The Medway Test
7 min read ยท updated 2026-10-13
The Medway Test is Medway Council's 11+ for its grammar schools. Children can sit it wherever they live, but only once, on a date the council allocates, and only at a test venue in Medway.
The three papers
Written for Medway by GL Assessment, with at least 20 minutes' break between papers:
- โ English (30 minutes): comprehension, punctuation and grammar
- โ Mathematics (50 minutes)
- โ Reasoning (45 minutes): four timed non-verbal and spatial reasoning sections (20 minutes in all) and one verbal reasoning section (25 minutes)
Scores
Results give a total score, a breakdown by paper and a decision on grammar or non-grammar suitability. The minimum score is set so that about 25% of the Medway cohort is assessed as suitable: it was 481 in 2025 and 482 in 2024. In 2025, 3,984 children took the test, including 2,118 Medway pupils, and 956 Medway pupils were assessed as eligible.
There is no resit, no re-marking and no appeal against the marks. Chatham Grammar also accepts children assessed as suitable through the Kent Test.
Dates for September 2027 entry
- โ 18 May to 12 June 2026: registration
- โ 15 and 16 September 2026: test at Medway primary and junior schools
- โ 19 or 20 September 2026: test at a Medway test centre for other children
- โ Wednesday 14 October 2026: results, by email after 10am
- โ 31 October 2026: application deadline; offers on 1 March 2027
Preparing for the Medway Test
- โ English is only 30 minutes: practise short comprehensions with punctuation and grammar questions
- โ Maths gets 50 minutes, the longest paper, so build stamina as well as accuracy
- โ Reasoning has four short non-verbal and spatial sections and a 25-minute verbal section; practise each timing
- โ Use only GL Assessment's own familiarisation material as the official guide to the format
For September 2028 entry
Based on the 2026 pattern, expect registration from mid-May to mid-June 2027, tests in mid-September 2027 and results in mid-October.
FAQs
What is the Medway Test pass mark?๏ผ
It is set each year so about 25% of the Medway cohort qualifies: 481 in 2025 and 482 in 2024.
How long is the Medway Test?๏ผ
Three papers: English 30 minutes, maths 50 minutes and reasoning 45 minutes of timed test.
Can my child sit the Medway Test on another date?๏ผ
No. The council allocates one date and there is no alternative, even if it clashes with another test.
When are Medway Test results?๏ผ
Wednesday 14 October 2026, by email after 10am.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on 2026-10-13.
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