Kent Test (11+) — Format, Practice & Preparation
The Kent Test is the 11+ exam used by Kent’s grammar schools to select pupils for Year 7 entry. Set by GL Assessment and sat at the start of Year 6, it decides grammar-school eligibility for thousands of Kent children every year.
What the Kent 11+ tests
- ✓Reasoning — verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning
- ✓English — comprehension, grammar and vocabulary
- ✓Maths — arithmetic and problem solving at KS2 level
Format & key facts
Exam board: GL Assessment (multiple-choice style).
Usually sat in early September, at the start of Year 6.
Registration is through Kent County Council — out-of-county children can sit it too.
Children are given a standardised score; a headline aggregate of around 320, with a minimum in each paper, is typically needed to be assessed as suitable.
A short writing task may be used if a child’s result goes to a Head Teacher Assessment panel.
Exact dates, deadlines and scores change each year — always confirm on the official Kent admissions website.
Grammar schools in Kent
Examples of grammar schools that select using the Kent 11+:
How to prepare for the Kent 11+
- 💡Start light, regular practice in Year 4–5 — timed reasoning is where most marks are won or lost.
- 💡Practise all three reasoning types (verbal, non-verbal, spatial), not just maths and English.
- 💡Build exam pace: the Kent Test is tightly timed, so accuracy under a clock matters.
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Kent 11+ — questions parents ask
When is the Kent Test taken?▸
It is usually sat in early September, at the very start of Year 6. Registration closes over the summer before, so check the exact deadline on the Kent County Council website.
What score is needed to pass the Kent Test?▸
Children receive standardised scores. A commonly cited threshold is an aggregate of around 320 across the papers with a minimum in each, but the exact requirement can vary year to year — confirm current figures with Kent County Council.
Can out-of-county children sit the Kent Test?▸
Yes. Children who live outside Kent can register to sit the Kent Test if they wish to apply to Kent grammar schools.