Thinking about a grammar school in Bexley, South London for your child? This guide walks you through how the system works, key dates for entry, and how to support your child through the 11+.
In this guide, you’ll find:
How the Bexley grammar school system works
Key 11+ dates and deadlines for 2027 entry
Which schools use the Bexley Selection Test
What your child will be tested on
How the exam is scored and how places are allocated
Practical ways to support your child’s 11+ preparation
Which schools use the Bexley Selection Test?
There are four grammar schools in Bexley. They all use the same 11+ test. This is known as the Bexley Selection Test.
More information about the upcoming 2026 Bexley Selection Test will be coming soon.
Sunday 1st March 2026: The Bexley Selection Testregistration opens
Tuesday 21st March 2026: The Bexley Selection Test registration closes
Early-mid September 2026: Bexley test dates
Mid-October 2026: parents receive test results
Saturday 31st October 2026: secondary school common application deadline
Monday 1st March 2027: national school offers day
Dates can vary, so always check with your target schools.
What is the Bexley Selection Test?
The Bexley Selection Test is an academic exam taken in Year 6, in September. It is used for admissions for Bexley grammar schools. If your child is at a Bexley primary school, they take it at their school. If not, they go to one of the grammar schools or an assigned site.
All four grammar schools in the borough use the Bexley Selection Test. This means that your child only needs to take the test once, even if they’re applying to two or more grammar schools in the borough.
If your child is also applying for a grammar school in Bromley, Kent or Medway, they will need to take a separate exam in addition to the Bexley Selection Test. Find out more information about these exams:
The Bexley Selection Test consists of two test papers which are provided by GL Assessment
Each paper lasts approximately 50 minutes, plus time for instructions and practice questions. All the questions in the Bexley Selection Test are multiple-choice.
Both papers are divided into smaller, individually-timed sections. Each paper includes a mixture of questions in:
English comprehension: how well your child can understand, interpret, and analyse written text
Maths: Key Stage 2 content taught up to the end of Year 5
Verbal reasoning: using logic to solve problems with written information, like letters, words, symbols and numbers
Non-verbal reasoning: using logic to solve problems with visual information, such as diagrams, shapes and pictures
Is your child ready for the 11+?
See where they stand in minutes. Atom’s free 11+ baseline tests give you an instant breakdown of their strengths and gaps. Know exactly what to focus on next and start preparing with direction, not uncertainty.
After the test, your child’s papers will be sent to GL Assessment for marking.
First, each paper is marked to provide a 'raw' score. This is the sum of your child's marks for correct answers.
Next, each raw score is age-standardised based on your child's age in years and months at the time of taking the test. This ensures that younger children are not disadvantaged because of their age.
Your child will be given an age-standardised score for each of the three main subject areas:
Verbal ability (verbal reasoning and comprehension)
Numerical ability (maths)
Non-verbal ability (non-verbal reasoning)
They will also receive one total age-standardised score that will be used to decide whether they meet the standard for your chosen school. The total score is weighted by following this formula:
50% of the verbal ability score + 25% of the numerical ability score + 25% of the non-verbal ability score
Achieving a total weighted standardised score of 200 indicates that the child is at an average academic level for their year group.
What's the pass mark for the Bexley Selection Test?
There is no specified pass mark for the Bexley Selection Test. Each of the four grammar schools has 180 places available in Year 7. The 180 children with the highest scores applying to each grammar school will be eligible for a place at that school.
The Bexley Selection Test is competitive. Around 30% of children who take the test achieve a mark high enough to be considered for a grammar school place in the borough.
How to apply to Bexley grammar schools
If you're considering a Bexley grammar school for your child, it's a good idea to speak to your child's teacher first. Once you're confident your child is working at the standard needed to keep up in a grammar environment, you will need to:
After you've registered your child, you'll receive a test invitation. This will tell you where and when your child is due to sit the test. This will either be at their primary school or at a testing centre.
If you are considering grammar schools outside Bexley, remember to register for their exams too.
2. Apply for school places
You will be sent your child's results in mid-October.
Before listing a school on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible. The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 5pm on 31st October 2026.
3. National offers day
On Monday 1st March 2027, you will find out which school your child has been allocated a place at. They will be allocated a place at your highest-preferred school if they meet the entry criteria and if it has places available.
If your child was not allocated a place at your first-choice school, you have the right to appeal the decision. You should contact your child’s headteacher to discuss whether a review request can or should be made.
How can I help my child prepare for the Bexley Selection Test?
The 11 plus exam is designed to be challenging. Here are our top tips to help your child prepare for the Bexley Selection Test.
Stay on track with a clear Bexley Selection Test revision plan
One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.
A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.
Atom’s exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child’s target schools and exam dates, and we’ll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they’ll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.
That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.
Build 11+ exam technique with realistic practice papers
As your child’s knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.
Atom’s 11+ practice papers are exact replicas of real 11+ exams. They’re also unlimited – you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.
We’ve made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child’s answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child’s standardised age score (SAS), where they’re doing well, and what they should focus on next. You’ll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.
Encourage regular reading
Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.
Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.
Over time, regular reading will:
broaden their vocabulary
improve comprehension and inference
build confidence in tackling unseen texts
And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.
Looking for inspiration? Atom’s recommended reading lists have suggestions spanning fiction and non-fiction for Years 3–6.
Celebrate progress, not just scores
When you’re supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they’re moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.
Atom’s progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they’re moving in. You can see where they’re on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.
That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
Take control of your child’s 11+ preparation.
Not sure if your child is on track for the grammar school 11+? You don’t need to guess what to cover or whether they’re ready. Atom shows you exactly what to practise each week and how they’re performing, so you can stay ahead of the process without the stress.
This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your website experience and provide more personalized services to you, both on this website and through other media. To find out more about the cookies we use, see our Privacy Policy.
