The Bexley 11+ selection test: a parent’s guide

Bexley has four grammar schools, and they share one selection test. Here is what parents need to know.

The four Bexley grammar schools

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

Together they offer around 800 Year 7 places for September 2027.

Key dates for September 2027 entry

• Registration: 1 March to 31 March 2026. No late registrations are accepted, so do not miss it.
• Tests: between 2 and 10 September 2026
• Results: early October 2026
• Secondary school application: apply to your home council by its closing date (31 October 2026 in most London boroughs)

Registration in Bexley is much earlier than in Kent. If your child is in Year 5, you will need to register in March of Year 5.

What is in the test?

The test is set by Quest Assessments. There are two booklets of about 50 minutes each, with a break in between. All questions are multiple choice. They cover:

• Verbal ability: vocabulary, comprehension and reasoning with words
• Numerical reasoning: maths problems
• Non-verbal reasoning: patterns, shapes and logic

The selective standard is not the same as a place

About 30% of children reach the "selective standard". But reaching it does not guarantee a place. Each school then offers places using its own admissions rules, and some offer places only to the highest scorers. For the most popular schools, your child needs to score well above the standard.

How to prepare

• Start the basics in Year 4: times tables, mental maths and lots of reading.
• In Year 5, learn every question type, then build speed with timed practice.
• Use the free familiarisation booklets on the Quest Assessments website so your child knows the format.
• Sit at least two full mock exams before September.