Every 11 plus season has the same rhythm. A registration window opens, parents share the link, and the form starts to feel like the main task. But the form is only useful if the school thinking behind it is already clear.
On 6 June 2026, some routes for September 2027 entry are already live or closed. Kent registration is open until 1 July 2026. CSSE registration closes at 5pm on 19 June 2026. Bexley registration closed at midnight on 31 March 2026.
That spread is exactly why one national “11 plus registration” moment is a risky assumption. Use the 11 plus timeline for parents with the route pages that match your school list.
Missed check 1: the route may not match the school name in your head
The school a parent remembers is not always on the route they assume.
For example, a Kent plan should start with Kent grammar schools and the Kent Test dates. An Essex plan may need the CSSE 11 plus dates and a separate check for Chelmsford County High School for Girls. A Bexley plan needs the Bexley Selection Test dates and the four Bexley school policies.
Before registration, write the route beside each school. If that column is blank, the list is not ready.
Missed check 2: access arrangements can have their own deadline
Parents often leave access arrangements too late because they are not thinking of them as registration work.
Kent tells parents to speak to the child’s primary school SENCO before registering if disability or special educational needs may affect access to testing, and says requests are not accepted after 1 July 2026. Bexley says special arrangement requests and registration are separate, and parents still had to register online between 1 and 31 March 2026.
The useful question is not “Can we sort this later?” It is “Which adult or team has to act before the route deadline?”
Missed check 3: registration does not apply for the school place
The 11 plus route and the school application are separate jobs. GOV.UK tells parents applying for secondary school places to apply through the local council and list schools in order of preference.
That means a registered child still needs the school listed later if the family wants it considered. It also means a parent should not register for a route without asking whether any school on that route would actually make the preference form.
The grammar school CAF strategy guide is the better read once the school list starts to look like a real application.
Missed check 4: one extra test can add more than one extra date
Parents sometimes add another 11 plus route because the form is open and the school sounds appealing. The hidden cost is not only the test day. It is the registration deadline, preparation style, result interpretation, open evening, school policy, journey and later CAF decision.
That does not mean one route is always enough. It means every extra route should earn its place. If you are considering multiple routes, read can my child sit more than one 11 plus exam? and how many 11 plus routes is too many? before the calendar fills up.
A better registration-prep list
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Route beside every school
Write Kent, CSSE, Bexley, Sutton, Bucks or another route next to each named school before registering.
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Official page saved
Save the council, consortium or school page that owns the date. Do not rely on screenshots.
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Support needs checked
If access arrangements may be needed, speak to the primary school or named official contact early.
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CAF realism checked
Ask whether the school could realistically sit on the local authority application later in the year.
Official sources checked
This briefing uses Kent County Council Kent Test registration, the CSSE official website, London Borough of Bexley Selection Test information, and GOV.UK school admissions guidance, checked on 6 June 2026.
What to do next
Use this article to narrow the shortlist
Follow the guide, route page, or comparison path that helps you make the next decision while the shortlist is still manageable.