The Judd School is a selective, state-funded grammar school, based in Tonbridge in Kent. Established in 1888, the school admits boys from Year 7 to Year 11, and the Sixth Form is co-educational.
Academics-wise, The Judd School has a reputation as being one of the strongest in the county. In the most recent academic year, around 83% of pupils scored between an A* and a B at A Level, which was one of the highest in the county. Top Russell Group universities such as Bristol, Durham and Oxbridge frequently feature on boys’ destination lists, while an increasing number of students accept prestigious apprenticeships.
Outside of academics, The Judd School also offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities. The campus is a blend of traditional grounds and more modern, purpose-built facilities. Sports-wise, the school owns a site called Vizards, which is around 900 metres from the school, and it contains a 3G rugby pitch, 4 full-size football pitches (which can be converted to 5 full-size rugby pitches), as well as 2 grass cricket squares. On-site, there is a sports centre, which includes facilities for basketball, badminton and volleyball, as well as an all-weather pitch and multi-use games area outside. There is a wide range of clubs and societies on offer, such as Potions Club, Medical Society and Gardening Club, as well as facilities for the arts, including music practice rooms and recording facilities.
Entry Points
As is the case with many other grammar schools, The Judd School offers two main points of admission: Year 7 and Year 12. When vacancies come up, in-year admissions are also possible.
The school currently takes 180 students into Year 7, though this entry point tends to be particularly oversubscribed, whereas the Sixth Form contains over 500 students, including up to 100 external students every year.
Admissions Process for 11+ Entry
The Judd School awards places based on candidates’ results in the Kent Test. As is the case with other Kent-based grammar schools, parents must register their sons for this test in June of Year 5; the examination is sat in September of Year 6. This test assesses candidates’ skills in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Results for the Kent Test are then released in mid-October. In order to be considered eligible for a Kent-based grammar school, pupils must achieve an overall score of at least 332, with a minimum score of 108 in each individual subject.
After the release of results, parents must fill out a Common Application Form and submit it to their local authority, ranking schools in order of preference. Offers are then issued on National Offer Day, which is generally at the beginning of March.
The Judd School awards up to 157 places to students residing within a certain distance from the school, and up to 23 places are then allocated to students residing outside of this area.
If the number of candidates who meet the qualifying score exceeds the number of available places, The Judd School applies the following oversubscription criteria:
- Looked-after and previously looked-after children
- Academic ability (based on the Kent Test)
- Distance from the school
However, up to 5 places within the 157 are available to students who are eligible for Pupil Premium, and there are an additional 4 places awarded to students with an Education, Health and Care Plan with a diagnosis of ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder).
Example Questions in the Kent Test
The Kent Test is used for all Kent-based grammar schools. It is produced by GL Assessment, which provides the majority of tests for the country’s grammar schools. This assessment consists of two papers with multiple-choice questions, each lasting around one hour. The first paper tests English and Mathematics, while the second tests Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Scores are age-standardised, meaning that younger pupils within an academic year are not unfairly disadvantaged.
As well as the multiple-choice tests, students must complete a 40-minute writing task. Although this section of the Kent Test does not contribute to students’ overall score, it may be considered in certain cases where a pupil’s result is close to the qualifying threshold.
Official past papers are not released for the Kent Test, though GL Assessment offers free familiarisation materials on their website to help candidates prepare for the test.
English: Comprehension
‘I hesitated at the classroom door, my fingers hovering just short of the handle. Inside, chairs scraped softly against the floor while voices blended into a low, restless hum. A smell of whiteboard markers and polish drifted through the narrow gap. I re-adjusted my notes, smoothing the creases in the paper. The bell rang sharply, slicing through my anxious thoughts. Swallowing hard, I pushed the door open.’
Q: ‘My fingers hovering just short of the handle.’
What does this phrase suggest about the narrator?
A: He had forgotten which room he was supposed to enter.
B: He was unsure or nervous about going inside.
C: He was carefully examining the cleanliness of the door.
D: He was momentarily distracted by the noise inside the room.
E: He was waiting for someone else to open the door for him.
English: Punctuation
Which part of the sentence contains a punctuation mistake
Q:
“Tom,” said Leander. “Can we go home now?”
A B C D
Mathematics: Intervals
Which number should fill in the gap with the question mark?
Q: 3.3, __, ?, __, __, 3.5
Q: 4, 1, ?, __, -8
Mathematics: Time
Q: I leave the house at a certain time in the evening. After walking for 2 hours and 34 minutes, I return home at 12.13am. At what time did I leave the house initially?
A: 10.39am
B: 10.39pm
C: 9.39am
D: 9.39pm
E: 3.14am
Verbal Reasoning: Spot the pattern
A middle word has been created using the two words around it. Identify the pattern in the first brackets to determine what word should be in the centre of the second brackets:
Q: (TEST SEAL GLAD) (NOSE ____ VOLE)
Q: (NINE LINK LOOK) (LURE ____ GRIP)
Verbal Reasoning: Odd One Out
Select the two words which are the odd ones out in the following groups of words:
Q: flour, milk, sugar, bread, loaf
Q: break, vacation, snap, holiday, photographer
Non-Verbal Reasoning
These questions are usually focused on shape-based problems. Candidates may be asked to identify the odd one out in a group of shapes, to choose a shape that correctly completes a sequence, or to reflect or rotate shapes.
Writing Task
Previous questions from the writing task cannot be found online, either by The Judd School or from the Kent County Council website, though anecdotally, candidates have been asked to produce a piece of narrative, descriptive, or discursive writing, with 10 minutes permitted for planning, and 30 minutes for writing.
16+ (Sixth Form) Admission Requirements
Students are asked to complete an online application form in the Autumn term of Year 11, in which they must specify both their predicted grades and the subjects they intend on studying at A Level; The Judd School expects students to study four. On GCSE results day, students then submit their results to the school, at which point offers are made.
There is a minimum level of performance required at GCSE, which is an average points score of 6.5 in students’ best 10 qualifications; this is higher than the majority of grammar schools in the county. Additionally, students must satisfy the requirements of their chosen A Level subjects, which is often a 6 or higher in that particular subject.
Within the 100 places on offer, up to 5 places are reserved for students eligible for Pupil Premium. Regarding the remaining 95 places, the school applies the same oversubscription criteria mentioned above.
In-year Admissions
Parents are able to apply to the Judd School between the two main entry points. Upon application, students are asked to take CAT tests, in order to determine whether they are of sufficient academic ability; these consist of Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning questions. This CAT test is only taken once in an academic year, and a mean score of 120 must be achieved in order for students to be added to a waiting list, which is maintained for the duration of the year. The order of the waiting list is determined using the aforementioned oversubscription criteria. If a vacancy appears, the student at the top of the waiting list is offered the place.
Appeals
Parents may appeal the school’s decision on their child’s admission under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Further information can be found on the school’s website.
Preparation Tips for the Entrance Test for The Judd School
Thorough preparation is vital for students aiming to secure a place at The Judd School. Unlike many other grammar schools in the county, the oversubscription criteria favours test scores higher than other factors such as distance from the school, giving well-prepared students a great advantage. Keystone have provided specialist tutors for these tests for over a decade, who are experienced and can guide candidates through the process.
For more details on how Keystone can help with preparation for The Judd School exam, feel free to call the office for a chat with one of our client managers, or contact us via our request a tutor form.