Secondary School Admissions

Towards the end of Year 5, parents and children should be thinking about secondary schools. It is important that this is an agreed choice, and absolutely crucial that children are allowed to visit secondary schools- either on open evenings or open days, where there is sometimes a truer reflection of the school.

The Secondary Common Application Form must be filled in online through the KCC website. As we appreciate this may be a daunting task for some parents, Clare Palmer, our FLO would like to offer her services (and computer!) to enable you to do this. If you would like to apply online and need support or advice, please telephone the school for an available time, or speak to Mrs Palmer herself on the gate.

Secondary school applications for Kent residents close on Monday 31st October 2022.

If you have not applied and are a Kent resident please contact kentonlineadmissions@kent.gov.uk with your child’s name, date of birth, full address and current school. They will then advise you of the next steps.

If you have applied but your circumstances have changed and you need to amend your application please also email KCC so they can assist you.

FAQ

My child is in Year 6. How do I apply for a secondary school place?

Apply online on your home Local Authority’s website or complete a Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF) from your home Local Authority. You can name up to 4 school preferences on your secondary school application

You will be emailed on Wednesday 1st March 2023 after 4pm to tell you which school you have been offered. There is no guarantee the exact time you will receive your email, this will depend on your email service provider. You can also log in after 4pm on 1st March 2023 to view your offer online. If you need to reset your password you must use the email address you registered with.

If you have already registered on line for the Kent test, and you are a Kent resident, you can access the information you previously submitted by logging on to the website.

Will my child automatically sit the Kent Test?

No. Children have to be registered for the test.

The test is sat during one morning and consists of three papers: verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths- all multiple choice format. The children are not prepared for this in school- it is up to parents to buy practice papers and go through the format with their child. Children also complete a writing exercise (one hour) which can be used as part of the appeals process if necessary.

My child passed the Kent test; will I automatically be offered a grammar school place?

 A Kent grammar school assessment does not guarantee that your child will be offered a Kent grammar school place.  If more children apply for places than a school can accommodate the school will apply its oversubscription criteria to decide which children it can take.

I want my child to go to school outside the Kent LA area. Do I still need to complete a Kent SCAF?

Yes, all school applications must be made on your home LA’s application form, even if you are applying for schools outside Kent – you cannot fill out more than one form.