGS, Chelmsford fees:
This school is a selective grammar school and is non-fee paying.
Where is the catchment area for KEGS, Chelmsford?
The 2024 Admissions Policy states: “120 places are reserved for boys who have been continuously living within the priority area, i.e. within a distance of 12.5 miles from the school since 1st September at the start of Year 6. All straight-line distances are calculated electronically by the Local Authority using data provided jointly by the Post Office and Ordnance Survey. The data is used to plot the coordinates of each individual property and school and provides the address points between which straight-line distance is measured. Distances are reported in miles to three decimal places in the first instance.”
What score do 11+ candidates need to achieve to receive an offer for admission?
This varies from year to year, and the school itself will not know the cut-off scores for next year until places are offered to applicants in the second half of the Spring Term. It is not possible, therefore, to give a clear answer to this question. In 2020, the lowest score for a candidate in the catchment area was 334.
What if too many candidates apply?
In this instance, the oversubscription criteria will apply. Please refer to the 2024 Admissions Policy.
What is the KEGS, Chelmsford appeals process?
Please refer to KEGS 2024 Admissions Policy.
KEGS, Chelmsford Uniform
You can learn more about the school uniform here.
Where can I view GCSE and A-LEVEL results in further detail?
The school’s website has not published exam results, but information about school exams is available here.
You can also access further 11 plus exam resources below:
A Guide to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests
11 plus Exam: Parental Guide For Grammar School Entry
11+ Maths Exam: Helping Your Child to Prepare and Pass in 2022
Meet the 11+ Online Tutors Delivering Results
When Should you Start to Prepare Your Child for the 11 Plus Exam