Check registration well before the holidays
Match your child’s intended September Year 7 entry to the correct test cycle. The exam is commonly taken at the start of Year 6, but registration can be much earlier in Year 5.
For example, Bexley’s 2026 registration for September 2027 entry ran from 1 to 31 March. Kent’s ran from 1 June to 1 July. Those dates illustrate why there is no single national registration window; use the newly published timetable for any later cycle.
Read 11+ registration and the CAF if you are unsure which application each form completes.
Make a small route-and-school record
For each test you are considering, record the following:
| Detail | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Schools | Which named schools can use the result |
| Registration | Organiser, deadline and saved confirmation |
| Further steps | Score sharing, separate forms or second-stage tests |
| Test date | Main sitting and rules for clashes or absence |
| Access arrangements | Evidence, request deadline and confirmation process |
Ask your primary school about supporting evidence early. An access-arrangements deadline can precede the general registration deadline, and school staff may need time to prepare information before the holidays.
Check that the school choices are practical
Read the admission policy for the entry year, including academic criteria and any residence or priority rules. Being permitted to sit a test does not establish a realistic prospect of an offer at every participating school.
Book useful open events and try journeys at school times. Include non-selective schools in this research rather than postponing them until after results. A shared test may cover several schools, but their daily journeys and admission rules can be very different.
If several exams are involved, check clashes now. Some organisers explicitly do not provide alternative dates for another 11+ test. See how many routes to consider before adding another sitting.
Finish with confirmations and a balanced summer plan
Check that each registration is complete and acknowledged, and note when test invitations should arrive. Keep contact details current and save the official result and CAF dates when published.
Use relevant familiarisation, reading and ordinary school learning to plan manageable practice. The holidays do not need to become an exam timetable. Preserve rest, activities and family time, and adjust practice to the child’s needs rather than a fixed number of papers.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Is the summer before Year 6 the right time to register for the 11+?
Not for every route. Some registration windows have already closed. Check dates early in Year 5 and use the current test organiser’s timetable.
Does our primary school automatically register our child?
Do not assume so. Automatic registration, where available, is route-specific. Bexley’s 2026 guidance, for example, requires registration even for children attending Bexley primary schools.
Can we request an alternative test day if two exams clash?
Only if the organisers’ rules allow it. A second 11+ test is not automatically an accepted reason for an alternative sitting; check before committing to several routes.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026