The Kent test (eleven-plus)
Because we have grammar schools
in Kent, children can take a test called the Kent test or
eleven-plus.
This test is taken by children in Year 6 at primary school who
will be going to secondary school the following September, and if
they pass, they will have the option of applying to go to a Kent
grammar school. A grammar school can only offer a place to a child
who has a grammar school assessment. Passing the Kent test does not
guarantee that your child will be offered a grammar school place.
Grammar schools can become over-subscribed in the same way as other
schools.
Kent test papers
Children sit a Verbal Reasoning paper, a Non-Verbal Reasoning
paper and a Mathematics paper. They also complete a writing
exercise.
The Verbal Reasoning paper takes 50 minutes, the Non-Verbal
about 40 minutes. The Mathematics paper and the writing exercise
each take one hour. The answer sheets for all but the writing
are multiple-choice.
How is the test marked?
Your child's multiple choice test papers are marked along with
all the others by an automated marking machine. The pass mark is
different every year. We set it depending upon the range of results
children get. If lots of children scored very highly on the test,
the pass mark would be higher. If lots of children got very low
scores, the pass mark would be lower.
The pass mark is adjusted very slightly to allow for a child's
age when they take the test. This is done through a statistical
process called standardisation, which ensures that a child’s
results are compared with the performance of other children the
same age.
How do I apply for my child to take the test?
To take part in this year's Kent test children
needed to be registered between 1 June and 1 July 2011 if they were
seeking a grammar school place for September 2012 – for more
information read
Transfer to Secondary School September 2012
How to register
Registration for the 2011 test has now closed. If you have moved
to Kent since registration closed and you want more advice about
admission to Year 7 of a grammar school in 2012, you can use the
following link to contact the Secondary Admissions
Team or ring them on 01622 696565.
Test dates
Testing for children attending Kent primary schools took place
on 13 and 14 September 2011.
Testing for children who do not attend a Kent primary school
took place on 10 September (practice test) and 17 September (actual
test).
Medway, Bexley and Bromley are separate Local Authorities and
have their own assessment process and timetable.
When will I get the results?
We will post you a letter telling you whether or not your child
has been assessed suitable for grammar school on 17 October 2011.
The letter should arrive on 18 October. If you registered online,
you will also be sent an e mail after 4pm on 17 October 2011.
Find out more about the Secondary Transfer Process