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. Children who do not pass the test would not be able to apply for a place at grammar school.

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 will sit one verbal and one non verbal reasoning paper, and one maths and writing paper.

The verbal reasoning paper takes 50 minutes, the non-verbal 40 minutes. The maths and writing papers both take one hour each.  The answer sheets for all but the writing are multiple-choice.

How the test is marked?

Your child's multiple choice test paper will be 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 score very high on the test, the pass mark would be higher. If lots of children score very low, the pass mark would be lower.

The pass mark can also be adjusted very slightly to allow for a child's age when they take the test, as some children in Year 6 can be almost a year older than other children in Year 6, depending on their date of birth.

How to apply for your child to take the test?

Registration for the Kent test closed at midnight on Friday 2 July.

When the test will be?

Kent children will take the test on 14/15 September 2010. Children from outside Kent will take the test on 18 September 2010.

When you will get the results?

We will send you a letter telling you whether or not your child has passed on 18 October 2010.  If you registered online, you will also be sent an e mail after 4pm on 18 October 2010.