Hertfordshire Grammar Schools
- Dame Alice Owen’s School
- St Clement Danes School
- Watford Grammar School for Boys
- Watford Grammar School for Girls
Dame Alice Owen’s School
Entrance Exam Dates:
September – Part I Entrance Examination – Verbal Reasoning
September – Musical Aptitude Test – First Round
September – First round Musical Aptitude Test results sent out
September – Friday 25th September 2020– Second Round Musical Aptitude Tests
September – We aim to email test results for Part I of the Entrance exam (Verbal Reasoning) no later than this date. The highest ranked 325 candidates will be invited back for Part II (English and Mathematics). Candidates who ranked below 325 will be advised that they are not being invited to progress to Part II of the tests. The email will include the mark achieved in the Verbal Reasoning test.
September – Part II Entrance Examination – English and Mathematics
https://damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/admissions/key-dates/
Ofsted Report: Converted to an Academy. Rated outstanding prior.
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/136554
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/117579
Test Type: GL
https://damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/admissions/secondary-transfer/familiarisation-papers/
Specialisation
School founded in 1613.
Science
Science is a key specialism with over 150 students taking an A levels in Physics, Biology and Chemistry annually.
Music
The Music department has a concert hall, three specialist classrooms, numerous practice rooms, a recital and rehearsal studio and a recording studio. More than 500 students receive instrumental lessons and extra-curricular activities include four orchestras and bands, five choirs, an array
of ensembles and an annual musical production. Our Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band, and Senior Mixed Chamber Choir have performed at the Royal Albert Hall, The Barbican, The National Festival Hall and the Llangollen International Eisteddfod with abundant awards
received. Academic performance is excellent too. Many students go on to study music either at university, including Oxbridge, or the Conservatoires.
Excellent Sports Facilities
Our sports facilities are excellent with a gymnasium, sports hall, all-weather pitch, tennis and netball courts, a sports pavilion and an extensive area of pitches.
University Success
Between 25 and 30 students receive offers from Oxford or Cambridge every year and the vast majority of our Sixth Form go on to study at a Russell Group University.
International Links
Beyond the school boundaries there are numerous opportunities including language exchanges and visits to our partner school in Tanzania.
Teaching School Status
As an outstanding School, Dame Alice Owen’s was successful in securing Teaching School designation in April 2013.
https://damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/download/school-prospectus-2/
GCSE Results
https://damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/about-us/results/
St Clement Danes School
Entrance Exam Dates:
Academic Ability Test September
Musical Aptitude Test September
https://www.stclementdanes.org.uk/1576/secondary-transfer-2021
Ofsted Report: Outstanding
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/136901
Test Type: GL
South West Herts Consortium of Schools.
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk
Academic test.
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk/academic-ability-test/
Music test.
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk/music-aptitude-test/
Specialisation
Music
Musician enjoy an almost endless range of ensembles including two orchestras, two choirs and a jazz band, which provide opportunities for beginners through to National Youth Orchestra Members.
Curriculum
Along side core subjects students learn philosophy, personal development, business studies and the opportunity to learn French, German and Spanish.
Trips
Language exchange trips to Dardilly, Bilbao and Potsdam, art trips to galleries in New York and Venice. Students attend an annual athletics training camp in Lanzarote and football tour to the USA.
The School was designated a National Teaching School in 2013.
https://issuu.com/fsedesign/docs/issu_pr__st_clements_prospectus_201?e=9726567/64187528
GCSE Results
https://www.stclementdanes.org.uk/185/results
Watford Grammar School for Boys
Entrance Exam Dates:
Academic Ability Test September
Musical Aptitude Test September
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk/calendar/
Ofsted Report: Converted to an Academy. Rated outstanding prior.
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/117573
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/136276
Test Type: GL
Academic test.
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk/academic-ability-test/
Music test.
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk/music-aptitude-test/
Specialisation
STEM
In 2012 Professor Lord Robert Winston launched the Watford Boys STEM Lab. The Lab is a collaboration between the school and the Wohl Reach Out Lab at Imperial College, London. It provides hands-on and engaging STEM activities and programmes for our students and teachers, as well as for those in other local schools. The aim of the STEM Lab is to raise aspirations, improve attainment and increase participation in Higher Education and STEM-related careers among young people. Annually, the Lab is used by students from many schools across South West Hertfordshire. The opening of our new STEM Centre in November 2017 has enabled the expansion of this outreach work.
Music
Almost 300 students take instrumental lessons in the purpose built and award-winning Clarendon Muse Music Centre. Performances by the school’s 15 musical groups and choirs take place throughout the year in and out of school and we hold an annual music competition.
Trips
The School runs an extensive and varied range of trips, including:
• Annual Biology and Geography residential courses
• Annual History visits to World War I battlefields
• Annual French and German Exchanges
• Annual Year 7 Residential Activity Week
• Sailing trips
• Classics trips to Italy, Greece and Egypt
• Annual skiing trips
• Sports tours (most recently, rugby to Canada, Australia, Fiji and New Zealand; hockey to India, Holland, Australia and Malaysia, and South Africa; and cricket to Barbados and Sri Lanka)
• World Challenge type expeditions (recently to Malawi and Tanzania, Kenya, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru and Burma, Mexico)
• History trips to St Petersburg and Berlin
• Politics trip to Washington
• Art trip to New York
Language
Students have the opportunity to study French, German, Spanish and Latin.
The school hosts a number of weekly Community Language Schools including the Watford Chinese School, the Al Amanah Muslim Supplementary School, the Bulgarian School and the Gujarati School. These schools provide a vital link with community groups in Watford.
https://www.watfordboys.org/userfiles/files/PROSPECTUS%202019-20%20Final2.pdf
GCSE Results
https://www.watfordboys.org/Results.aspx
Watford Grammar School for Girls
Entrance Exam Dates:
Academic Test - September
Music Test - September
https://www.watfordgrammarschoolforgirls.org.uk/admissions/year-7-admissions/
Ofsted Report: Converted to an Academy. Rated outstanding prior.
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/117575
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/136289
Test Type: GL
Academic test.
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk/academic-ability-test/
Music test.
https://www.swhertsschools.org.uk/music-aptitude-test/
Specialisation
Trips
Every year there is a wide scope of trips for all year groups, ranging from evening visits to some of the best theatre in the world and expeditions overseas. Many are based upon the curriculum to support and enrich work in the classroom, with others being designed to develop confidence and encourage girls to try new experiences and move out of their comfort zone. When we speak to former students who come back to visit us or to our Year 13 students, just as they are poised to leave the school, it is these trips which often form the basis of their fondest memories of school life.
Full list of trips on website below
https://www.watfordgrammarschoolforgirls.org.uk/school-life/extra-curricular-and-trips/
Clubs
All Year 7 students take part in at least three clubs a week.
Curriculum
Modern Foreign Language (French, German, or Spanish) or Latin
Classical Civilisation
Library skills
PACE (Personal and Citizenship Education): this includes Health and Sex and Relationships Education, Careers and Work Based Learning as well as Citizenship.
Reading
All year 7s keep a Reading Log, where they use the Reading Chilli Challenge to respond actively to their reading and can gain awards when they reach reading targets. It is possible to gain the Bronze, Silver, Gold and even Platinum Reading Award if you are a voracious reader! The school also celebrates World Book Day in style, with all year 7s dressing up in honour of their favourite literary character.
https://www.watfordgrammarschoolforgirls.org.uk/school-life/reading/
GCSE Results
https://www.watfordgrammarschoolforgirls.org.uk/about-us/exam-results/