The Kent Test, in plain English
Kent has more state grammar schools than any other county in England — 32 of them, spread across the county from Sevenoaks in the west to Folkestone and Dover in the east. Entry to all of them runs through one county-wide test: the PESE Test (Procedure for Entry to Secondary Education), commonly called the Kent Test.
The test is commissioned by Kent County Council from GL Assessment, who supply the papers. It's sat in early September of Year 6 — yes, that early — and results come back to families in mid-October, ahead of the secondary-school application deadline at the end of October.
Paper format
Two papers, both multiple-choice on separate answer sheets:
- English / Reasoning paper — about an hour. A reading comprehension followed by mixed Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning questions. The reasoning questions cover the standard GL types: cloze, antonyms, analogies, codes, sequences, rotations, mirror images.
- Maths paper — about an hour. KS2-level arithmetic, problem-solving, ratio, proportion, geometry, time and money. Calculator not allowed.
Borderline cases (children whose scores fall just below the headline threshold) are referred to a head-teacher panel review, which considers a sample of the child's English writing from school plus any context provided by the primary head. A small number of panel-reviewed cases are reassessed as grammar-suitable each year.
Named grammar schools
Kent's grammars are organised regionally. The most over-subscribed — where pass mark alone isn't enough and children typically need to score well above the threshold to secure a place — include:
- Tonbridge / Tunbridge Wells — Tonbridge Grammar, The Judd School, Skinners, Weald of Kent.
- Dartford / Gravesham — Dartford Grammar, Dartford Grammar (Girls), Wilmington, Gravesend Grammar.
- Maidstone — Maidstone Grammar, Maidstone Grammar (Girls), Invicta.
- Canterbury / Faversham / Whitstable — Simon Langton Grammar (Boys), Simon Langton Grammar (Girls), Queen Elizabeth's, Barton Court, Highsted.
- Folkestone / Dover — Folkestone School (Girls), Harvey Grammar, Dover Grammar.
Each school's individual oversubscription policy matters — geographic catchment, sibling rules, looked-after status, and (for some) a school-specific score above the standard Kent Test pass mark.
How tutoring usually works in Kent
Most Kent families start prep around 12-18 months out — early Year 5. The pattern that works for most children:
- Months 1-3 — diagnostic and foundations. Make sure KS2 Maths and English fundamentals are solid (times tables fluent, written methods automatic, reading comprehension at age-appropriate level). Introduce VR and NVR question types gently.
- Months 4-9 — pattern familiarity. Work through topic-specific practice (GL-style VR and NVR question types one at a time, not mixed papers yet). Build speed per question type. Practise creative writing pieces for the panel-review samples.
- Months 10-12 — timed papers. Mock tests under exam-like conditions to build stamina and identify any panic points. Address timing strategies (which question types to skip first if running short, etc).
Tutoring once a week with structured home practice between sessions tends to outperform either no home practice (gains plateau) or daily intensive prep (children burn out before September).
Choosing a Kent 11+ tutor
A tutor specialising in Kent will typically have prepared students for at least a couple of consecutive years' Kent Tests, will be familiar with the GL paper structure, and will know which grammar schools have which oversubscription policies. In your first message:
- Ask which Kent grammars they've successfully prepared students for in the last two years.
- Ask about their approach to the panel-review writing piece (it matters for borderline candidates).
- Check whether they teach all four areas (Maths / Comprehension / VR / NVR) or specialise.
- Ask how they balance topic-specific practice vs full timed papers across the year.
Use Tutorperch messaging (free, no commitment) to chat with tutors before you commit. Once you've found a fit, paying the £20 to unlock contact details lets you arrange lessons directly with no further platform fees.