Kent test - good practice papers?

[Nux]

Hi - we’ve recently moved to Kent and I’d like to get DS started with some practice for the Kent test as the teachers at school said firmly that they do not prep them at all! Does anyone have hints for good practice papers/ books etc? There seem to be differences between 11+ type tests in different areas so I was hoping someone could point me towards the best ones for Kent! Thanks in advance

The Kent Test is run by GL Assessments. They have a website I think where you can buy past papers and probably also available in WHS and Waterstones. However these should probably be saved for Easter onwards because otherwise you will rub out of new material to practice on. Before then use the Bond books. Good luck!

Speed is important in the Kent Test. Look at the elevenplusexams forum first of all. There are several knowledgeable posters on the Kent talk forum bit. In my opinion, Bond isn't great preparation for this particular exam format (GL). GL do eight sets of papers you can work through. Ds did them around Xmas of Year 5 then we worked on weak areas. He did them again in the summer leading up to the exam (which is early Sept).
We used First Past the Post and Athey papers as well as tutor supplied materials. The ten minute spatial reasoning tests were also good.

Don't forget to practice also filling in the answer sheets - many a child has come a cropper by not filling these in correctly under pressure. Also book a couple of mock tests after Easter/early summer holidays.

Thanks so much both! DS is still in Y4 but I thought they took the test at end of Y5? I have a lot to learn! I’ll check out some of the stuff at smiths etc - I just wanted to give him a sense of the sort of questions etc (eg spatial reasoning is not something he will ever have seen before). I’ll look at that eleven plus forum too - thanks again!

You'll find that there is a big tutoring culture in Kent with some of the children starting as early as Year 3.

Tread warily in the 11+ forum- it’s scary in there!