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How to apply to The Harvey Grammar School
The Harvey Grammar School is selective. This means that your child will need to take an 11+ exam to be eligible for a place.
In Kent, the 11+ is known as the Kent Test. All grammar schools in Kent use this test to select children for Year 7 places. If you would like your child to be considered for a place at more than one grammar school in Kent, they will only need to take the Kent Test once.
The Harvey Grammar School also runs its own separate entrance assessment called the Shepway Test. To be considered for a place at Harvey specifically, your child will need to sit this test as well as the Kent Test.
Registering for both tests
Both registration windows open on Monday 1st June 2026.
- Register your child for the Kent Test first. This must be done by midnight on Wednesday 1st July 2026.
- Then register separately for the Shepway Test using the online application form on the school's admissions page. This must be done by 9am on Friday 3rd July 2026.
The Kent Test will take place on Thursday 10th September 2026 for pupils in Kent primary schools. The Shepway Test takes place on the morning of Saturday 12th September 2026 — the same day as the Kent Test for pupils not in Kent primary schools.
Your child's results will be emailed to you by Kent Secondary Admissions in October 2026. If they meet the qualifying standard, you can apply for a place by naming the school on your common application form. This must be submitted to your local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.
Important note: passing the test doesn't guarantee that your child will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Grammar schools are often oversubscribed with children who meet the qualifying standard. After the 31st October deadline, schools use admissions criteria to allocate places.
We've outlined the process for The Harvey Grammar School below.
What will my child be tested on?
Children applying to The Harvey Grammar School will sit two assessments: the Kent Test, taken by all children applying to grammar schools in Kent, and the Shepway Test, which is specific to Harvey.
Both tests cover the same subject areas: English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
The Kent Test is made up of two multiple-choice papers and a short writing task. It's designed to assess your child's skills in English, maths and reasoning and to help grammar schools identify potential.
Each paper lasts around an hour, and your child will mark their answers on a separate answer sheet which gets marked electronically.
Here's what to expect:
Paper 1: English and maths
This paper is split into two 30-minute sections — one testing English and one testing maths. Each section includes a short 5-minute practice activity followed by a 25-minute test. The practice section isn't marked; it just helps your child get familiar with the questions.
What's in the English section?
The English section is mainly made up of a reading comprehension task. There are also questions that check your child's grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. These might include:
- Choosing the best word to complete a sentence
- Spotting spelling or grammar mistakes
- Finding synonyms or antonyms
What's in the maths section?
Your child will be tested on what they've learned in school in maths up to the start of Year 6. They should feel confident with:
- Times tables
- The four operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing)
- Fractions, decimals and percentages
- Ratio
- Area, perimeter and measurements
Some of the questions might feel more challenging than usual. This is so your child can show how they use their knowledge to solve new types of problems.
Paper 2: Reasoning
This paper focuses on verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning and lasts around an hour, including the practice sections.
These topics aren't usually taught in school. They're included in the test to measure your child's potential, not just what they've learned so far.
Verbal reasoning
This checks how well your child can solve problems using words, letters and numbers. For example, they might be asked to spot patterns in sequences or choose words with similar meanings.
Non-verbal reasoning
This section uses shapes, diagrams and patterns. Your child will need to spot similarities and differences, complete sequences, and identify how shapes relate to each other. The non-verbal reasoning section is split into shorter sections, each timed and administered individually.
Both the verbal and non-verbal reasoning sections are roughly the same length.
Creative writing task
All children also complete a short creative writing exercise. This isn't marked as part of the main test, but it might be used if your child's results are reviewed by a headteacher panel. 40 minutes is allowed for the writing task, including 10 minutes for planning.
