Kent Test registration for children starting secondary school in September 2027 is open now. Kent County Council says registration opened on Monday 1 June 2026 and closes on Wednesday 1 July 2026.
That July deadline is the important one. Before registering, families need to know which Kent schools are realistic enough to keep researching, whether the journey works, and how the child will still need to be named on the secondary school application later in the year.
Kent Test dates at a glance
| Kent Test event for 2027 entry | Official date |
|---|---|
| Registration opened | Monday 1 June 2026 |
| Registration closes | Wednesday 1 July 2026 |
| Test day for pupils attending a Kent primary school | Thursday 10 September 2026 |
| Test days for pupils not attending a Kent primary school | Weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026 |
| Results day | Thursday 15 October 2026 |
Source checked on 6 June 2026: Kent County Council Kent Test registration page.
Who the 2026 Kent Test is for
Kent County Council says children currently in Year 5 who were born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 can take the Kent Test in 2026 for secondary transfer in September 2027.
The Kent Test is for Kent grammar schools. It is not the same as the Bexley Selection Test, the Medway Test, or another grammar school route. If you are comparing more than one route, keep a separate date list for each one.
Good Kent starting points on Grammar School Hub are:
- Kent grammar schools for the county route and school list
- Kent grammar schools guide for local clusters such as Dartford, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and East Kent
- Kent Test score explained for result wording and what a Kent score can and cannot tell you
What to check before 1 July 2026
Do not use registration as a substitute for choosing schools carefully. Use the closing date to force three practical checks.
- Check the named schools. Open profiles for schools such as Dartford Grammar School, The Judd School, Tonbridge Grammar School, Invicta Grammar School or The Skinners’ School only if they fit the same real Kent route.
- Check the journey. Kent is a large county. A school that belongs in a ranking may not belong in your weekday timetable.
- Check the admissions rule. Kent County Council warns that being grammar assessed does not guarantee a place. You still need to read the admissions arrangements for each school.
Access arrangements
Kent says families need to discuss disability or special educational needs that may affect testing with the child’s primary school SENCO before registering. Requests for access arrangements are not accepted after 1 July 2026.
That makes the registration deadline more than an online-form deadline. If your child may need adjustments, speak to the primary school before the final week.
What happens after results day
Kent Test results are due on Thursday 15 October 2026. A suitable-for-grammar result should then be read with the school admissions policy, the journey, and the secondary school application deadline.
Use how to compare grammar schools if the result leaves several Kent options open. Use grammar school admissions explained if you need to separate the test result from the local authority application.