Kent Test results and
school appeals.

Two different outcomes

Begin with the assessment wording and the three standardised scores in the result. The Kent Test score guide explains those figures. Keep the result with each named school’s admission arrangements for September 2027 entry.

Headteacher assessment is a different stage. Kent’s test process can include assessment by a local headteacher panel, with the writing exercise among the material available. It is not the parent’s independent school admission appeal. Read the official test guidance if you are trying to understand how the assessment was reached.

What to do, and when

The Kent appeals timetable lists the following dates for 2027 entry. Check the refusal letter for the route and deadlines that apply to your named school.

Test result15 October 2026

Save the assessment and scoresUse the 2026 test threshold when published. The previous year’s qualifying total is not the current standard.

Secondary application31 October 2026

Apply through your home authorityName the schools you want considered and include realistic alternatives. Test registration does not replace the application.

Offer day1 March 2027

Read the offer and any refusalKeep the offered place and request the appeal instructions for each school you want to challenge.

On-time appeal13 April 2027

Kent’s published secondary deadlineSubmit through the specified process and retain the acknowledgement. Check the additional-evidence deadline separately.

Do not wait for the outcome of an informal enquiry if it risks missing the appeal deadline. If you did not name the school on the CAF, ask how to apply before assuming there is a refusal to appeal.

Preparing your Kent appeal

The panel considers the particular school and child, so give each document a purpose. A narrow score gap does not automatically establish academic suitability, and a qualifying result does not automatically outweigh a school’s capacity case.

1. The assessment and any review informationKeep the complete result and relevant correspondence. Ask what records are available if the assessment process is part of your concern.
2. Academic evidence, if qualification is at issueUse relevant reports and school information to explain the required standard. If you describe exceptional circumstances, connect them to the test and support them appropriately.
3. The policy and refusalIdentify the exact admissions rule. For an alleged error, explain the fact that was wrong and how applying the rule correctly would have changed the offer.
4. Reasons for this schoolExplain the provision or circumstances that matter to your child, with evidence where relevant. General praise of a school does little to explain that individual need.

The DfE guidance explains the academic and oversubscription issues. Use the evidence and hearing checklist to organise the written case and questions.

Offers and waiting lists

Kent confirms that accepting the offered place does not affect the appeal. Follow waiting-list instructions separately; an appeal does not replace a request to join or remain on a list.

For a refused grammar place, start with the school’s official instructions via the Kent school contacts. School profiles include Dartford Grammar, Dartford Grammar School for Girls, The Judd School, Tonbridge Grammar, Invicta and Weald of Kent.

If an appeal succeeds, follow the admission instructions and tell the original school when its place is no longer needed. If it does not, keep the existing place secure while considering any continuing waiting list.