The 11+ Exam is an entrance exam that Kent grammar schools require students to take before they can attend their school. A few grammar schools in Kent do not make the 11+ a compulsory requirement, but instead look at each application individually and decide whether or not it would be beneficial for them if the child attended their school.

At present, Kent is the largest grammar school area in the UK, with 35 selective schools and 4 partially selective schools. There are many different types of grammar schools; some focus on particular subjects such as languages while others don’t have any specialities at all. As well as this, there are academies, which may offer vocational courses alongside traditional GCSEs. Here is the list of 35 grammar schools in Kent.
Contents
List of Kent Grammar Schools
Barton Court Grammar School
Borden Grammar School
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
Cranbrook School
Dane Court Grammar School
Dartford Grammar School
Dartford Grammar School for Girls
Dover Grammar School for Boys
Dover Grammar School for Girls
Gravesend Grammar School
Highsted Grammar School
Highworth Grammar School
Invicta Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School
Mayfield Grammar School
Oakwood Park Grammar School
Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School
Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School
Sir Roger Manwood’s School
The Folkestone School for Girls
The Harvey Grammar School
The Judd School
The Norton Knatchbull School
The Skinners’ School
Tonbridge Grammar School
Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School
Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys
Weald of Kent Grammar School
Wilmington Grammar School for Boys
Wilmington Grammar School for Girls
General Information of Kent Grammar Schools
Admission Info – 03000 412121
Website – Kent County Council
Exam Type – GL Assessment
Allocation Policy – Selective
Allocation Date – March
Exam Date – September
Results Date – October
Admissions to Kent Grammar Schools
For a child to get considered for a place in Year 7 at any Kent grammar school, pupils must sit the Kent eleven plus test and achieve the required standard. Parents need to register their children for the 11 plus exam before the deadline. To know more about the 11 plus exam, read our complete guide on the 11 plus exam for parents.
Kent County Council administered the admission to Kent grammar schools, so for more information about the admission process, visit the Kent County Council.
Parents need to fill in the name of their preferred school in their secondary application form (SAF). We suggest parents visit the open events of the school they wish to send their child to, to know more about it and to know whether the school is suitable for their child or not.
How to Register for the Kent Grammar Schools 11 Plus Exam
To register their child for the 11 plus Kent Test, parents need to complete the form through the Kent County Council website www.kent.gov.uk or by calling 03000 412121. Exams are taken in September, and the results are out till October. If you register online, you will receive your child’s result through email, and in that case, you will receive the results sooner.
After parents have received their child’s results they need to submit their Secondary School Common Application Form (CAF), through the kent local authority website.
11 Plus Exam Format of Kent Grammar Schools
The 11 Plus Exam Test in Kent Grammar Schools has two multiple-choice tests-
English and Maths paper
The first paper is one hour long and has multiple choice questions based on English and Maths questions. The English section includes questions that test comprehension and literacy skills. Both the English and Maths section has a five-minute practice exercise and a twenty-five-minute test following it.
Verbal, Non-verbal and Spatial Reasoning
The second test is also for one hour and has multiple-choice questions. The non-verbal reasoning section is divided into four parts that are administered and timed individually.
Apart from these, pupils have to complete a 40-minute writing task. This test will only be marked in borderline cases along with your child’s current school work and achievement to decide whether they are of grammar school ability.
What is included in the 11 Plus Kent Exam
The 11 Plus Exam for Kent Grammar Schools has two tests that cover questions based on English, Maths, Verbal, Non-verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning. To prepare for the 11 Plus Exam, you need to make your child well versed with these topics.
English
The English test contains 24 to 25 questions that need to be solved within 25 minutes. The 5 minutes are given ahead for the practice section means the child has roughly 1 minute to answer each question.
The English Exam will include a short reading comprehension where the child will need to read the passage and answer the number of questions based on it. The questions will also test students spelling, punctuation, and grammar skills. There will also be questions that test cloze skills, where pupils need to choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Maths
The Maths section in the Kent 11 Plus Exam is also 25 minutes long with a 5-minute practice section before. This section also has 25 multiple-choice questions, which gives children to have 1 minute for each question. The questions in this section are based on the KS2 syllabus.
Verbal Reasoning
Verbal reasoning questions are based on words, letters, numbers and the relationship between them. This section is also 30 minutes with a 10-minute practice section followed by the 20-minute verbal reasoning exam. There are 32 questions in this section that gives students 40 seconds to answer each question. This means students need to work on their speed to achieve good marks in this.
Non-verbal Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning questions are based on shapes, sizes, and similarities, differences and sequences between them. The exam contains a series of 3 short NVR subtests. Each of which focuses on a particular type of question. There are about 8 to 10 questions in each of these subtests, which gives students 30 seconds to answer each question.
Spatial Reasoning
Spatial Reasoning includes questions that test how well pupils can manipulate shapes and spaces. There are generally 2 spatial reasoning subtests, each of them being 4 to 5 minutes long. Each of these subtests tests a different type of skill and will have an untimed practice section before it. Both these subsets have 8 to 10 questions, which gives students about 30 seconds to answer each question.
Conclusion paragraph: KidSmart offers a variety of courses that will help you prepare for the Kent 11+ exam, including our online course. Sign up today to get access to 7 days of free lessons!
How to prepare for Kent 11 Plus Exam
The number of applicants for Kent Grammar Schools are more than places available for Year 7 admission, and the number keeps on increasing every year. Approx 14000 to 17000 students sit for the Kent 11 Plus Exam every year. With such fierce competition, it is important to focus on your child’s preparation. KidSmart offers a variety of courses that will help your child prepare for the Kent 11+ exam, including our past papers, Mock Exams, and online courses.
Past Papers
Past papers are the most recommended way to prepare for the 11 plus exam for Kent Grammar Schools. Most of the topics asked in the paper are faced for the first time by most pupils, so for them to perform well, they need to familiarise themselves with the types of questions and how to solve them. Regular practice with these papers helps kids to understand the importance of timing and learn how to complete the entire paper within the given time. Get access to 350+ past papers with detailed answers, performance reports, and online tutor support.
Mock Exam
Mock tests are another great way to measure the strength and weaknesses of your child. It also helps parents to track the progress of their children. Pupils can take 4 to 5 mock tests before their 11+ Kent Test to prepare and perform better for the exam. You can visit our page to know more information about the 11+ mock exams.
Online Tuitions
While preparing for the 11+ Exam for Kent Grammar Schools, there are some topics that kids find hard to learn and understand. At times like these, you can take help from expert tutors. With our online tuitions, you can give your child the expert help to prepare for them for their 11 Plus Kent Test.
Past papers suitable for Kent Grammar School
List of Grammar Schools
For a comprehensive list of Grammar schools, visit the Comprehensive List of Grammar Schools and Consortiums