Calling all Year 4 and Year 5 students. We're ready to help
Passionate About Education
Is your child ready to begin their 11+ journey?
Your Child's Journey to Success
Weekly homework
Tasks tailored to reinforce learning from lessons. Exam-style questions provided both on paper and on an online revision platform (Atom).
Detailed Progress Feedback
Regular, personalised feedback for parents and students to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
Mock Exams and Practice Papers Realistic mock exams t
Weekly homework
Tasks tailored to reinforce learning from lessons. Exam-style questions provided both on paper and on an online revision platform (Atom).
Detailed Progress Feedback
Regular, personalised feedback for parents and students to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
Mock Exams and Practice Papers Realistic mock exams to build familiarity with the 11+ test format and timing.
Confidence Building
Focus on developing students' confidence and exam strategies to help them perform under pressure.
Your Child's Journey to Success
Is your child ready to begin their 11+ journey?
Your Child's Journey to Success
Lessons delivered by highly skilled and experienced teachers in a supportive and welcoming environment.
Is your child ready to begin their 11+ journey?
Is your child ready to begin their 11+ journey?
Is your child ready to begin their 11+ journey?
Young Minds Tutoring Service
We believe that children who feel secure and enjoy their lessons can exceed expectations. Confident and engage learners achieve excellence!
Our 11+ programs, tailored for students in Years 4 and 5, foster a positive and engaging learning environment. We ensure parents are always informed of their child's progres
Young Minds Tutoring Service
We believe that children who feel secure and enjoy their lessons can exceed expectations. Confident and engage learners achieve excellence!
Our 11+ programs, tailored for students in Years 4 and 5, foster a positive and engaging learning environment. We ensure parents are always informed of their child's progress, so together, we can support their journey to success.
The Bexley 11+ Selection Test
The Bexley Selection Test is a crucial examination for Year 6 students who wish to gain admission to one of the four selective grammar schools in the London Borough of Bexley and in Kent (see end note for specific details on schools). The test is designed to assess a child’s aptitude in key areas, ensuring they have the skills necessary to succeed in a selective school environment.
Subjects Covered
The Bexley Selection Test assesses four main areas:
English:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding and interpreting written texts.
Grammar and Punctuation: Knowledge of sentence structure, punctuation rules, and correct usage of grammar.
Vocabulary: Understanding and using a wide range of vocabulary.
Verbal Reasoning:
Word Relationships: Understanding relationships between words, such as synonyms, antonyms, and analogies.
Logical Sequences: Recognizing patterns in sequences of words or letters.
Sentence Completion: Choosing the correct word or phrase to complete a sentence.
Mathematics:
Arithmetic Skills: Basic operations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Problem-Solving: Application of mathematical concepts to solve problems.
Mathematical Reasoning: Logical thinking and understanding of mathematical relationships.
Non-Verbal Reasoning:
Spatial Awareness: Understanding and manipulating shapes and space.
Pattern Recognition: Identifying and continuing patterns in shapes and figures.
Logic and Visual Reasoning: Solving problems using visual information.
Test Format
The Bexley Selection Test is typically divided into two papers, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. The papers are as follows:
Paper 1:
English and Verbal Reasoning sections.
Multiple-choice questions.
Paper 2:
Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning sections.
Multiple-choice questions.
The test is administered under timed conditions, and students are required to complete their answers on an answer sheet provided by the examiners.
Key Dates for the Bexley Selection Test 2024
Registration Period:
Opens: 1st May 2024
Closes: 30th June 2024
Practice Test Date:
Early September 2024 (exact date TBC)
Bexley Selection Test Date:
12th September 2024
Results Notification:
October 2024
Deadline for Secondary School Applications:
31st October 2024
Scoring System
The Bexley Selection Test uses a standardized scoring system to ensure fairness across all test-takers. The key aspects of the scoring system are:
Raw Scores: The actual number of questions answered correctly by the student.
Standardisation: Raw scores are converted to standardized scores to account for differences in age. Younger students receive a slight adjustment to their scores.
