About Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Sidcup, London Borough of Bexley, admitting 180–245 pupils per year. It is part of the Bexley Selection Test consortium (with Beths Grammar, Bexley Grammar and Townley Grammar). Note: the school uses the CEM 11+ test — two papers covering Verbal Reasoning/Comprehension, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Mathematical Reasoning (NOT GL Assessment). Registration is via London Borough of Bexley.
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School is a co-educational state grammar school in England that selects pupils through the Bexley Selection Test (set using GL Assessment papers) 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 your local 11+ consortium 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 September 2026 and results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026 — 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.
Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School Admissions Criteria
Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Sidcup, London Borough of Bexley, admitting 180–245 pupils per year. It is part of the Bexley Selection Test consortium (with Beths Grammar, Bexley Grammar and Townley Grammar). Note: the school uses the CEM 11+ test — two papers covering Verbal Reasoning/Comprehension, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Mathematical Reasoning (NOT GL Assessment). Registration is via London Borough of Bexley.
- ✓Register for the Bexley Selection Test via London Borough of Bexley (opens 1st May, closes 31st May, Year 5).
- ✓Sit two CEM-format papers (approx. 50 minutes each) in September — covering Verbal Reasoning & Comprehension, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Mathematical Reasoning.
- ✓Achieve the Bexley LA qualifying pass mark (age-standardised).
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Children with a sibling at Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School.
- ✓Children who achieve the qualifying score, ranked by distance from school.
Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 — Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 (varies by school) |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | September 2026 (English + Maths + Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2026 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2026 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
How to Apply to Chislehurst and Sidcup 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. Default) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026 (varies by school). There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 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, 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School selects through the Bexley Selection Test (GL Assessment), shared by the four Bexley grammar schools — two multiple-choice papers of about 50 minutes each with no writing element, age-standardised and combined, with the highest-scoring 180 children across the borough deemed of selective standard.
- Verbal skills: comprehension, technical English, spelling, punctuation, grammar and verbal reasoning.
- Mathematics & non-verbal reasoning: Key Stage 2 maths plus non-verbal and spatial reasoning.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School ('Chis & Sid') is one of the top-performing state grammar schools in London and the South East, with pupils regularly achieving strong results at both GCSE and A-Level across a broad, challenging curriculum spanning STEM, humanities, languages and the arts.
- GCSE & A-Level: consistently strong results year after year.
- Sixth form: a large co-educational sixth form with competitive entry.
- Progression: strong progression to leading universities.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
Admission to Year 7 is through the Bexley Selection Test, produced by GL Assessment (Bexley moved from CEM to GL in 2023) and shared by the four Bexley grammar schools — so a child sits it once. It is two multiple-choice papers of about 50 minutes each, recorded on a machine-readable answer sheet, with no writing element: Test 1 covers verbal skills (comprehension, technical English, spelling, punctuation, grammar and verbal reasoning) and Test 2 covers mathematics and non-verbal/spatial reasoning. There is no fixed pass mark; scores are age-standardised and combined, and the highest-scoring 180 children across the borough are deemed of selective standard.
The school offers 192 Year 7 places and does not operate a fixed catchment, although distance is an important factor in oversubscription (some categories give priority within five miles), alongside sibling links. Always confirm the current criteria in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School is a co-educational grammar for pupils aged 11–18 on Hurst Road in Sidcup, in the London Borough of Bexley (DA15 9AG). Originally established as Sidcup County School for Boys, it took its current name after moving to its present site in the 1950s and became co-educational in the 1970s; today it is one of four grammar schools in Bexley and upholds a grammar tradition with a modern, inclusive outlook.
The school offers a balanced curriculum across the sciences, mathematics, languages, humanities and the arts, alongside a wide range of extracurricular activities. For the full list of clubs, teams and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
How do I apply to Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School for Year 7?
Applications to Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 (varies by school)), then list Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test for Year 7 admission, taken in September 2026 (English + Maths + Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning). The test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised age-adjusted scores.
What is the pass mark / qualifying score for Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School?
Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School have?
Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 — 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School's waiting list.
Is Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School a state school or fee-paying?
Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup 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 Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Chislehurst and Sidcup 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.