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Guides for parents
Plain answers about the tests your child will meet, written from the official published pages, with the date we checked them.
KS2 SATs, explained
The Year 6 tests in May: dates, what is in each paper, how scaled scores work, and the marks needed each year.
Read the guideThe Year 4 times tables check
The five-minute check in June of Year 4: how it works, which tables come up most, and why there is no pass mark.
Read the guideHow the 11+ works
What is the same everywhere, what changes from area to area, and what to do if your area isn't covered yet.
Read the guideThe 11+ in your area
14 areas, listed A to Z. Each guide has the dates, what the test covers and how places are given.
- Bexley 4 grammar schools Test in September Bexley's own selection test, the top-scorer places, and why distance decides most of the rest. Read the guide
- Birmingham 8 grammar schools Test in September The consortium arrangements, the separate school processes, and how the two fit together. Read the guide
- Buckinghamshire 2028 dates out 13 grammar schools Test in September How the county-wide transfer test works, who is entered automatically, and what happens if you move into the area late. Read the guide
- Essex 4 grammar schools Test in September Consortium and non-consortium schools, and why an Essex application can involve more than one test. Read the guide
- Gloucestershire 2028 dates out 7 grammar schools Test in September Seven grammar schools with one shared test, and a test that moves to the end of Year 5 for the next round. Read the guide
- Kent 32 grammar schools Test in September The county's grammar schools, the test that decides entry, and the registration deadline parents most often miss. Read the guide
- Lincolnshire 15 grammar schools Test in September Fifteen grammar schools, a reasoning-only test shared by most of them, and one school that runs its own. Read the guide
- Medway 6 grammar schools Test in September Medway's own test, separate from the Kent Test, and why distance matters so much once your child has passed. Read the guide
- Slough 2028 dates out 4 grammar schools Test in September Slough's grammar schools, the qualifying score, and the change of test provider for the next round. Read the guide
- Southend 4 grammar schools Test in September The CSSE exam shared with Essex, and how Southend's grammar schools give places. Read the guide
- Sutton 5 grammar schools Test in September One of the most competitive selective areas in the country, with schools that each run their own process. Read the guide
- Trafford 7 grammar schools Test in September A small borough with a large number of grammar places, heavily contested from outside the area. Read the guide
- Warwickshire 5 grammar schools Test in September The West Midlands test shared with Birmingham, and how Warwickshire's own grammar schools give places. Read the guide
- Wirral 2028 dates out 6 grammar schools Test in September Wirral's grammar schools, how their tests are run, and how places are given. Read the guide
School numbers count state grammar schools in each council area, from the government's January 2026 school census. Some areas also have schools that select part of their intake; the guides list them.