The Kent Test is the 11+ exam run by Kent County Council for entry to Kent's 36 grammar schools — England's single largest fully selective area. It combines an English-and-maths paper with a verbal and non-verbal reasoning paper, sat in September of Year 6, with a separate weekend sitting for families applying from outside Kent.
Why Kent runs its own 11+ test
Kent is unusual among selective local authorities: rather than a handful of grammar schools sitting alongside comprehensives, the whole county runs on a fully selective model, with 36 grammar schools taking children who pass the Kent Test. That scale is why Kent is cited as England's largest single fully selective local authority — no other LEA comes close.
Because of that scale, Kent doesn't buy a test "off the shelf" from GL Assessment or CEM the way many other counties do. Kent County Council commissions its own bespoke papers from an appointed provider, built specifically for the Kent cohort. This matters for families moving from another selective area: preparation materials written for Essex's CSSE test or a GL Assessment area won't map exactly onto what the Kent Test actually asks.
What format does the Kent Test take?
The Kent Test has three components, sat across a single day:
| Component | What it covers | Approx. length |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 — English and Maths | Reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary; maths covering times tables, the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and measurement | ~1 hour, in two 30-minute sections |
| Paper 2 — Reasoning | Verbal reasoning (word relationships, pattern-spotting) and non-verbal reasoning (shapes, diagrams, pattern completion) | ~1 hour |
| Creative writing task | A short planning stage followed by a piece of writing | 40 minutes |
The writing task isn't part of the main numerical score, but it is kept on file and can be reviewed by a headteacher panel for children whose test scores sit right on the borderline — so it isn't simply optional padding.
Kent Test results are reported as three standardised scores (English, maths and reasoning) plus an aggregate total, with individual scores running from 69 to 141 and a maximum possible aggregate of 423. To qualify, a child generally needs an aggregate score of 332 or above, with no individual subject score falling below 106 — a detail worth knowing, because a strong aggregate built on one very weak subject score may not clear the bar.
When is the Kent Test in 2026–27?
For the 2026 cycle — testing for September 2027 entry, covering children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 — the pattern is:
- Registration: opens 1 June 2026, closes 1 July 2026
- Test date (Kent primary schools): 10 September 2026
- Test date (families outside Kent): weekend of 12–13 September 2026
- Results: released 15 October 2026
- National secondary application deadline: 31 October 2026
Treat these as illustrative for planning rather than gospel for your child's exact year — always confirm the live dates on Kent County Council's own admissions pages closer to the time, since registration windows can shift slightly year to year.
Applying to a Kent grammar school from outside Kent
Here's the detail that catches out-of-county families most often: a child doesn't need to live in Kent to sit the Kent Test or apply to a Kent grammar school, but the registration process for non-Kent residents is genuinely different from the process for children at a Kent state primary school. Kent-schooled children are typically registered as a matter of course; families outside Kent generally need to register separately, sit the test at the separate weekend slot, and follow Kent's own timetable for doing so — which does not necessarily line up with your own local authority's process.
Because registration routes for out-of-county families can change and vary by circumstance (independent school, home education, living just over the county line), don't assume last year's advice from a forum or a sibling's experience still applies. Check directly with Kent County Council's admissions team, in good time before the registration window opens, rather than assuming the rules that apply to Kent residents apply to you too.
FAQ
Is the Kent Test the same as the 11+ used in other counties?
No. The Kent Test is a bespoke exam commissioned by Kent County Council, distinct from GL Assessment (used in areas like Buckinghamshire), CEM-linked tests, and Essex's own CSSE consortium test. A Kent Test score or preparation resource doesn't transfer directly to another area's system.
What score do you need to pass the Kent Test?
The qualifying threshold is generally an aggregate score of 332 or higher out of a possible 423, with no individual subject score (English, maths or reasoning) below 106. Because scores are standardised rather than raw marks, the exact aggregate can vary slightly year to year.
Do all children at Kent primary schools automatically sit the Kent Test?
In practice, children at Kent state primary schools are usually registered as part of the normal process, but this isn't automatic for every family — independent-school pupils, home-educated children, and families outside Kent typically need to register directly with Kent County Council.
Can a child who doesn't live in Kent get into a Kent grammar school?
Yes — Kent grammar schools do accept out-of-county applicants, and there's a separate weekend test sitting for exactly this purpose. However, registration rules and the school's own oversubscription criteria for non-Kent residents can differ from those for Kent residents, so confirm directly with Kent County Council rather than assuming standard rules apply.
Once your child has a grammar school place secured, keeping their maths and reasoning skills sharp for the transition to Year 7 matters just as much as passing the test — explore aitutors.me to find out how.