Frequently Asked Questions
Does my son need to sit an entrance test?
Yes, students eligible for a place at the School are required to sit the Bexley 11+ Secondary Selection Test and been deemed selective in this.
When are the Bexley tests sat and what do they consist of?
They will be sat during the week commencing 12 September 2022 for entry in September 2023. Bexley Local Authority notify parents about the dates and, if you are an out of borough resident, which test centre your child will sit the test at.
There are two test papers with a mixture of questions in each, covering verbal ability and comprehension, numerical ability and non-verbal reasoning. Children sit both test papers on the same morning or afternoon with a short break in between.
I think I’ve missed the deadline to apply for the tests?
Bexley Local Authority can help with any queries that you have. Please visit their website at www.bexley.gov.uk and go to the Education and Learning section. Here you will find details regarding the tests and what to do if you are applying after the deadline. Alternatively, you can contact the Admissions, Grants and Awards team by phone on 020 8303 7777.
My son has passed the Kent test but not the Bexley test, does this still make him eligible to apply for Beths Grammar School?
Yes. Our Admission Criteria for 2023 entry (oversubscription criteria 8) now offers those who have passed the Kent 11+ test but not the Bexley test the chance to attend Beths Grammar School.
When are the results of the tests available?
The Bexley 11+ results will be sent out via Bexley Local Authority on Friday 7th October 2022.
My son has passed the tests, how do I apply for a place at Beths Grammar School?
All parents receive a common application form in September or they register online via the Local Authority. On this form, parents should write down the four/six schools that they would like their child to attend starting with their first preference school. If you wish for your son to attend Beths Grammar, you must place the school on your common application form so that he can be considered for a place at the school.
Help! I think we live too far away/outside of Bexley Borough from Beths to be given a place for my son.
Beths Grammar School offers places to 192 boys and measure the distance a child lives from the school 'as the crow flies'. All boys who are placed within the top 180 and put Beths onto their common application form are guaranteed a place at the school irrespective of how far they live from it, likewise, any boy with a sibling currently at the school is also highly likely to be offered a place. The majority of boys are offered on the distance criteria - which is detailed above.
My son passed but scored under 244, will he get into the school?
We will offer 192 places on the 1st March 2023. Those students that scored above 244 have a choice of grammar school places and can pick which school they wish to attend. This is criteria 2 on our Admissions Policy. All other places will be allocated according to the Admissions Policy. Distance is measured ‘as the crow flies’ which is a straight line from the school’s postcode to the home address.
Do you have a catchment area?
We don't have a catchment area. Each year we do not know the number of boys who wish to attend Beths and where they live, until March 2023 when the offers are made. Each year varies in terms of places offered via distance. The previous distance offered in March of each year were:
|
Entry Year |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
|
|
6.07 miles |
10.9 miles |
7.8 miles |
All selective applicants offered places |
6.9 miles |
6.5 miles |
My son has not been deemed selective in the Bexley test. Is it still worth applying to the school for a place?
Because your son was not deemed selective, he will not be eligible for a place at Beths Grammar School or be able to be placed on to our waiting list. However, you are only able to appeal for a place at a school if you have applied to that school for a place and been refused. Please do note, however, that appeals for places at Beths Grammar School are very rarely upheld.
Can my son sit an In Year Test?
If your son was not deemed selective in the Bexley 11+ test, he can apply to sit an In Year test at the school during the summer of 2023. The four Bexley Grammar Schools take it in turns to host the In Year testing 4 times a year. Your son can only sit the test once per calendar year. An In Year application form will need to be completed (found on our school website or Bexley Local Authority website) where you can list Beths and the other two Bexley Grammar Schools on your form. The test results will be shared with them.
What happens with the Waiting List?
Those who are deemed selective and applied to Beths Grammar school but were not offered a place in March 2023, can apply to go on the waiting list. The waiting list will be kept until the end of Year 9.
Do I need to complete a supplementary form?
You only need to complete a supplementary form and return it to the school by Friday 28 October 2022, if your son has:
- Ever been in receipt of Free School Meals during their junior school years (i.e. excluding KS1)
- A sibling at the school
- Has been deemed selective in a grammar school test in Kent, or another authority which borders Bexley LA, and can supply the School with confirmation of this.
When can I visit the School?
We have a selection of Open Events for entry in September 2023 on our website. These events will be on a ticketed booking system and restricted to 30 families per session. Please see the booking page for further details.
When does my Common Application Form need to be returned?
The final closing date for common application forms is 31 October 2022 for entry in September 2023. Please note that if you are living outside of Bexley, the date which your form needs to be returned may be different.
When will we hear which school we have been offered?
Letters will be sent by first class post/communicated by email on 1 March 2023 advising the outcome of applications for September 2023. Parents who applied on-line should normally be able to view the outcome from 5pm on 1 March 2023.