Borden Grammar School 11+ Exam

Key information about Borden Grammar School

Borden Grammar School is a selective grammar school in Kent.

The entrance exam for this school is the Kent Test (11+) and the Borden Assessment Procedure.

Many families assume that strong performance guarantees a place. In reality, oversubscription and admissions rules mean that even well-prepared pupils can miss out, often by margins parents never realised existed.

Borden Grammar School 11+ at a glance

School: Borden Grammar School

Address: Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne, ME10 4DB

Entry Age: 11+/ Year 7

School Website: www.bordengrammar.kent.sch.uk

Gender: Boys (11-16) Mixed (16-18)

Number of pupils: 938

Number of Places in Year 7: 150

Admissions: Selective

Kent Test Date: 10 September 2026 (Kent Primary Schools)

12-13 September (Non-Kent Primary Schools)

Borden `Assessment Procedure: 12 September 2026

Results: 15 October 2026

Assessment Providers: GL Assessment (Kent 11+ Test) & Quest Assessments (Borden Assessment Procedure)

About Borden Grammar School

Information about the defining features about this school and Ofsted report

Borden Grammar School is a selective grammar school for boys in Sittingbourne, Kent. The school educates pupils from ages 11 to 18 and admits girls into its sixth form.

In 2006, Borden was awarded specialist school status in Sports and Modern Foreign Languages. As a result, the school received an increase in funding, which led to the development of a new library, a multi-use games area and a new private study area. The school also received a sports bursary in 2011, which was used to build a climbing wall in the gym.

Borden Grammar School's latest full school inspection in 2026 by Ofsted gave the following judgements:

Strong Standard:

Achievement

Attendance and Behaviour

Inclusion

Leadership and Governance

Personal Development and Wellbeing

Expected Standard:

Post 16 Provision

Curriculum and Teaching

Safeguarding Standards Met

View Borden Grammar School's Ofsted Report here.

Borden Grammar School 11+ Exam Routes

There are two routes to being assessed for Borden Grammar School:

Kent 11+ Test

GL Assessment → Kent-wide selection process.

Borden Assessment Procedure

Quest Assessments → Borden-specific additional route.

The Borden Assessment Procedure is an optional, additional opportunity to assess eligibility. Boys who have taken part in the Kent 11+ Test will also be eligible for admission if they reach the required standard through the Borden Assessment Procedure.

The two routes are treated equally when Borden applies its oversubscription criteria.

Not sure which Borden 11+ route your son needs to prepare for?

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The Kent Test

Your child will need to develop the following skills:

English

Maths

Verbal Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Writing*

* A 40-minute writing exercise is also completed as part of the Kent Test. It is not marked and does not contribute to the final Kent Test score, but it may be considered by a local headteacher assessment panel where required.

Kent Test Format

The tests are multiple-choice with a separate answer sheet. They are marked by an automated marking machine.

The first test will be an English and maths paper and will take 1 hour. Each section will involve a 5-minute practice exercise followed by a 25-minute test. The English section will involve a comprehension exercise as well as some additional questions drawn from a set designed to test literacy skills.

The second test will be a reasoning paper. It will take about 1 hour, including the practice sections and questions. It will contain a verbal reasoning section and a non-verbal reasoning section of roughly the same length. The non-verbal reasoning will be split into short sections, administered and timed individually.

There will also be a writing exercise which will not be marked but may be used by a local headteacher panel as part of the headteacher assessment stage of the process. 40 minutes will be allowed for the writing task, including 10 minutes planning time.

Kent 11+ Familiarisation Paper

This document explains the Kent Test papers for children who will take them.

Familiarisation Paper

Kent 11+ Application Process

In the first instance, parents must register their child to sit the Kent Test, which can be done online via Kent County Council. Once students have taken the test in September, parents will receive their results in October and must then submit their Secondary School Common Application Form (SCAF) via the Kent local authority website.

Kent 11+ Standardised Scores

Your child will get 3 standardised scores, one for English, one for maths and one for reasoning, and a total (aggregate) score. The exact score required for grammar assessment can change from year to year.

Standardisation is a statistical process which compares your child's performance with the average performance of other children in each test. A slight adjustment is made to take account of each child's age so that the youngest are not at a disadvantage.

The grammar school threshold for the test will not be published until the results have been sent out.

In order to calculate a standardised score the company producing and marking the tests will create a reference table – called a “look-up table” – for each test paper that is written, and the table is specific to that test paper, because it takes account of the difficulty of the paper. The minimum standardised score is derived from the look-up table and the actual number will vary depending on the average score of all those taking the test and the number of applicants.

Below is an example look-up table. The vertical axis is the “raw score”, i.e. the number (percentage) of actual questions that a child gets right on a paper. The horizontal axis represents the age of the child at the time of taking the exam, shown as years + months.

Kent 11+ Pass Mark

In 2025, the Kent Test grammar school assessment threshold was 332, with no individual score below 108. Being assessed as suitable for grammar school does not guarantee a place at Borden Grammar School. Test scores ranged from 69 to 141. The highest possible total score is 423.

Please note that the pass mark changes each year. Being assessed as suitable for a grammar school does not necessarily guarantee a place at a particular grammar school. Schools rank eligible applicants according to its oversubscription criteria.

Kent 11+ Appeals

If your child did not reach the threshold score and their primary school referred their case to the local Head Teacher Assessment Panel, the panel will have looked at their achievement in school and examples of their work, including the writing task completed on the day, before a final decision was made.

If your child does not qualify, the Head does not seek a review or if the review is unsuccessful, you still have the right to have your child’s case heard by an Independent Appeals Panel. You are only able to appeal a decision after school allocations have been sent out to parents in March.

