Grammar Schools and the 11+ in Kent

The county of Kent is home to a large number of Grammar Schools. In order to be able to apply for a place at one, your child will need to sit and pass the Kent Test.

This article will explain the process for sitting the Kent Test and making applications to these schools. The Kent region does not cover Medway, Bexley or Bromley. Please see below for information on these regions.

 

How do I enter my child for the 11+ in Kent?

The Kent Test is organised by Kent County Council. To be able to apply for a place at one of the 32 Kent grammar schools, your child must sit and pass this test. Children do not automatically take the test, so you must register your child during the June and July they are in Year 5. They will then take the test during the September that they are in Year 6. You can do this online.

 

When do they sit the 11+ test in Kent?

You can register your child for the Kent test even if you are not currently living in Kent. Results are sent out about one month after the test, in October. Your child will receive one standardised score for each test paper (English, Maths and Reasoning). Your child will also get one aggregate score.

In Kent, an aggregate score of 323 or more means that your child has been assessed as being suitable for grammar school. If this is the case, and if none of their individual single standardised scores are less than 107, you can then apply for a place at the grammar school(s) of your choice by naming it as a preference on your Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF). This is made available to all parents of children in Year 6. It needs to be returned to the Kent Local Authority by 31st October. You can name as many grammar schools as you like on the CAF provided your child has taken the test. Find out more here.

 

EdPlace are here to help your child prepare for the Kent Test. All our resources are appropriate for all Grammar Schools across all regions and are tailored to exam boards CEM and GL. Try out one of Non-verbal or verbal reasoning activities to see for yourself!

Try a Non-verbal reasoning activity

 

When do we get the Kent 11+ test results?

The final offer of a place at one the grammar schools will be sent to you by the local authority on March 2nd, which is National Offer Day.

Due to their popularity, grammar schools in Kent are often oversubscribed. If this happens, admission criteria apply. If your child isn't offered a place, an appeal can be made if your child's primary school refers the case to the appeal panel.

 

The Kent 11+ Exam Board

The Kent Test is set by the GL exam board and is designed to be challenging; it is aimed at about the top 25% of the ability range. There are three papers, which are all multiple choice - English and Maths (1 hour), Reasoning (1 hour) and Writing (50 minutes). In the initial stages, the writing test will not be marked but may be assessed by the panel if an appeal is required. There are familiarisation booklets available from GL here and here.

 

Kent Grammar Schools 

The following are the 32 Kent grammar schools for which you must pass the Kent Test to be able to apply for a place:

Barton Court Grammar School (mixed), Canterbury

Borden Grammar School (boys), Sittingbourne

Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School, Ramsgate

Cranbrook School (mixed; with boarding), Cranbrook

Dane Court Grammar School (mixed), Margate

Dartford Grammar School (boys)

Dartford Grammar School for Girls

Dover Grammar School for Boys

Dover Grammar School for Girls

Gravesend Grammar School (boys)

Harvey Grammar School (boys)

Highsted Grammar School (girls), Sittingbourne

Highworth Grammar School (girls), Ashford

Invicta Grammar School (girls), Maidstone

The Judd School (boys), Tonbridge

Maidstone Grammar School (boys)

Mayfield Grammar School (girls), Gravesend

The Norton Knatchbull School (boys), Ashford

Oakwood Park Grammar School (boys), Maidstone

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School (mixed), Faversham

Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School, Canterbury

Sir Roger Manwood's School (mixed), Sandwich

The Skinners' School (boys), Tunbridge Wells

Tonbridge Grammar School (girls)

Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School

Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys

Weald of Kent Grammar School (girls), Tonbridge

Wilmington Grammar School for Boys

Wilmington Grammar School for Girls

 

Medway, Bexley and Bromley 11+ and Grammar Schools

To apply for grammar schools in these regions, separate registration and tests apply.

 

The Medway 11+

Advice from the council is to discuss with your child's primary school if the Medway Test is right for them. Your child should be working at or above the expected levels for that age. The Medway Test is set by GL Assessment.

To register, head here

 

Medway Grammar Schools

Holcombe Grammar School (mixed), Chatham

Chatham Grammar School for Girls

Fort Pitt Grammar School (girls), Chatham

Rainham Mark Grammar School (mixed), Rainham

Rochester Grammar School (girls)

Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School (boys), Rochester

 

The Bexley 11+

For the London Borough of Bexley, similar registration and testing arrangements apply. The test is set by the CEM exam board. Register here

 

Bexley Grammar Schools

There are four grammar schools in the region, with a total of approximately 800 places between them:

Beths Grammar School (boys)

Bexley Grammar School (mixed)

Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School (mixed)

Townley Grammar School (girls)

 

Bromley 11+ and Grammar Schools 

There are two grammar schools in the London Borough of Bromley. See admission information here 

St Olave's Grammar School (boys), Orpington

Newstead Wood School (girls), Orpington

 

Access revolutionary 11+ preparation resources

If your child is sitting the 11+ for Kent, EdPlace is here to help! EdPlace have launched visionary, new resources which will transform 11+ preparation for your child.

• Our holistic approach revolutionises the 11+ by discreetly progressing your child to remove pressures.
• Get ahead with engaging non-verbal and verbal reasoning activities and practice papers, aligned to local regions, schools and CEM or GL exam boards.
• Visionary new 11+ specific English and Maths practice.
• Track and measure your child's exam readiness and build their confidence so they're more than ready to show their skills come test day!

We're here to help your child smash whatever comes their way! From Year 1 - GCSE, our students progress 150% across English, maths and science over a school year; from ABCs - GCSEs, EdPlace is here for the 11+, and beyond!

 

Try our 11+ activities and practice papers

 

Additional Help

To search for more details about the individual schools, see the Kent County Council Schools Search:  

http://webapps.kent.gov.uk/KCC.SchoolSearch.Web.Sites.Public/Default.aspx