A guide for parents
The Kent Test, explained.
The Kent Test is Kent’s 11+: the assessment for a place at one of the county’s grammar schools. Children sit it in early September, at the start of Year 6. Here is how it is put together, and how it is scored.
Two papers, and a writing task.
Paper 1 — Reasoning
About an hour- Verbal reasoning: a 10-minute practice, then a 20-minute test.
- Non-verbal and spatial reasoning: short sections of 4–5 minutes each, each with an untimed practice led by the invigilator.
Paper 2 — English and Maths
About an hour- English: 25 minutes, plus 5 minutes’ practice.
- Maths: 25 minutes, plus 5 minutes’ practice. It covers what is taught up to the start of Year 6, with a few harder questions that apply familiar skills to something new.
The writing task
40 minutes- One piece of creative writing, including 10 minutes to plan.
- It is not scored. It is kept for the headteacher panel, which looks at it if a child’s result is borderline or appealed.
Everything that is scored is multiple choice, answered on a separate answer sheet that is marked by computer. The order of the sections can change from year to year.
What each part tests.
- Verbal reasoning
- Words and letters: closest and opposite meanings, odd ones out, letter and number codes, letter and number series, hidden and missing words, word analogies, and reading information carefully.
- Non-verbal reasoning
- Shapes and patterns: completing a series, odd one out, matrices, rotation and reflection, and shape codes.
- Spatial reasoning
- Seeing in 3D: shapes hidden inside other shapes, nets of cubes, paper folding, and plans and elevations.
- English
- A comprehension passage with numbered lines (questions refer to the lines), choosing the word that best completes a sentence, and spotting spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes.
- Maths
- Place value, the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages, ratio, angles and shape, area, perimeter and volume, simple algebra, time, money and measures, and statistics and probability.
See one worked example of each type in the free practice questions.
How it is scored.
Results come as three age-standardised scores — English, Maths and Reasoning — plus a total. Standardising takes a child’s age into account, so the youngest children in the year are not at a disadvantage. Kent sets the standard needed each year; check Kent County Council’s guidance for your child’s year.
Common questions.
When is the Kent Test taken?
In early September, at the start of Year 6. Registration happens earlier, usually in the summer term of Year 5; Kent County Council publishes the exact dates for each year.
Is the writing task marked?
No. It is not scored. It is kept for the headteacher panel, which looks at it if a child’s result is borderline or appealed.
Does the Kent Test include spatial reasoning?
Yes. Paper 1 covers verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning. Spatial questions ask children to picture shapes in 3D — nets, folding and hidden shapes.
How are the answers marked?
Everything that is scored is multiple choice. Children mark their answers on a separate answer sheet, which is marked by computer, so it helps to practise with a separate sheet too.
How is the Kent Test scored?
Results come as three age-standardised scores — English, Maths and Reasoning — plus a total. Standardising takes a child’s age into account, so the youngest in the year are not at a disadvantage. Kent sets the standard needed each year.
Free · no account needed
See where your child stands.
A 20-minute diagnostic across Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with an estimated standardised score for each and where to start.
Start the free diagnostic →