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 Townley Grammar 11 Plus Exam? What kind of exam structure is it? What stores sell test papers? We’ve provided parents with a “Townley Grammar 11 Plus Tips” in this article that seeks to address all of your concerns.

Townley Grammar School

School introduction

Townley Grammar School is a grammar school for girls in Bexleyheath, London. The school has a mixed sixth form, and a total student body of around 1500 students.

Townley Grammar School specialises in the performing and visual arts, and has Academy status, which means it has more control over its curriculum than most schools. The school has a strong tradition in the arts; it has three choirs, two orchestras, a concert band and string and woodwind ensembles. Townley Grammar School works with the Royal Ballet and the Tate Modern. More recently the school has also acquired a specialism in maths and computing, which is supported by a newly constructed ICT suite.

Facilities at the school include a theatre, a dance studio, a sports hall, and a recording studio. The sports facilities are used by sports clubs ranging from trampolining to badminton. Townley Grammar School has partner schools in India and Germany, with regular exchanges.

School performance

Townley Grammar School regularly sees 100% of their students pass their GCSEs. In 2019, 64% of GCSE grades were a 9 to 7, and 97% of pupils achieved at least 5 A* to C grades.

In 2019, the school’s Progress 8 score was 0.7, meaning that pupils achieve, on average, almost three fourths of a grade higher per subject in their GCSE examinations than other pupils with the same prior attainment.

At A-level, 98% of students passed in 2018, with 41% of students receiving A*-A grades.

98% of school leavers enter higher education.

Townley Grammar School has an Outstanding Ofsted rating.

In 2022, in GCSEs 53% of the students got 9-8, 74% got 9-7 and 89% got 9-6. For 2022 A Level results and university placements, click this link.

Townley Grammar 11 Plus Admissions Information

Admissions to Townley Grammar School are coordinated by the London Borough of Bexley, in which the school is located. In recent years, the school has accepted 224 new students to Year 7. In 2019, 286 applicants applied to Townley Grammar School as their first-choice school. Townley Grammar School only admits girls in Year 7.

To gain a place, pupils must sit the Townley Grammar 11 Plus known as the Bexley Selection Test. The deadline for registration for the Bexley Test is usually in early summer of Year 5. Parents must register on the website of Bexley Borough Council. The test itself normally takes place in September. To be considered for admission, a student must pass this test. Parents must also include Townley Grammar School on the Common Application Form of their Local Authority. They should not apply through Bexley Borough Council unless they live in Bexley. It is worth noting that in 2020 the results of the Bexley Selection Test were only sent to parents in December, more than a month after most Common Application Forms were due.

Those who place in the top 180 of all children who sit the Bexley Selection Test are automatically awarded a place. Among those who pass but are not in the top 180 priority is given to those with siblings at the school, with the rest of the places allocated to children who passed the test based on the distance between their home and the school.

Boys and girls can also join Townley Grammar School for Sixth Form. Every year, a minimum of 100 places on the 500-place Sixth Form are offered to external students. Unusually for a top school, it is very common for A-level students at Townley Grammar School to take performing arts subjects. Details about how to apply, along with the application form, can be found on the school website.

Townley Grammar 11 Plus Admissions Timeline

Townley Grammar 11 Plus Examination

Applicants must sit the Bexley Selection Test and pass it in order to be considered for a place at Townley Grammar School. In 2020, 5760 pupils sat the test, and 1977 of them passed at the standard required for grammar school.

The Bexley Test has been developed by exam provider CEM. It consists of two papers. One is on English, and the second tests maths and problem-solving skills. Each paper is a little under an hour long, with separately timed sub-sections.

Townley Grammar 11 Plus Sample test papers

CEM, the exam provider, has published familiarisation booklets for the maths and non-verbal reasoning parts of the exam. For the verbal reasoning component they have produced separate familiarisation booklets for comprehension questions and word choice questions.

Think Academy UK has compiled a guide to the CEM Assessment, which includes a great range of free resources and sample test papers.

Additional information

• Location: Townley Grammar School is located on Townley Road, Bexleyheath in the south-eastern London Borough of Bexley. The school lies on a relatively large site, and its sport fields are adjacent to the school building.
• Boarding: Townley Grammar School does not offer boarding, but it does operate a system of seven houses. The houses serve as vehicles for student representation, and students represent their house at events such as sports days.
• TV fame: Townley Grammar School was featured in the 2018 BBC documentary Grammar Schools: Who Will Get In?

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit Townley Grammar School?

Due to the pandemic it is not currently possible to visit Townley Grammar School, but the school does provide a comprehensive virtual open event on their website.

How do I apply?

You must include Townley Grammar School on the Common Application Form of your Local Authority. You must also make sure you register for the Bexley Selection Test 11+ Exam.

My child is doing an 11+ test for another school. Will they still have to do the 11+ test for Townley Grammar School?

Yes. All applicants must register for and complete the Bexley 11+ Test. However, if you are also applying to another grammar school in Bexley you will only have to sit the test once, and the result will be used in the application process for both schools.

Share your experiences!

Visit our dedicated forum thread if you would like to learn more about Townley Grammar School.

Has your child attended Townley Grammar School, or are you in the process of applying? Share your experience on our forum!

You can also access further 11 plus exam resources below:

Our Free 11+ Mock Exams!

A Guide to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests

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11+ Maths Exam: Helping Your Child to Prepare and Pass in 2023

Meet the 11+ Online Tutors Delivering Results

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