What is the Bexley Selection Test and why is it necessary?

Grammar schools are academically selective, meaning your child must meet a certain academic standard to be eligible for a place. To find this out, your child must take the Selection Test and achieve the selective test mark that is decided by the Grammar School Head Teachers.

This test is commonly known as the 11 Plus, as children are typically 11 years old when they begin grammar school.

The test assesses verbal ability and English comprehension, numerical reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. Only children who achieve the selective mark will be eligible for consideration for entry to a Grammar School in Bexley.

Contents

1. Introduction

The Bexley Selection Test in September 2026 is for children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 who will start secondary school in September 2027.

By registering your child for the test, you confirm that you have read and accepted all the information provided. The test is open to all children, regardless of where they live, but places are allocated according to each school’s oversubscription criteria.

Secondary schools in Bexley aim to hold their open events in September and October 2025, and the grammar schools will hold at least one open session after the selection test results are published and before the October half term. More details, including the full admissions process, will be available:

• in the Admission to Secondary Schools in Bexley 2026/27 online booklet - published on 1 September 2026
• or, in your home Local Authority’s admissions information, if you do not live in the London Borough of Bexley

To be considered for a place at a Bexley Grammar School through the coordinated secondary application process, your child must:

• achieve the selective standard in the Bexley Selection Test, taken at the beginning of Year 6 (previously known as the 11 plus)
• list one or more Bexley Grammar Schools as preferences on your eAdmissions application

2. Testing of children outside the normal age range

• if a child sits the test outside their normal age group and is not deemed selective, they cannot retake the test until they are in Year 7 of secondary school
• the admission authority for the preferred school decides whether a child can be admitted outside their normal age group
• children sitting the test outside the usual age range are typically in a class one year ahead or behind in primary school
• if your child was not born between 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016, you will not be able to register for the test online and will need to contact the School Admissions Team with your child’s details in order to register your child for the test
• incorrect date of birth on the registration form will result in disqualification from the test

Requests for out-of-age secondary applications must be made in writing (email or letter) to all Bexley schools, which are to be included as preferences on your secondary online application.

Grammar School admission authorities will decide whether the child can be admitted outside their normal age group if deemed selective.

3. Testing after September 2026

• year 6 pupils can only take the test once
• if you move into the area while your child is in Year 6 and you did not register from your previous address before 31 March 2026, your child can be tested for the first time in secondary school
• testing in Years 7, 8, or 9 is available for children attending an all-ability secondary school and achieving the selective standard
• second-time test takers will be tested at the end of each academic year
• for more details, contact your preferred Bexley Grammar School

4. Bexley Grammar Schools and places

Grammar Schools

Bexley has 4 Grammar Schools:

• Beths Grammar School (boys)
• Bexley Grammar School (mixed)
• Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School (mixed)
• Townley Grammar School (girls)

Places

• a single test is used for admission to all four grammar schools
• a total of 800 places will be available across these schools in September 2027.
• achieving the selective standard does not guarantee a grammar school place unless your child is among the top 180 highest scorers
• most places are offered based on the distance between home and school and please check each individual school admission arrangements for 2027/28

5. Grammar School admissions and oversubscription criteria

Grammar schools allocate places based on their oversubscription criteria, with home-to-school distance being a key deciding factor in most cases.

Full admissions policies for each school are available on their respective websites.

If grammar school places remain unfilled after the initial allocation, additional places will be allocated in the following order:

• children who scored one mark below the selective score, ranked according to the school’s oversubscription criteria
• children who scored two marks below, ranked in the same way

6. Registration dates and process

It is your responsibility to register your child online for the Bexley selection test, including if they attend a primary school in Bexley. Public libraries provide internet access if you do not have a computer at home. If you do not have an email address, we recommend creating one through a free provider.

• the online registration site opens on 1 March 2026 and closes at midnight on 31 March 2026
• late registration requests will not be accepted under any circumstances, and there is no appeal process for late applications
• upon submission, you will receive a confirmation email with an application reference number starting with SA so please keep a record of this as you will need this to check your child’s allocated school from 3 August and the result of their selection test in October 2026. Your application is not valid without this confirmation
• if you experience any difficulties with online registration, you can call or email the School Admissions Team for assistance until 5pm on 14 August

7. Requesting special arrangements

There are some special arrangements that can be made, depending on the nature of a child’s need or disability. They must reflect the arrangements that are made within a child’s own school, such as enlarged and coloured paper for a child with a visual impairment or additional time for children whose condition means they work more slowly than others.