Preparing for the Borden Grammar School 11+?

Borden's admissions process can involve both the Kent Test and the school's own assessment. Our online tuition is designed to build the skills, speed and confidence pupils need for selective-school entrance exams.

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The Borden Assessment Procedure

The Borden Assessment Procedure is an optional, additional assessment route for boys who have taken the Kent Test. If a boy is unsuccessful in the Kent Test but reaches the required standard through the Borden Assessment Procedure, he can still be considered for admission to Borden Grammar School.

Borden Assessment Procedure Format

The Borden Assessment Procedure is a paper-based test which will consist of four parts divided across two papers which will assess:

English (reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, spelling)
Mathematics (problem-solving, arithmetic, reasoning)
Verbal Reasoning (using language and logic to solve puzzles)
Non-Verbal Reasoning (working with shapes and patterns)

In-Year Admissions at Borden Grammar School

For in-year admissions, applications will only be considered if a place is available in the relevant year group. Parents can apply using the In-Year Application Form, which is available from the school office or the school website.

If a place is available, the school will assess whether the pupil is suitable for a grammar school education. This assessment may include nationally recognised tests, verbal and non-verbal reasoning assessments, and written tests in subjects such as English, Mathematics, or Science, as well as a review of the child’s work and attainment at their current school.

FAQs: Borden Grammar School Admissions Process

The questions below address the issues parents most commonly misunderstand when considering this school.

How hard is it to gain admission to Borden Grammar School?

Borden Grammar School is a selective grammar school and children must pass an entrance examination to be considered for admission. In recent years the number of applicants has exceeded the number of available places. When the school is oversubscribed, over subscription criteria will apply. However, last year (2025), the number of first-choice preferences was below the number of places.

If my child passes the test, will they automatically be accepted?

No. Passing the Kent Test does not guarantee your entry to your first-choice school. Your acceptance will be based on the number of applicants and spaces available.

What is actually tested in the entrance exam for Borden Grammar School?

The Kent 11+ exam assesses English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. A 40-minute writing exercise is also completed as part of the Kent Test. It is not marked and does not contribute to the final Kent Test score, but it may be considered by a local headteacher assessment panel where required.

Can my son take both tests?

Students must sit the Kent Test to be eligible to sit the Borden Assessment Procedure.

What happens if my son doesn't pass the Kent 11+?

Boys who are unsuccessful in the Kent 11+ assessment may still be admitted into Borden Grammar School, providing they pass the school's own entrance procedure.

What is the difference between the Kent Test and the Borden Assessment Procedure?

The Kent Test and Borden Assessment Procedure are separate assessments provided by different organisations. The Kent Test is provided by GL Assessment, while the Borden Assessment Procedure is provided by Quest Assessments. They also have different assessment structures and should be prepared for separately. Boys must sit the Kent Test to be eligible to take the Borden Assessment Procedure.

What does oversubscription to a school mean exactly?

Oversubscription means that more children apply for a school than there are places available.

How does the school decide which children are given priority for admission?

Before oversubscription criteria are applied, children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that names the school will be offered a place.

If the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, places will be allocated in the following order of priority:

Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children
Children who are currently in care or who were previously in care.
Free School Meal Eligibility
Up to 15% Children who have received free school meals at any time during their KS2 schooling and reside in the postcodes: ME9, ME10, ME11 and ME12.
Sibling Link (Current Family Association)
Children who have a sibling attending the school at the time of entry.
Medical Health, Social and Special Access Reasons
Priority may be given where a child’s physical or mental health needs, or those of a parent or guardian, make attendance at this specific school essential.
Children who reside in the following areas: ME9, ME10, ME11 and ME12.
Children who reside in the following areas: ME8 and ME13.
All other eligible children living in any other area.

Do I have to live in Kent to apply to Borden Grammar School?

No — you do not have to live in Kent to apply to Borden Grammar School.

Families living outside Kent are welcome to apply and register for the entrance assessments. However, if the school is oversubscribed, distance from home to school is one of the factors used in the oversubscription criteria, which can make it more competitive for applicants who live further away.

What is the admissions process for this school?

Register for the Kent Test (11+)
Parents must register their child for the Kent Test through Kent County Council by the published deadline.

Receive test results
You will be informed whether your child has met the grammar school standard.

Submit the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF)
Parents must complete the SCAF through Kent County Council, ranking schools in order of preference.

Submit the Supplementary Information Form

If your son is in receipt of Free School Meals or Pupil Premium and you have named Borden Grammar School on your Secondary Common Application Form, you must also complete the school's Supplementary Information Form (SIF).

Offers are made
School places are offered on National Offer Day - If more eligible children apply than there are places, oversubscription criteria are used to decide who is offered a place.

Waiting list or appeal (if needed)
If a place is not offered, parents can choose to join the waiting list and/or submit an appeal.

My child has a learning difficulty - will the entrance exam be adjusted to meet their needs?

If your child has a disability or special educational needs which will affect their access to testing, you need to discuss this with their primary school's special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) before you register them for the test as the school will need to apply for any necessary access arrangements.

Does my child need to do 11-plus preparation prior to the exam?

It is helpful for pupils to practise the types of questions they may be asked, particularly verbal and non-verbal reasoning, as these question styles are often unfamiliar to many children. It is also beneficial to become familiar with exam techniques, such as working to time, understanding instructions and managing pressure on the day. Preparation can help identify and bridge any gaps in knowledge and support from an experienced tutor can guide pupils through all of these areas, building confidence and ensuring they are able to show their true ability in the test environment.

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