Applying for secondary school

Kent parents will be able to name up to 4 secondary school preferences, before the deadline closes at the start of November 2023.

It is important to find information about the schools you're interested in. See 'choose a school' information on www.kent.gov.uk The following website will take you to the KCC page - applying for secondary school places. https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/secondary-school-places and applications will open in September 2023.

If your child is assessed as suitable for grammar school, any Kent grammar school you apply for will consider your application, but this does not guarantee your child will be offered a place. If more children qualify for places than it has space for, the school must use its admissions criteria to decide which children to offer places to. If your child is not offered a place at a grammar school because it is full you can put their name on the school's school's waiting list. You can also appeal to explain why you think the school should admit your child even though it is full.

If your child was not tested or was not assessed as suitable for a Kent grammar school, you can still apply for a Kent grammar school but your application will be turned down. You will then have the right to appeal to explain why you think grammar school is a suitable option for your child.

Key Dates for Secondary Transition

1st June 2023	Registration for the Kent Grammar Test (11+) opens
1st July 2023 (midnight)	Registration for the Kent Grammar Test closes
1st September 2023	Applications for secondary transfer opens (tbc)
8th September 2023	Test date for Kent Primary Schools Grammar Test
18th October 2023	Kent Assessment decisions emailed to parents after 4pm, letter posted first class
1st November 2023	National closing date (tbc) for Secondary Application Forms (SCAF)
tbc March 2024	National Offer Day (school places allocated emailed to parents after 4pm, letters posted first class)
tbc March 2024	Deadline for parents to confirm acceptance or refusal of the offered school place
tbc March 2024	Deadline for parents to confirm whether or not they want to join a school’s waiting list with their Local Authority
tbc March 2024	Deadline for parents to lodge an appeal with the Local Authority
tbc April 2024	Re-allocation takes place - any places filled from waiting lists.
July 2024	Most secondary schools hold transition days or a transition week (tbc)

Kent Test Registration Leaflet 

Kent Grammar Test (11+) and how to apply

The Kent Test is for children who want to apply for a Year 7 place at a grammar school in the Kent Local Authority area and are either resident in the UK or are children of UK Service Personnel and other Crown Servants returning to the UK. The tests are normally taken by Year 6 pupils who have been entered for the test at the start of the Autumn term. This year the tests will be sat on the 8th September 2023.

Applications can be made on the Kent County Council website below, normally between the 1st June and the 1st July (when your child is in Year 5).

• www.kent.gov.uk/ola

Your child's score

Your child will get 3 standardised scores, one for English, one for Maths and one for Reasoning, and a total (aggregate) score.

Standardisation is a statistical process which compares your child's performance with the average performance of other children in each test. A slight adjustment is made to take account of each child's age so that the youngest are not at a disadvantage. See here for an explanation of threhold scores for 2021. To be given a grammar school assessment in 2021, children needed a total score of 332 or more, with no single score lower than 109. Test scores range from 69 to 141. The highest possible total score is 423.

If your child is disabled or has special educational needs

If your child has a disability or special educational need that may affect the way they access the test, you need to discuss this with Mrs White, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO),  as soon as possible. Any proposal for alternative access requirements must made by the school by 12 July 2024.

When you register your child for the Kent Test online, you will need to confirm if you have discussed a request for access arrangements with your child's school.

Resources for Kent Grammar Test Preparation

Many of the sites want you to purchase materials or sign up but also have many free materials that you can use to help your child familiarise themselves with the test. Please bear in mind that different local authorities have different tests so you need to look at the format of the Kent questions. Look here for the Kent sample materials and further materials and additional familiarisation from GL Assessment:

http://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/14513/Kent-Test-familiarisation-booklet.pdf

https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/products/11plus-series-11-plus-practice-papers/11plus-familiarisation-materials/ 

Eleven Plus Exams

A site with a wide range of advice, tips and links to other sites:

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/

This site also has a guide to say which type of questions are included in the Kent test which can help when you are using free or purchase materials.

Verbal Reasoning: https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/advice/verbal-reasoning/gl-assessment-nfer-vr-question-types

Try the free demo for free non-verbal reasoning questions: https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/free-11-plus-practice-papers/elevenplusexams-non-verbal-reasoning-nvr

Bond Assessment Papers

You will need to register to access the free resources on a tab along the top.

https://www.bond11plus.co.uk/

CGP

https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/Parent/books_11Plus_free_tests

iChild

http://www.ichild.co.uk/tags/browse/127/11-Plus

http://www.ichild.co.uk/activities/view/1223/11-Plus-Practice-Paper-Non-Verbal-Reasoning-Rotation-Questions

Master Brain Academy

Non-verbal reasoning paper with answers

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/assets/102/Master%20Brain%20Academy%20NVR%20Sample%201%2027Nov10.pdf

 

Links to local Secondary Schools

Although there are many schools in Kent, below you will find a list of our feeder schools in Ashford. Please follow the weblinks to go straight to the school's websites. Here, you will be able to find out more about the individual schools. We would encourage you to attend the open days in the Autumn Term (when your child is in Year 6) so you can make an informed decision for your application.

Highworth Grammar School - http://www.highworth.kent.sch.uk/

Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre - http://www.homewood-school.co.uk/

The John Wallis CE Academy - http://www.thejohnwallisacademy.org/

The North School - http://www.north.kent.sch.uk/

Norton Knatchbull School - http://www.nks.kent.sch.uk/

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre - http://www.towers.kent.sch.uk/

Wye Free School - http://www.wyeschool.org.uk/