• special arrangement requests must be submitted to the child’s school by the parent/carer between 1 March 2026 and the final day of spring term 2026 (March). Once the application has been received, headteachers are required to submit a supplementary form confirming the special arrangements requests align with normal practice to the school
• each request is assessed individually and must include copies of supporting reports from consultants or other professionals
• parents/carers must ensure applications and all supporting evidence are submitted before the deadline
• submitting a request for special arrangements does not register your child for the Bexley Selection Test. Parent or carers must separately register their child for the Bexley Selection Test online between 1 and 31 March 2026
• late applications from parents/carers to request special arrangements after 31 March 2026 will not be accepted and there is no appeal process
• supplementary forms from headteachers will be submitted by 30 April 2026
   

8. Considerations before registering

If you make an error in your registration or have a query regarding it, please do not create multiple applications, instead please email selectiontests@bexley.gov.uk ,and wait for a response.

• the Bexley Selection Test is highly competitive, with approximately 30% of applicants being deemed selective
• each year, Bexley Selection Test registrations are later withdrawn. To avoid unnecessary costs, ensure you genuinely wish your child to take the test and have discussed this decision with them before submitting the registration form
• tests for other Grammar Schools, such as those in Sutton and Medway, may be scheduled on the same dates as the Bexley test. Bexley will not provide alternative test dates to accommodate other exams

9. Test centres and dates

• the test centres are the four Bexley Grammar Schools listed above, held between Monday 7 and Thursday 10 September 2026
• if your child will be sitting the test in their own Bexley primary school, they will sit the test between Tuesday 2 and Thursday 10 September 2026
• you will be able to view your child’s test centre date, time, and location online via the Bexley Selection Test webpage from Monday 3 August 2026. You must have the SA number to view this information
• please contact the School Admissions Team on selectiontests@bexley.gov.uk by Friday 14 August 2026 if you are having trouble looking up your child's Test centre details online, and:
  • you registered your child for the test
  • your child does not attend one of the listed primary schools that manage their own test listed below

10. Familiarisation and practice for the Bexley Selection Test

• familiarisation exercises and information on preparation for the test can be found on the Quest website

Further information can be found via the following links:

• Pupil Information Booklet
• Parent Information Booklet

11. Bexley Selection Test papers

The Bexley Selection Test assesses verbal ability and English comprehension, numerical reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. Both test papers will be taken in the same session.

Quest Assessments is the Bexley Selection Test provider. Achieving a selective standard in the Kent Test or any other selection test will not be considered for the Bexley Selection Test.

12. Test format and structure

• the Bexley Selection Test consists of two separate booklets
• each test is divided into sections, with a set time allocated for each section
• both tests are timed and consist of multiple-choice questions
• each paper lasts approximately 50 minutes, plus additional time for instructions and practice questions
• verbal ability assesses vocabulary, comprehension, and verbal reasoning skills
• numerical reasoning measures the ability to solve mathematical problems, with content not exceeding what children are expected to learn by the end of Year 5
• non-verbal reasoning assesses the ability to recognise patterns, understand relationships between objects, and make logical deductions
• the invigilator will lead students through the test, instructing them when to move to the next section
• all working out must be done in the test booklet, as rough paper will not be provided
• each test session lasts from two and a half to three hours, including instructions, both test papers, short practice examples and a short break between the papers

13. Items to bring for the test

• two sharp HB pencils, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener (in a clear bag or case)
• spare pencils, erasers, and sharpeners will be available at the test centre if needed
• a wristwatch may be worn, but each test centre has a clock, and time reminders will be given. Smart watches must not be worn (including all Apple and/or Android devices)
• a small bottle of plain water and a small snack for the break between test papers.
• no products containing nuts should be provided.
• no additional equipment is required or allowed
• mobile phones must be switched off before entering the room to prevent disruption
• all personal items must be left at the side of the room during the test

14. Late testing and absences

• if your child is unwell or faces serious personal circumstances, for example, a family bereavement or illness, please do not send them to the test. Notify their headteacher immediately
• medical evidence, for example a doctor's note, is required to confirm illness
• reasons other than illness or serious personal circumstances will not be accepted
• arrangements may be made for them to sit the test by the first week of October
• if a child sits the test while unwell or upset, no retrospective allowances can be made and no alternative date will be available
• children who fall ill during the test and cannot complete it will not be given another opportunity to retake it. A review panel will determine whether the child should be deemed selective
• punctuality is essential – late arrivals will not be allowed to sit the test, and no alternative session will be offered. Plan your journey in advance, allowing extra time for travel delays

