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What if My Child Qualifies for the Kent 11 Plus but Doesn't Get a Grammar School Place?
What happens if my child qualifies for the Kent Test but doesn't get a grammar school place? Confirm next steps with your home local authority and with each named school. We do not describe official score rules, ranking, or whether a named school will offer a place. For official Kent Test scores, qualifying, or how a named school uses those scores, confirm with the school and on kent.gov.uk. This site does not set, interpret or predict official pass marks.
Why Qualifying Does Not Guarantee a Place
A grammar assessment makes a child eligible to be considered — it is not an offer of a place. How each school allocates places is in that school’s published admissions policy. Confirm the current policy with the school. Do not rely on this site for cut-offs, score ranking, or whether a named school will offer a place.
A grammar assessment makes a child eligible to be considered — it is not an offer of a place. How each school allocates places is in that school’s published admissions policy. Confirm the current policy with the school. Do not rely on this site for cut-offs, score ranking, or whether a named school will offer a place. For official Kent Test scores, qualifying, or how a named school uses those scores, confirm with the school and on kent.gov.uk. This site does not set, interpret or predict official pass marks.
What Happens to Qualifying Children Not Offered a Grammar Place
Qualifying children who are not offered a grammar school place are allocated a school through the normal admissions process, based on the preferences on their Common Application Form. Confirm next steps with your home local authority. We do not describe how named grammars rank waiting lists or use official scores.
The Waiting List Option
Whether a child is placed on a waiting list, and how that list is ordered, is in the named school's published policy. Confirm with the school. We do not publish score ranking or typical distances.
The Admissions Appeal
A formal admissions appeal can be lodged against the refusal of a named school place. Follow the instructions in the refusal letter and confirm the process with that school. We do not describe the legal test, grounds, or likely outcome here.
Planning Ahead: Listing Upper Schools as Backup
The most effective approach to managing this risk is preparation: research and visit Kent non-selective schools before the application deadline, and list preferred backups on the Common Application Form alongside grammar school preferences. Submit the Common Application Form to your home local authority by 31 October. Check with that authority how many preferences you may list. Out-of-county families list Kent schools on their home LA form; Kent Test registration is separate and is done through Kent County Council. Having a genuinely liked non-selective school on the form means that if a grammar place is not available, the family has a strong fallback they have chosen rather than a school allocated by default.
Key Takeaways
- Confirm how each school allocates places with that school — we do not publish score ranking or cut-offs
- A grammar assessment is not an offer — confirm next steps with your home local authority and the named school
- Confirm waiting-list rules with the named school — we do not publish ranking or distances
- Admissions appeals: follow the refusal letter and confirm with the school — we do not describe grounds or success rates
- Always list upper school preferences on the CAF — never rely solely on grammar school options
Frequently Asked Questions
How close do we need to live to secure a grammar school place?
This varies by school and year. We do not publish cut-off distances. Confirm with the named school and with Kent County Council's published admissions data.
Can I appeal based on my child's high qualifying score?
Confirm with the school. We do not say whether a higher official score helps at a named school. Follow the school's published admissions policy and the appeal instructions in the refusal letter.
How do I check my child's position on the waiting list?
Contact the admissions office of the specific grammar school directly. Schools are required to maintain and update waiting lists and to inform families of any changes in their position.
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