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How to apply to Weald of Kent Grammar School
Weald of Kent Grammar School is selective. This means that your child will need to take the Kent Test to be eligible for a place.
In Kent, all grammar schools use the Kent 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 test once.
You must register your child for the Kent Test. A link to register will be available on the participating schools' websites during the registration window.
The Kent Test will take place on Thursday 10th September 2026 for pupils in Kent primary schools and Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September 2026 for pupils not in Kent primary schools. You'll be emailed details about the test location, time, and what your child needs to bring before the exam.
Your child's results will be emailed to you on Thursday 15th 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. Grammar schools are often oversubscribed with children who meet the qualifying standard. After the 31st October deadline, schools use admissions criteria to allocate places.
The Weald Grammar Assessment
In addition to the Kent Test, Weald of Kent also offers its own optional assessment — the Weald Grammar Assessment. This gives girls an additional opportunity to demonstrate grammar school suitability specifically for entry to Weald of Kent. The assessment is provided by Quest Assessments.
If your child does not meet the qualifying standard in the Kent Test, passing the Weald Grammar Assessment may still allow them to qualify for a place. Passing both assessments does not give any additional advantage; once a child is deemed grammar-assessed through either route, the same oversubscription criteria apply.
To sit the Weald Grammar Assessment, you must register directly with the school between Monday 1st June 2026 and Friday 10th July 2026. The assessment takes place on Saturday 12th September 2026 at the Tonbridge campus.
Please note: passing either assessment alone does not constitute an application for a school place. You must still name Weald of Kent Grammar School on your common application form and submit it by 31st October 2026.
What will my child be tested on?
The Kent Test
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.
The Weald Grammar Assessment
The Weald Grammar Assessment is provided by Quest Assessments and consists of two one-hour papers, taking place at the Tonbridge campus:
- Paper 1: English (one hour)
- Paper 2: Maths (one hour)
All questions are based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to the end of Year 5. The pass standard corresponds approximately to the top 25% of the age group nationally, in line with the standard of the Kent Test.