15. Selection process and scoring

• your child meeting the selective standard is based on the total weighted age-standardised score achieved in the test
• all children who take the test are ranked in order of their total age-standardised score
• the Council, in conjunction with the four Grammar Schools, determines the selective score
• more children are deemed selective than the number of available places, as some will be offered places at other higher preference schools
• in 2025, a total of 5,866 children sat the test, and 2,070 achieved the selective standard, with 800 grammar school places available
• the top 180 children with the highest total age-standardised scores are placed in one of the highest priority groups for their preferred grammar school
• other selective pupils are not guaranteed a place, as offers depend on the school's admissions criteria, such as distance and sibling priority

16. Scoring process

You will be informed of the total age-standardised score, which determines whether your child meets the selective standard:

• the test papers are marked externally
• 50% from the verbal ability score
• 25% from the numerical ability score
• 25% from the non-verbal ability score
• the average total weighted age-standardised score is 200, with approximately two-thirds of candidates scoring between 170 and 230

The London Borough of Bexley do not hold the raw scores and therefore is unable to process any requests or queries in relation to this information, regardless of whether this is requested through a Freedom of Information request or a Subject Access Request.

17. The test provider and enquiries

• Bexley Selection Test papers are provided by Quest Assessments
• all enquiries regarding the test must be directed to the School Admissions Team on selectiontests@bexley.gov.uk
• Quest Assessments cannot provide information directly to parents or respond to individual concerns

18. Test results and a review of test scores

• you will be able to view your child’s test results online via the Bexley Selection Test webpage in early October 2026 - date to be confirmed
• results will be shared with your child's Bexley primary school headteacher for their reference
• test results will not be automatically sent to out-of-borough schools, so it is the responsibility of parents/carers to advise their school of the outcome of their test
• Headteachers will have the opportunity to request a review of a child’s test score through the Headteacher Review process. This process will take place after results are published and after the secondary school application deadline

If your child is not deemed selective, but you believe there are grounds for a review, you should:

• still include a Grammar School preference on your secondary school application
• Discuss with the headteacher whether a review request should be submitted

The Independent Review Panel will only change selective decisions in exceptional circumstances. Their decision is final, and there is no appeal process beyond this stage.

19. School-based test centres

There are schools inside and outside of Bexley that have opted to administer the test on behalf of the London Borough of Bexley. A list of these schools can be found below:

School-based test centres:

• Barrington Primary School
• Bedonwell Junior School
• Belvedere Junior School
• Benedict House Preparatory School
• Birkbeck Primary School
• Bishop Ridley CE Primary School
• Brampton Primary Academy
• Breaside Preparatory School
• Burnt Oak Junior School
• Bursted Wood Primary School
• Castilion Primary School
• Crook Log Primary School
• Danson Primary School
• Days Lane Primary School
• Dulverton Primary School
• East Wickham Primary Academy
• Leigh Stationers' Primary Academy
• Fairford Academy Barnehurst
• Foster's Primary School
• Gravel Hill Primary School
• Heronsgate Primary School
• Hillsgrove Primary School
• Hook Lane Primary School
• Hurst Primary School
• Joydens Wood Junior School
• Lessness Heath Primary School
• Longlands Primary School
• Mayplace Primary School
• Merton Court School
• Northumberland Heath Primary School
• Old Bexley CE Primary School
• Orchard Primary School
• Parkway Primary School
• Peareswood Primary School
• Pelham Primary School
• Red Hill Primary School
• Royal Park Primary Academy
• Sherwood Park Primary School
• St Michael’s East Wickham CE Primary School
• St Olave's Prep School
• St Paulinus CE Primary School
• Upton Primary School
• West Lodge Preparatory School

Schools support the London Borough of Bexley in the administration of the tests. They do not have any influence over special arrangement agreements, the content of the test, marking or appeal outcomes.

20. Have a question?

Further enquiries?

If you have questions that have not been answered above, please contact the School Admissions Team:

• by telephone - 020 8303 7777
• by email - selectiontests@bexley.gov.uk

London Borough of Bexley
School Admissions Team
Civic Offices
2 Watling Street
Bexleyheath
DA6 7AT

The information on this page is correct at the time of publishing (February 2026).