The 11+ in Kent

Who can sit the test

Children in Year 5 at the time of registration, born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016, could register for the 2026 Kent Test. A child outside that age range who is still expected to transfer to secondary school in September 2027 has to be dealt with directly by Kent admissions.

Registration is open to parents of children resident in England, not including the Crown Dependencies, along with children of UK service personnel with a confirmed posting to the UK and Crown Servants returning from overseas.

• The Kent Test is only valid for Kent grammar schools. Medway has its own Medway Test and the London Borough of Bexley has its own selection test.
• Being assessed as suitable does not guarantee a place at any school.
• Kent County Council's own guidance is that Kent grammar schools provide for children in roughly the top 25% of the ability range, and it suggests discussing your child's academic achievement with their primary school before registering.

What is in the papers

The papers are multiple choice with a separate answer sheet, and they are marked by computer. There are two tests and one writing exercise.

Test 1

English and maths, 1 hour. Each section is a 5-minute practice exercise followed by a 25-minute test. The English section includes a comprehension exercise plus further questions testing literacy skills.

Test 2

Reasoning, about 1 hour including the practice sections. A verbal reasoning section and a non-verbal reasoning section of roughly the same length. The non-verbal reasoning is split into short sections, each administered and timed on its own.

Writing exercise

40 minutes, including 10 minutes of planning. It is not marked. It may be used by a local headteacher panel at the headteacher assessment stage.

What the scores mean

Your child receives three standardised scores — English, maths and reasoning — and a total. Standardisation compares each child against the average performance of the others, with an adjustment for age so that the youngest are not disadvantaged.

Individual scores range from 69 to 141, so the highest possible total is 423.

For 2025, a grammar school assessment required a total of 332 or more with no single score below 108. Kent County Council publishes the threshold for each year in the October of that year, so the 2026 figure is due alongside results.

Applying, and how places are allocated

Kent parents may name up to four secondary school preferences. A grammar school can only consider your child if you have named it on the application and your child has been tested and assessed suitable.

Grammar schools are frequently oversubscribed. Each school ranks applicants using its own published admissions criteria, so the criteria of the specific schools you are naming matter more than the test result on its own. Some Kent grammar schools — particularly those most likely to offer places to children from outside Kent — give priority to the highest scores.

If your child is not offered a place you may appeal to an independent panel and may be able to join the school's waiting list.

If your child is not assessed as suitable

You can still name a grammar school on your application, but that part of the application will be refused when offers are made on 1 March 2027. You then have the right to appeal and explain why you believe the school is a suitable option for your child.

If you live outside Kent, or move in later

Register for the test if, and only if, you intend to apply for a Kent grammar place — Kent County Council notes that resources are wasted every year on registered children who do not attend.

Admissions are co-ordinated between local authorities. Even if your child qualifies in more than one area, every preference must be listed on your home authority's application form, and you will not be offered more than one place.

If you move into Kent after the test has taken place and want a Year 7 grammar place, your child still has to be assessed.