Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus: Exam & Preparation Guide
Tonbridge Grammar School uses the Kent Test for grammar-school entry. The current GL assessment includes a Reasoning paper covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning, an English and Maths paper, and a separate writing exercise. This guide explains the current exam format, what it means for preparation, and how Learning Street’s courses and Kent mock papers can help your child prepare effectively.
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School | Tonbridge Grammar School |
| Area | Kent |
| Entrance test | Kent Test |
| Exam provider | GL |
| Paper 1 | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning |
| Paper 2 | English and Maths |
| Response format | Multiple-choice questions with separate answer sheets |
| Writing | Separate 40-minute writing exercise, including 10 minutes’ planning time |
| Our mocks | Kent 11 Plus Mock Exams – Packs 1–4 |
Information and Mock Exam review: The information on this page and Learning Street’s Kent mock exams are reviewed against the latest reliable information available about the Tonbridge Grammar School entrance test.
The separate Kent writing exercise is not included in our Kent Mock Packs.
Quick Contents
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Exam Format | Mock Exams | Pass Marks | Preparation | Courses
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus Exam Format
Tonbridge Grammar School uses the Kent Test, with Paper 1 covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning, Paper 2 covering English and Maths, and a separate 40-minute writing exercise.
Paper 1 — Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning
The first paper is the Reasoning paper. It lasts approximately one hour including practice and covers Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning.
Paper 2 — English and Maths
The second paper covers English and Maths. The English section includes 5 minutes of practice followed by 25 minutes of test questions. The Maths section also includes 5 minutes of practice followed by 25 minutes of test questions.
Writing Exercise
The Kent Test also contains a separate 40-minute writing exercise, including 10 minutes of planning time.
The scored papers use multiple-choice questions with separate answer sheets.
What Does the Tonbridge Grammar School Exam Format Mean for Preparation?
The range of skills tested means preparation should develop secure English and Maths foundations alongside systematic Verbal, Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning techniques.
Vocabulary is particularly important because it supports both English and Verbal Reasoning. Children need to develop vocabulary consistently while also learning reliable methods for different reasoning question types.
Maths needs to become sufficiently secure and fluent for children to work accurately within the timed section, while Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning require careful visual analysis rather than guesswork.
The separate writing exercise also means children should develop planning and written-expression skills alongside their multiple-choice preparation.
A sensible progression is literacy and numeracy foundations → subject skills → reasoning techniques → accuracy → flexible application → revision → timed work → mocks.
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus Mock Exams and Practice Papers
At Learning Street, we research the known Kent format, paper length and timings when producing our mocks. We also provide realistic answer sheets, invigilation instructions and guidance on when time should be called so parents can reproduce the practical demands of the test at home as closely as possible.
Please note: the separate Kent writing exercise is not included in our Mock Packs.
Pack 1 | Pack 2 | Pack 3 | Pack 4
Save 20% – Buy all four for £48.
View the Kent 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
All four mock exams contain different questions, allowing families to space fresh tests throughout preparation and use later mocks to measure improvement.
Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus Pass Marks
We do not provide one fixed raw practice-paper percentage that should be treated as a permanent Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus pass mark.
Results from our Kent mocks are best used to measure progress and identify weaker areas in English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning rather than as a direct prediction of an official entrance-test result.
How to Prepare for Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus
Effective preparation should develop secure underlying skills before children rely heavily on complete timed papers.
Once individual skills and techniques are established, preparation should gradually become more mixed and more timed so children learn to recognise the correct approach independently while maintaining accuracy.
English Preparation
English preparation should develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Children should become comfortable reading unfamiliar passages accurately, identifying relevant information and distinguishing between closely matched answer choices.
Regular reading and deliberate vocabulary development are particularly useful because stronger vocabulary also supports Verbal Reasoning.
Maths Preparation
Maths preparation should begin with secure KS2 foundations. Times tables, mental Maths and the four operations should become accurate and reliable before substantial time pressure is introduced.
Children should then progress towards mixed mathematical questions where they have to decide independently which method is required.
Timed work can be introduced progressively so children learn to balance speed with accuracy.
Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Verbal Reasoning requires both reasoning technique and vocabulary.
Children should first learn systematic methods for individual question types while developing vocabulary consistently over time.
They should then progress towards mixed reasoning work where they have to recognise the appropriate technique without being told which question type they are completing.
Non-Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Non-Verbal Reasoning rewards careful and systematic observation.
Children should learn to identify relationships involving features such as shape, position, pattern, rotation and reflection rather than selecting an answer simply because it appears visually plausible.
Practice should gradually move from individual techniques towards mixed visual-reasoning questions.
Spatial Reasoning Preparation
Spatial Reasoning requires children to understand how shapes and objects may change when moved, rotated, folded or viewed in different ways.
Preparation should develop careful visual analysis rather than encourage children to rely on appearance alone.
Once individual techniques are secure, children should increasingly practise identifying the required spatial relationship independently and under timed conditions.
Writing Preparation
The Kent Test also contains a separate writing exercise, so writing should form part of preparation even though it is not included in our Kent Mock Packs.
Children should practise planning before writing, organising ideas clearly, using varied vocabulary and sentence structures, and checking spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Preparation should focus on improving genuine writing ability rather than memorising one fixed response.
View the Kent 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
Which Tonbridge Grammar School 11 Plus Course Should You Choose?
Learning Street offers three main GL preparation routes for children preparing for the Kent Test: Complete, Enhance and Boost.
Our full GL programmes cover Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The Kent Test also includes Spatial Reasoning and a separate writing exercise, so the general GL course syllabus should not be interpreted as the exact Kent Test structure.
The most suitable main programme mainly depends on how much preparation time remains.
| Preparation time | Learning Street course | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 30–40+ weeks | Complete GL | Our most comprehensive GL preparation |
| 15–30 weeks | Enhance GL | A shorter structured GL programme |
| 6–15 weeks | Boost GL | Focused GL preparation when less time remains |
Complete GL — 30–40+ Weeks
Our Complete GL 11 Plus Programme is our most comprehensive GL preparation route.
It contains 40 structured parts covering Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning, alongside more than 60 timed papers and tests.
The Complete GL 11 Plus Programme
Focused Complete options are also available:
Complete – Vocabulary, English and Verbal Reasoning
Complete – Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Enhance GL — 15–30 Weeks
Our Enhance GL programme provides a shorter 20-part preparation route covering Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
It includes more than 35 timed papers and tests alongside structured learning and detailed answers.
Enhance is most suitable where there is still enough time for substantial preparation but not enough time to work properly through all 40 parts of Complete.
Focused Enhance options are also available:
Enhance – Vocabulary, English and Verbal Reasoning
Enhance – Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Boost GL — 6–15 Weeks
Our Boost GL programme is the shortest full GL preparation route.
It contains 10 intensive parts covering Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning and includes more than 25 timed papers and tests.
Boost is most suitable where there is insufficient time to work properly through Complete or Enhance but a family still wants structured preparation.
Focused Boost options are also available:
Boost – Vocabulary, English and Verbal Reasoning
Boost – Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Starting Earlier?
If your child is still developing the literacy, numeracy, vocabulary and reasoning foundations needed before dedicated 11 Plus preparation begins, our primary-school course chooser can help you select an appropriate starting point.
Primary School – Course Chooser for Younger Children
Already Completed Substantial Preparation?
Our 11 Plus Revision Course – GL is suitable for children who have already completed substantial preparation through books, tutoring or another programme but now want a structured period of GL-style revision.
It is an intensive four-part course normally completed over approximately 4–6 weeks.
It should not normally be completed after one of our Complete, Enhance or Boost programmes because there is some crossover in the material.
Also Sitting Independent School Exams?
Children also sitting independent-school entrance tests may need additional preparation in subjects or formats beyond the Tonbridge Grammar School entrance test.
The courses below are separate supplementary options and should not be interpreted as additional elements of the Kent Test.
11 Plus Creative Writing Course
11 Plus Maths Stretch and Revision
Current Tonbridge Grammar School Admissions Information
Admissions arrangements and entrance-test details can change from year to year. For general guidance on 11 Plus preparation and our courses, use our FAQs below.
