This article explains everything you need to know about the 11+ Kent Test, including:

• A complete breakdown of the actual exam timings and question types
• Sample Kent 11+ questions for all subjects
• Expert tips and suggestions on how to prepare your child to pass the test with flying colours!

What is the Kent Test?

The Kent Test is an examination used to assess whether Year 7 grammar school entry is a suitable option for your child. It is used by most, but not all, of the 35 wholly selective and 4 partially selective grammar schools in the region.

When is the Kent Test taken?

The Kent exam is taken by students at the beginning of Year 6. This year, the test will be held on 7th September 2017 for students who go to school in Kent. It will be taken on 9th September 2017 by students who go to school outside of Kent.

How many candidates take the Kent Test?

Unfortunately, there are far more applications than places available at Kent grammar schools. In 2015, 14,486 students took the test and 6,259 passed. In 2016, 15,253 students took the test and 6,537 passed. The demand for places and number of applicants increases yearly.

What is covered in the Kent Test?

The examination consists of three separate assessments:

Section 1: This exam is 1 hour long and tests Reasoning. It is broken into three shorter sections addressing Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Section 2: This exam is 1 hour long and tests English and Mathematics.

Section 3: A writing task of 40 minutes, including 10 minutes of planning time. This is not marked and only used by Headteachers in borderline assessment cases.

Sections 1 and 2 of the Kent Test are multiple-choice examinations. Each question will have 5 answer choices and your child will need to mark their responses on a separate answer sheet. Your child will need to draw a line through the correct answer on a grid like this:

What is Verbal Reasoning and how is it tested in the Kent 11+ exam?

Verbal Reasoning questions can contain words, letters and numbers and assess the relationship amongst and between them.

The Kent 11 plus Verbal Reasoning assessment begins with a timed 10-minute practice section. This will be followed by a 20-minute Verbal Reasoning exam. There will be roughly 32 questions in this section, which means students will have around 40 seconds to answer each question. Speed is, therefore, of the essence!

The Verbal Reasoning exam will contain various different question types. For example, it may contain 4 different types of VR problems, each tested with 8 questions.

Here are a few example 11+ Verbal Reasoning questions:

What is Non-Verbal Reasoning and how is it tested in the Kent 11+ exam?

Non-Verbal Reasoning questions assess the relationships between shapes, such as their similarities, differences and sequence.

The Kent 11 plus exam contains a series of short NVR tests, each lasting 4-5 minutes. There will most likely be 3 short NVR subtests in total. Each subtest will focus on a different question type and be preceded by an untimed practice section. There will be 8-10 questions in each section, so your child will have roughly 30 seconds to answer each question.

Becoming familiar with the question types beforehand is the key to success. We’ve included a few sample questions below:

Analogy

Codes

Sequences

Odd One Out

What is Spatial Reasoning and how is it tested in the Kent 11+ exam?

Spatial Reasoning assesses how well a student can manipulate shapes and space in their head.

The 11+ Kent Test contains a series of short Spatial Reasoning tests, each lasting 4-5 minutes. There will probably be 2 Spatial Reasoning subtests. Each of them will focus on a different type of skill and will have an untimed practice section preceding it. There will be between 8 and 10 questions in each subtest, giving the student about 30 seconds to answer each question.

Below you will find an example of each of the two main Spatial Reasoning question types that may be used in the Kent 11 plus test:

Figure Recognition

Figure Analysis

How is Mathematics tested in the 11 plus Kent test?

The Maths test in the Kent 11+ exam is 25 minutes long and is preceded by a 5-minute practice section. It will most likely contain 25 questions, so your child will have 1 minute to answer each question. The test will cover topics learnt up to the beginning of Year 6 but will also contain a series of more trickier problems.

Here are a few sample Maths questions that are at the Kent 11+ standard:

How is English tested in the 11 plus Kent test?

The English test begins with a 5-minute practice section followed by a 25-minute exam. The test will most likely contain 24 or 25 questions, so your child will roughly have 1 minute to answer each question.

The Kent 11+ English exam will contain a short reading comprehension. Your child will need to read a passage and answer a series of questions based on it. There will also be questions that test Cloze skills, where the student must choose which word best completes a sentence, as well as questions that test spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Here are a few sample 11+ Kent style English questions:

What can I do to help my child pass the Eleven Plus Kent Test?

As with most things in life, practice makes perfect! The Kent exam is time pressured and the key to doing well is answering the questions quickly and accurately. The best way to increase speed and accuracy is to familiarise your child with the content of the test and the various question types they will have to deal with. This way, they will approach the exam with confidence as they will know what to expect and what is expected of them.

How can Exam Papers Plus help?

We produce highly accurate and effective exam practice papers and have an excellent track record in helping children succeed in their 11+ exams. Our range of tried and tested resources will help your child ace the Kent 11 plus exam!

Keep reading for our specialist recommendations.

Recommendations: Verbal Reasoning

We’ve created 2 Verbal Reasoning Packs that each contain 4 full-length practice papers. These include examples of all the various different question types that could come up in the Kent 11+ Test. The practice tests are timed (equating to 40 seconds per question) so your child can get used to dealing with these types of questions under time pressure, just like they will need to in the Kent examination. Answers included. Available for immediate download so you can start your preparation right away.

Click on these packs to learn more and buy:

Recommendations: Non-Verbal Reasoning

We’ve created a Non-Verbal Reasoning Pack that contains 3 full-length practice papers. This pack covers all of the question types that could come up in the Kent 11+ Test. The practice tests are timed (equating to 30 seconds per question) and broken down into small sections, exactly like in the Kent Test. Answers and answer sheets of the same style as in the Kent Test are included. Available for immediate download so you can start your preparation right away.