11+ Registration and Key Dates: How to Apply

One of the most avoidable 11+ mistakes is missing a registration deadline — because in most areas, if you don’t register in time, your child simply can’t sit the test. Here’s how it works.

The typical timeline

For a September/autumn test at the start of Year 6, registration usually opens in late spring and closes over the summer before. That means the key admin happens at the end of Year 5 — well before the exam itself.

How registration varies by area

• Council-run: some areas (like Kent) register through the local authority.
• Consortium-run: others register through a group of schools or a consortium.
• School-run: super-selective and independent schools often register directly with each school.

Some areas auto-register children at local state schools; out-of-area families almost always have to register themselves.

Don’t confuse two separate steps

Registering to sit the test is different from the secondary school application you make to your local authority (usually by 31 October in Year 6). You need to do both — the test result feeds into that later application.

Practical tips

• Check each target school or authority’s exact deadline the moment your child enters Year 5.
• Register with every school you’re seriously considering.
• Diarise both the test-registration deadline and the secondary-application deadline.

With the admin handled, focus on preparation — start with our free 11+ practice test.