About Beths Grammar School
Admission to Beths Grammar School is determined by the Bexley Selection Test (GL Assessment) — two 50-minute multiple-choice papers covering Verbal Ability, Comprehension, Numerical Ability and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The top 180 scorers across all Bexley grammar schools have a free choice of school. Beths also accepts boys who passed the Kent (Dartford) 11+ under Criterion 8.
Beths Grammar School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Beths Grammar School
Beths Grammar School is a boys state grammar school in England that uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test to select pupils for Year 7 admission. The school admits approximately 180 Year 7 pupils each September, and applications must be made through your home Local Authority via the Common Application Form (CAF) — never directly to the school.
The GL Assessment 11+ is one of two main 11+ test providers in England (the other being CEM, now retired in many regions). The Bexley test typically consists of multiple papers covering English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Scores are standardised against the cohort age distribution, so younger pupils are not disadvantaged. Each school sets its own qualifying mark (pass mark).
For 2027 entry, the GL Assessment test is sat in Saturday 13 September 2026 and results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026 (via Bexley LA) — crucially, before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026, giving parents time to consider results before listing school preferences. National Offers Day is Monday 1 March 2027, when Local Authorities issue Year 7 secondary school offers.
Beths Grammar School is academically selective — pupils must achieve the qualifying mark in the 11+ test to be eligible for a place. If applications exceed the published admission number (180 places), the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places. This page is updated each year with the latest verified admissions criteria, key dates and oversubscription rules.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Beths Grammar School
Beths Grammar School Admissions Criteria
Admission to Beths Grammar School is determined by the Bexley Selection Test (GL Assessment) — two 50-minute multiple-choice papers covering Verbal Ability, Comprehension, Numerical Ability and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The top 180 scorers across all Bexley grammar schools have a free choice of school. Beths also accepts boys who passed the Kent (Dartford) 11+ under Criterion 8.
- ✓Register for the Bexley Selection Test via Bexley Local Authority website (1st–31st May 2026).
- ✓Sit two 50-minute multiple-choice papers in September 2026.
- ✓Be deemed selective (achieve the Bexley LA pass mark).
- ✓The top 180 scorers across all Bexley grammar schools may choose their preferred school — guaranteed a place.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (Criterion 1).
- ✓Boys with a sibling currently attending Beths Grammar School (Criterion 3).
- ✓Boys with a parent employed by Beths on a permanent contract (Criterion 4).
- ✓Pupil Premium / Free School Meals applicants (Criterion 5).
- ✓Distance from Beths' Hartford Road entrance — straight-line distance (Criterion 6).
- ✓Criterion 8: Boys who passed the Kent (Dartford) 11+ but not the Bexley test may apply if spaces remain.
Beths Grammar School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 180 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Final ranking uses the standardised score achieved in the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Beths Grammar School)
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Beths Grammar School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | Late April 2025 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | Saturday 13 September 2026 (English + Maths + VR) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2026 (via Bexley LA) |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2026 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
How to Apply to Beths Grammar School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the GL Assessment 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Bexley) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026. There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Beths Grammar School
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the GL Assessment Entrance Test
Your child sits the GL Assessment in Saturday 13 September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026 (via Bexley LA), BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Beths Grammar School as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2026. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 1 March 2027. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Beths Grammar School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Beths Grammar School
Beths Grammar School selects through the Bexley Selection Test, produced by GL Assessment and shared across the four Bexley grammar schools — so a child sits it once. It is two multiple-choice papers taken on the same day, with age-standardised scoring combined into a total.
- Paper 1 — English & verbal reasoning: comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning.
- Paper 2 — maths & non-verbal reasoning: Key Stage 2 mathematics and visual problem-solving.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Beths Grammar School
Beths Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Beths Grammar School 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
Academic Performance at Beths Grammar School (GCSE & A‑Level Results)
Beths is a high‑performing boys’ grammar school with a popular co‑educational Sixth Form and a strong academic record.
| 📈 GCSE 2024 — grades 8–9 | over 40% of all entries |
| 📈 GCSE — grades 9–7 | around 70% |
| 🎓 A‑Level — A*–B | around 55% (recent) |
Several pupils achieve 10–11 grade 9s each year, and most continue into the Sixth Form before progressing to leading universities, including Oxbridge and Russell Group institutions. (Figures vary year to year; see the school’s website for the latest.)
Catchment Area for Beths Grammar School
Beths is a grammar school for boys (with a co-educational sixth form) and is one of the four grammar schools in the London Borough of Bexley. Admission to Year 7 is through the Bexley Selection Test, produced by GL Assessment and shared across all four Bexley grammars. It consists of two multiple-choice papers taken on the same day — one covering English comprehension and verbal reasoning, the other mathematics and non-verbal reasoning — with age-standardised scores combined into a total.
The Published Admission Number is 192 places. The boys placed within the top 180 across the borough who name Beths on their Common Application Form are guaranteed a place, regardless of distance; beyond that, oversubscription priority runs through looked-after children, the top-180 scorers, siblings, a limited number of Pupil Premium places by distance, and then straight-line distance to the school's Hartford Road entrance. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Beths Grammar School is a long-established boys' grammar (co-educational in the sixth form) on Hartford Road in Bexley, with a strong record of academic and personal development. Its most recent Ofsted inspection praised the school's exemplary behaviour and attitudes, reflecting a calm, purposeful environment.
Alongside its academic work, the school offers a broad programme of sport, music, drama and other clubs and societies that support pupils' confidence and all-round development. For the full list of teams, ensembles and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Beths Grammar School
How do I apply to Beths Grammar School for Year 7?
Applications to Beths Grammar School are made through your home Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) — not directly to the school. Your child must sit the GL Assessment 11+ test (registration closes late June 2026), then list Beths Grammar School on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Beths Grammar School use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Beths Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test for Year 7 admission, taken in Saturday 13 September 2026 (English + Maths + VR). The test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised age-adjusted scores.
What is the pass mark / qualifying score for Beths Grammar School?
Beths Grammar School sets its own qualifying mark each year. Pupils must score at or above the qualifying mark to be eligible for a place. Final ranking is by total standardised score (highest first) up to the admission number of 180 places.
How many Year 7 places does Beths Grammar School have?
Beths Grammar School admits 180 Year 7 pupils each September. Demand for places typically exceeds supply, so the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places fairly.
When are GL Assessment results released in 2026?
For 2027 Year 7 entry, GL Assessment test results are released on Mid-October 2026 (via Bexley LA) — before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
When is National Offers Day for Beths Grammar School in 2027?
National Offers Day for Year 7 secondary school places in England is Monday 1 March 2027. Offers are issued by your home Local Authority — not directly by the school. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Beths Grammar School's waiting list.
Is Beths Grammar School a state school or fee-paying?
Beths Grammar School is a state-funded grammar school — there are no tuition fees. As a state grammar, it is academically selective via the GL Assessment 11+ test, but pupils who pass the test do not pay to attend.
How can my child prepare for the Beths Grammar School 11+ test?
ExamTutor offers a complete GL Assessment 11+ preparation programme including tutor-led practice papers, full video explanations for every question (covering all GL topic areas — English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning), and downloadable resources. Most parents start preparation 12-18 months before the September 11+ test.
Where can I find Beths Grammar School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Beths Grammar School 2027 entry is published on the school's official website. Always check the school's website for the most up-to-date oversubscription criteria, qualifying mark, supplementary forms (if any), and any school-specific application requirements.