The Kent Test
7 min read ยท updated 2026-10-13
The Kent Test is Kent County Council's 11+, used to decide whether grammar school is a suitable option for a child. It is sat in September of Year 6, and the result arrives in October, in time for the secondary school application.
The papers
- โ English and maths paper (1 hour): each section has a 5-minute practice exercise and a 25-minute test; English includes a comprehension and literacy questions
- โ Reasoning paper (about 1 hour): verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning in roughly equal parts, with the non-verbal sections timed separately
- โ Writing task (40 minutes, including 10 minutes' planning): not marked, but it may be used by a headteacher panel
- โ Every paper is multiple choice, on a separate answer sheet marked by computer
Scores and the grammar threshold
Children get three standardised scores, for English, maths and reasoning, each from 69 to 141, and a total out of 423. Standardisation includes a small adjustment for age, so younger children aren't disadvantaged.
For 2025, children needed a total of 332 or more, with no single score below 108, to be assessed as suitable for grammar school. The 2026 threshold is published in October 2026. Kent also publishes a report of how many children got each total score.
Dates for September 2027 entry
- โ Registration: 1 June to 1 July 2026
- โ Thursday 10 September 2026: test for children at Kent primary schools
- โ 12 or 13 September 2026: test for children at other schools
- โ Thursday 15 October 2026: results, by email if you gave one at registration
- โ Monday 2 November 2026: Kent's secondary application deadline (31 October falls on a Saturday); offers on 1 March 2027
If your child isn't assessed as suitable
You can still name a Kent grammar school on your application. It will be refused on offer day, and you then have the right to appeal and explain why the school is suitable for your child.
Preparing for the Kent Test
- โ Reasoning is a whole paper: practise verbal and non-verbal reasoning every week, including the short, separately timed non-verbal sections
- โ English and maths are 25 minutes each: build speed with timed comprehension and arithmetic sets
- โ Practise the 40-minute writing task with a 10-minute plan; it isn't marked but may be read by a headteacher panel
- โ Use the free Kent familiarisation paper with a separate answer sheet a few weeks before the test
For September 2028 entry
Based on the 2026 pattern, expect registration in June 2027, the test in early September 2027 and results in mid-October 2027. Kent publishes the exact dates in spring 2027.
FAQs
What is the Kent Test pass mark?๏ผ
For 2025, a total of 332 or more with no score below 108. The 2026 threshold is published in October 2026.
What is the highest Kent Test score?๏ผ
423: three scores of up to 141 each.
Is the Kent Test writing task marked?๏ผ
No, but a headteacher panel may look at it as part of the headteacher assessment stage.
When are Kent Test results?๏ผ
Thursday 15 October 2026 for the September 2026 test.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on 2026-10-13.
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