Combined Score: The standardized scores from the English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning sections are combined to give a total score.
Pass Mark: The pass mark is determined annually based on the overall performance of all candidates. Students who achieve a score above the pass mark are deemed to have met the selection criteria for Bexley’s grammar schools.
Use of Results
Selection for Grammar Schools: The combined score is used to determine eligibility for admission to one of the four Bexley grammar schools.
Allocation of Places: Schools allocate places based on the ranked order of scores, starting with the highest-scoring candidates.
Further Considerations: In the event of a tie, factors such as distance from the school may be used as tie-breakers.
Conclusion
The Bexley Selection Test is a comprehensive assessment designed to identify students with the potential to excel in a selective school environment. At Young Minds Tutoring Services, we aim to prepare your child thoroughly in all areas of the test, ensuring they have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to perform at their best.
For any further questions or more details, feel free to contact us.
The Kent 11+ Selection Test
What is the Kent Test?
The Kent Test is an 11 plus exam used by grammar schools in Kent. All of the grammar schools within the Kent County Council area use the Kent Test. This means that your child will only need to take the test once, regardless of how many grammar schools in Kent they're applying to.
The test papers are provided by GL Assessment. The test is designed to be challenging; grammar schools use it to select children working in the top 25% of their year group. In 2023, more than 17,000 children sat the Kent Test for 5,801 available places.
The Kent Test takes place in September in Year 6. If your child goes to a Kent primary school, they will likely take the test at their own school on a school day. If your child goes to a primary school outside of Kent, they might be invited to take the test at a Kent grammar school at the weekend.
Note that if your child is applying for a grammar school in Medway or the London Boroughs of Bexley and Bromley, they will take a separate exam. Find out more information about these exams:
What's on the Kent Test?
The Kent Test consists of two multiple-choice papers, each with a one-hour time limit. Children mark their answers on separate answer sheets, which are marked electronically.
Your child will also have a short writing task.
Paper 1: English and maths
Paper 1 is split into a 30-minute English section and a 30-minute maths section. Each section starts with a 5-minute practice exercise. This isn't marked, but is used to help your child get familiar with the types of questions. The practice exercise is then followed by a 25-minute test.
The English section consists of a reading comprehension exercise. There are also some questions which assess skills such as grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. Question types vary, but might include things like:
- choosing the best words to complete a sentence
- finding synonyms and antonyms
- spotting mistakes in sentences
In the maths section, your child will be tested on the topics they have learnt in school up to the start of Year 6. Your child should be comfortable with their times tables, and have an age-appropriate knowledge of:
- the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division)
- fractions and decimals
- percentages and ratio
- geometry, including area, perimeter and measurements
The questions might be more difficult than your child is used to. This is so that they can demonstrate the skills they have already learned to solve different kinds of problems.
Paper 2: Reasoning
Paper 2 tests verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning. These subjects are not taught at primary school. Many 11+ exams include these types of questions to assess a child's potential, rather than learned knowledge.
- Verbal reasoning is a test of how well you can think and solve problems using written information. This includes letters, words, symbols and numbers. For example, your child might need to look at the relationship between numbers to predict the next number in a sequence.
- Non-verbal reasoning tests how well you can think and solve problems using visual information, such as shapes, diagrams and pictures. Your child will need to look at the similarities and differences of shapes, and identify changes between shapes in a sequence.
- Spatial reasoning is similar to non-verbal reasoning. However, this measures how well you can manipulate shapes and space in your head.
The verbal reasoning section lasts 30 minutes. This includes a 10-minute unmarked practice exercise and a 20-minute test.
The non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning section lasts 30 minutes. However, this is divided into shorter individually-timed tests. Each one starts with an untimed practice session, which your child will go through with the invigilator. Each of the smaller sections then takes 4–5 minutes to complete.
Writing exercise
All children who take the Kent Test will also have a creative writing exercise. This is only marked if a headteacher panel needs to use it for a borderline case or an appeal.
The creative writing exercise lasts 40 minutes. This includes 10 minutes of planning time.