Introduction
School Name: The King’s School Chester
Description: Co-educational Independent Day School
Acceptance Ages: 11+
Overview
The King’s School is an independent day school for children aged 4–18 situated in the city of Chester. It has been fully coeducational since 2004 and just over 35% of its pupils are girls. The school is made up of an infant school (Ages 4–7), junior school (Ages 7–11), senior school (Ages 11–16) and sixth form (Ages 16–18).
The King’s School is named after it was founded by King Henry VIII in 1542. Originally housed in the refectory of the former St Werburgh’s Abbey, which became Chester Cathedral, the school occupied several different premises before moving to its current 33-acre greenbelt site, on Wrexham Road on the outskirts of Chester, in 1960.
The original school buildings that were established since the 1950s have been developed and extended and the school’s extensive facilities now include a swimming pool, theatre, all-weather pitch, sports hall, ten sports pitches and a rowing club (located on the River Dee).
The King’s School is geared on academic excellence and is a top performing school in Cheshire. In 2018, 91% of GCSE entries were graded in the A*–B range. Alongside its broad curriculum, the school runs an ‘Enrichment Programme’, which allows students to understand and explore beyond the traditional core subjects, and a ‘Learning to Learn’ programme, which ensures students are equipped with the study and revision skills they need to succeed.
The academic curriculum at The King’s School is complemented by over 130 clubs and activities providing access to a wide range of sports, musical interests and other extra-curricular activities.
The King’s School, Chester, 11 Plus Admissions
Each year, there are about 104 available places in Removes (Year 7) at The King’s School. However, up to 65% of these are offered as unconditional places to pupils at the junior school, leaving as few as 36 places available to external applicants.
For external applicants, admission into Removes is based on the performance of an entrance exam, an interview with a senior member of staff and a reference from the applicant’s current school. The entrance exam will be in January of the year of entry which consists of papers in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal reasoning.
A downloadable copy of The King’s School Admissions Policy (including appeals) is available on the school’s website.
How to Apply for 11 Plus Entry to The King’s School, Chester
The King’s School hosts several open events throughout the year. Details of these events, including attendance registration, will be posted on the school’s website when available. Taster days for aspiring students and individual visits can be arranged through the admissions office: admissions@kingschester.co.uk or 01244 689553.
King’s publishes a five-step guide in the admissions process and can be downloaded from the admissions page of the school’s website.
First step of the admission process is the completion of an online registration form and pay the non-refundable registration fee of £50. Deadline for application will be one week before the entrance exam.
A limited number of means-tested bursaries are available to external 11+ applicants. However, the school’s development strategy includes steps to increase bursary provision significantly over the coming years.
The King’s School, Chester, 11 Plus Exam Format
The King’s School entrance examination consists of four papers:
- English for 60 minutes: reading comprehension and writing
- Mathematics for 45 minutes: arithmetic and problem solving
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-Verbal Reasoning.
The questions are broadly based on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum, with a few more challenging questions.
