About the school
Dover Grammar School for Boys is a selective state grammar school in Dover, Kent, educating boys aged 11 to 16 with a co-educational sixth form for students aged 16 to 18. Widely known locally as "DGSB," the school has built a strong reputation for academic rigour combined with supportive pastoral care.
Dover Grammar School for Boys was founded in 1905 as the Dover County School and has grown over the last century into one of Kent’s established selective grammar schools. In 2022, the school moved to a new building offering more light, space and excellent modern facilities.
Dover Grammar School for Boys is part of the Kent Grammar Schools Consortium and offers two routes of entry into Year 7. Prospective pupils can sit either the Kent Test, administered by the Local Authority, or the school’s own Dover Boys Test, and there is no requirement to take both.
School type
Boys’ Grammar (co-ed Sixth Form)
Exam date
Saturday 12 – Sunday 13 September 2026
Exam board
GL Assessment Kent Test / Dover Boys Test
Address
Astor Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT17 0DQ
Age range
11–18 (Years 7–13)
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Admissions information
The Dover Grammar School for Boys entrance test is offered through two routes — the Kent Test administered by Kent County Council, and the school’s own Dover Boys Test. Here is everything you need to know about the Dover Grammar School for Boys admissions criteria and exam structure.
Dover Grammar School for Boys belongs to the Kent Grammar Schools Consortium and selects pupils on academic ability. Entry is through either the Kent Test (PESE), administered by the Local Authority, or the school’s own Dover Boys Test. Children do not need to sit both. Both tests are multiple-choice and use a separate answer sheet.
The Kent Test consists of two papers, each lasting about 60 minutes. The first paper covers English and Maths, and the second is a reasoning paper containing verbal and non-verbal reasoning sections. A separate 40-minute writing task is also completed; it does not form part of the score but may be used for borderline or appeal cases. The Dover Boys Test covers English and Maths from the Key Stage 2 syllabus and usually takes place on the Saturday following the Kent Test.
Parents register their child online through Kent County Council for the Kent Test, and complete a separate registration form for the Dover Boys Test via the school’s website. For September 2027 entry, the deadline to register for the Kent Test is Wednesday 1st July 2026, and the deadline for the Dover Boys Test is Friday 3rd July 2026. This is a hard deadline and no late submissions are accepted. Residents of Kent must also name Dover Grammar School for Boys on the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF).
Kent Test results are typically issued to parents in mid-October, after which families submit their secondary school application to the Local Authority, ranking their preferred schools. School place offers are confirmed on National Offer Day in early March. The pass mark adjusts each year so that approximately the top 25% of candidates qualify, making thorough preparation essential.
Key admissions details
Dover Grammar School for Boys admits a maximum of 150 boys into Year 7 each year.
Dover Grammar School for Boys does not operate a formal catchment area, but where the school is oversubscribed, priority is given according to its published admissions criteria. After looked-after children, siblings, pupil premium and special access cases, remaining places are allocated by proximity of the child’s permanent home to the school, measured in a straight line.
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Dover Grammar School for Boys was founded in 1905 as the Dover County School. It has grown over the last century into an established Kent grammar school, educating boys aged 11 to 16 with a co-educational sixth form, and moved into a new building in 2022.
Dover Grammar School for Boys admits a maximum of 150 boys into Year 7 each year. Demand for places is high and the school is regularly oversubscribed, making thorough 11 plus preparation essential.
Dover Grammar School for Boys accepts entry through either the Kent Test or its own Dover Boys Test, and children do not need to sit both. The Kent Test has two papers of about 60 minutes each, covering English, Maths and reasoning, plus a 40-minute writing task. The Dover Boys Test covers English and Maths from the Key Stage 2 syllabus.
Dover Grammar School for Boys does not operate a formal catchment area. Entry is based first on performance in the 11 plus tests, but where the school is oversubscribed, remaining places are allocated by proximity of the child’s home to the school after the published priority criteria are applied.
For September 2027 entry, the deadline to register for the Kent Test is Wednesday 1st July 2026, and the deadline for the Dover Boys Test is Friday 3rd July 2026. The Kent Test is registered online through Kent County Council, while the Dover Boys Test is registered separately through the school’s website.
Yes. Dover Grammar School for Boys offers a broad programme of co-curricular activities alongside its academic curriculum, including a large Combined Cadet Force on site that is open to pupils in the upper year groups. The school has also been awarded the International School Award.
Yes, all our tuition is available both in-person at our Edgbaston, Birmingham centre and online via live video sessions. Online tuition gives families across Dover, Kent and the wider region access to our expert tutors without the need to travel. The quality and personalisation of sessions is identical in both formats.
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