11+ (Kent test) and Shepway test

[Slayer]

we're moving to kent this summer, and eldest DD will have to sit the Kent Test (11+) and Shepway tests. We'd like to give her a little bit of practice beforehand, at home, just so its not all totally new. But - we're new to Kent to and to selective education. Have been online and its a whole new bamboozling world out there, with too much choice and many ways to part with our very limited money.

Can anyone suggest some low key resources we could get, please? I've been looking at Bond, but no idea if they are good for Kent Test, or where to start with their million resources.

cant find anything much out about what the Shepway test is either.

Any help would be appreciated with Kent Test or Shepway test.

Thanks all

GL assessments publish the kent test, and do practice papers. These are useful for practising filling in the answer sheet. Bond ten minute tests are good too.

There is an eleven plus parents forum which will tell you all you need to know. And if you google eleven plus, there is lots you can download from online for free.

Dd did both this year - lots of Shepway test was done on a computer apparently (she's out at the moment or I'd ask her). She didn't do any extra/different practice for it. It's generally seen as easier than the Kent test by people I know.

She isn't year 5 already is she? There is a deadline to opt in these days, sorry, I don't know when it is, but check that.

My niece passed Kent this year, she's an avid reader and aced top score on the English paper but failed the maths by 6 points. She got through on head appeal.

She did lots of Bond. But it was a strange year for the 11+ as Kent switched examiner/style of paper.

Go to the eleven plus forum. Lots of info there.

The window for signing up is June 2nd to July 1st I believe so no need to panic. I agree - lots of strange results this year. Am pleased our final child (no 4) has now got to the school of choice. It all gets a bit stressful!

DD sat the Kent test last year and seemed to think that it looked nothing like the NFER practice paper. She said it looked more like the Bexley test which is CEM but that the Kent test was easier. (She passed both). Really pleased that I never have to do the 11+ again though. I was quietly confident she would pass but you never know if they have a bad day. Good luck

DS sat the test last year, he prepped with Letts, Bond, and crucially GL assessment papers. The GL papers were closest in reality to the paper on the day. The key difference was speed - Maths was 30 (mainly multi step) Qs in 25 mins, where the test papers were 50 Qs in an hour.

English was too easy - no age standardisation was possible at the top end, so expect this to be trickier this year. English was SPaG and comprehension.

Reasoning was fairly standard, except for the inclusion for the first time of spatial reasoning. If your DD doesn't get this naturally, you will need to practice nets etc. [flashback horror]

All the best.

Sorry re read my post and wasn't clear re Maths Qs. 30 Qs in 25 mins was the test itself - the practice papers are 50 Qs in an hour.

Hi everyone, could you let me know if we have to live in Shepway to take the test? We plan to move in 2018 and my DD is Y5 already. Am worried about the timings!

This link suggests that you don't have to live in Shepway to take the test but that , if teh school is oversubscribed, students who live locally will get priority.

Also, I notice that you could just take the Kent Test - you don't HAVE to do both.

Thanks Bella so the Kent Test allows you access to all Kent Grammar Schools? Might do that one then. Hedge my bets!

You're welcome! Yes, that's my understanding - Kent Test for all schools, even though a few individual schools also set their own tests. To play devil's advocate, I guess that if you enter your child for BOTH exams, then if she has an off day for one of the tests, you've still got a second chance with the other one!

Do check out the eleven plus forum - there's general eleven plus advice and also advice by area - scroll down for Kent area. I've found it really, really useful - some amazing eleven plus experts on there.