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The King's School, Chester

The King's School, Chester is an independent co-educational school in Chester, Cheshire, educating around 1,200 pupils aged 4 to 19. It is a Church of England school. Entrance is by the school's own 11+ examinations, usually in English and mathematics, together with an interview.

RegionNorth West
AdmissionsSchool admissions page
DfE URN111485

The exam

Athena holds admission-route records for The King's School, Chester. They are shown by entry cycle below; where the provider changes between cycles, each cycle keeps its own recorded exam.

2027 entry

2028 entry

Free lessons for this exam

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Key dates & preparation

2028 entry

Test: Late November of Year 6 — the London Consortium online assessment

Results: Outcomes are released through the consortium in the new year

Offers: Mid-February of Year 6 — the consortium’s shared offer point

When to start preparing: Start preparing in the spring term of Year 5 (the standing rule: about 18 months before the test).

General guidance: this follows the rule of thumb of starting about 18 months before the test. It is not the school's own published advice.

Source: official admissions information · checked 2026-10-28

2027 entry

Test: Late November of Year 6 — the London Consortium online assessment

Results: Outcomes are released through the consortium in the new year

Offers: Mid-February of Year 6 — the consortium’s shared offer point

When to start preparing: Start preparing in the spring term of Year 5 (the standing rule: about 18 months before the test).

General guidance: this follows the rule of thumb of starting about 18 months before the test. It is not the school's own published advice.

Source: official admissions information · checked 2026-10-28

Admissions rules

No catchment — open competition

There is no catchment area. Admission is by the school’s own assessment process (examinations and, usually, an interview); the school sets its own oversubscription criteria in its admissions policy — commonly the assessment result first, with sibling or other connections considered at some schools.

Read the school's admissions policy

Results & destinations

2025 results

GCSE: 85% of grades at 9–7; 66% at grades 9/8; 38% at grade 9

School-published

A level: Average point score per A level entry 46.48 (average grade A-); 38.3% of A level students achieved AAB or higher

DfE performance tables

Source: official source · checked 2026-10-28

2024 results

A level: Average point score per A level entry 44.14 (average grade B+)

DfE performance tables

Source: official source · checked 2026-10-28

Scholarships & bursaries

Schemes recorded from the school's own published information. A scholarship is a merit award; a bursary is means-tested. Values are shown exactly as the school states them — where a scheme is honorary, its stated value says so.

11+ entry

  • Entrance Scholarships

    ScholarshipAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on entry examination results in Maths and English; up to 20 scholarships awarded

    When: Entrance examinations in January

    What it's worth: £50 (2026 scholars received a £50 Amazon voucher)

    How to apply: All entrance candidates automatically considered

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Music Scholarship

    ScholarshipMusic

    What is assessed: One scholarship per year for pupils joining Removes (Year 7), allocated following auditions with the Director of Music

    When: Auditions following the entrance examination

    What it's worth: Equivalent of a year's tuition in an instrument of the recipient's choice

    How to apply: Separate application required

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Bursaries

    BursaryOther

    What is assessed: Means-tested, typically for gross household income below £60,000; eligibility is gated on academic ranking in the Bursary Entrance Assessment, followed by a Financial Review and an informal interview with the Headmaster; the amount is based solely on financial need

    When: Bursary deadline Monday 28 September 2026; Bursary Entrance Assessment in October 2026; amount confirmed January 2027

    What it's worth: Support of 5–100% of fees

    How to apply: Separate application required alongside the place application

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Fergal O'Mahony Music Bursary

    BursaryMusic

    What is assessed: Means-tested music bursary for an outstanding musician of Grade 5 standard or above

    When: Not stated on the published pages

    What it's worth: £500 — covers tuition equivalent of one 30-minute lesson per week for one year

    How to apply: Application route not stated on the published pages

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Owen Jones Bursaries

    BursaryOther

    What is assessed: Means-tested bursaries run with Chester Municipal Charities for new Removes pupils from partner primary schools in Blacon or Lache; candidates sit the Entrance Exam; up to two full bursaries per year (one girl, one boy)

    When: Entrance Exam in January

    What it's worth: Full bursary (100% of fees)

    How to apply: By invitation/nomination (candidates are put forward by partner primary schools)

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

16+ entry

  • Arkwright Scholarships

    ScholarshipOther

    What is assessed: For pupils studying Design Technology, Physics or engineering-based subjects at A Level; students are submitted by the school's DT Department

    When: Not stated on the published pages

    What it's worth: Payments of around £600 over two years towards A Level tuition fees, plus work experience

    How to apply: Separate application required, submitted through the school's DT Department

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Investec Scholarship

    ScholarshipAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on a competitive examination

    When: Awarded in the autumn of Year 11

    What it's worth: £1,000

    How to apply: Application route not stated on the published pages

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • King's Scholarships — Sixth Form

    ScholarshipAcademic

    What is assessed: Awarded on interviews and predicted grades; candidates are invited on the basis of GCSE performance and awards are conditional on gaining eight grade 7–8 (A*/A) GCSEs

    When: Awarded in the November prior to entry

    What it's worth: Up to £1,000 for pupils joining the Sixth Form from other schools; £500 for pupils joining from King's Year 11

    How to apply: By invitation/nomination

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

  • Bursaries

    BursaryOther

    What is assessed: Means-tested, typically for gross household income below £60,000; third-party financial assessment; predicted GCSE grades and a reference are requested

    When: Financial documents by 28 September 2026; interviews in January

    What it's worth: Support of 5–100% of fees

    How to apply: Tick the bursary box on the application form

    Official scholarship information

    Checked 2026-10-28

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