Mayfield Grammar School 11+ Exam

Key Information about Mayfield Grammar School

Mayfield Grammar School is a selective grammar school in Kent.

Passing the Kent Test is only part of the process. Mayfield Grammar School has its own admissions criteria and eligible applicants can also be assessed through the school's optional Mayfield Procedure.

Passing the Kent Test does not guarantee a place at Mayfield Grammar School. If more eligible applicants apply than there are places available, the school's published oversubscription criteria determine which applicants are offered places.

Mayfield Grammar School 11+ at a glance

School: Mayfield Grammar School

Address: Pelham Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 0JE

Entry Age: 11+ / Year 7

School Website: https://mgsg.co.uk

Gender: Girls

Number of pupils: 1,398

Year 7 Places: 210

Admissions: Selective

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

12-13 September (Non-Kent Primary Schools)

Mayfield Procedure Date: 12 September 2026

Results: 15 October 2026

Exam Providers: GL Assessment (Kent 11+) and CEM (Mayfield Procedure)

About Mayfield Grammar School

Mayfield Grammar School offers pupils much more than a strong academic education. With a history dating back to 1914, the school has a long-standing tradition of academic achievement while continuing to provide a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom, including sport, music, drama, clubs, trips and enrichment activities. Languages are also a particular strength, with pupils having the opportunity to study a range of modern foreign languages, including Mandarin, helping to develop both cultural awareness and communication skills. Another distinctive feature is the mixed sixth form, which is open to both girls and boys, providing a broader and more diverse environment for students as they progress towards A levels and their next steps.

Mayfield Grammar School was judged as ‘Outstanding’ in their last Ofsted inspection in April 2024.

View Mayfield Grammar School's Ofsted report here.

Mayfield Grammar School 11+ Exam Routes

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

Kent 11+ Test
Mayfield's Test (optional)

A girl who is unsuccessful in the Kent 11+ selection process can still be considered for admission through the Mayfield Grammar School Procedure.

Not sure which Mayfield 11+ route your daughter 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 Test Familiarisation Paper

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

Familiarisation Paper

Kent Test 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 Test Standardised Scores

Your child will get 3 standardised scores, one for English, one for maths and one for reasoning, and a total (aggregate) score.

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+ Grammar School Assessment Threshold

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 Mayfield 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 Test 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.

The Mayfield Procedure

The Mayfield Procedure is an optional additional assessment route for girls who are also taking the Kent Test. If a girl is unsuccessful in the Kent testing process but meets the required standard through the Mayfield Procedure, she can still be considered for admission to Mayfield Grammar School.

Mayfield Procedure Format

The Mayfield assessment consists of a computer-based test covering the following topics:

Verbal Reasoning

Numerical Reasoning

Non-Verbal Reasoning

The online tests have been designed by CEM. These tests are multiple choice. Use the website below to access free familiarisation materials.

https://plus.cem.org/cemselectfam

Applicants also have to complete a written English paper assessing writing skills. The paper consists of a passage to read and then a number of writing tasks from which one title has been chosen to respond to. This paper is not multiple choice.

Scoring the Mayfield Procedure

The computer test will be scored separately from the English paper and a minimum acceptable performance on both will be expected.

The overall score on the computerised tests will be a weighted average of the age standardised score calculated as:

50% of the Verbal age standardised score plus

25% of the Numerical age standardised score plus

25% of the Non-verbal age standardised score

The English paper will be marked by the English faculty.

Mayfield Procedure Pass Mark

The pass marks will depend on the range of results the local girls achieve on the tests and will correspond approximately with that which would be attained or exceeded by a child who is deemed suitable for a grammar school education.

Preparing for the Mayfield Grammar School 11+?

Mayfield'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 your daughter needs for selective-school entrance exams.

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In-Year Admissions at Mayfield Grammar School

Girls can apply for in-year admission to Mayfield Grammar School at any age, although successful applicants would normally start at the beginning of the next school year. Entry is based on an assessment process, which may include Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English, Mathematics and Science tests, depending on the year group. For entry into Key Stage 4, additional assessments linked to the GCSE subjects the pupil wishes to study may also be required.

All applicants are assessed against the standard expected of pupils already in the relevant year group, and a place can only be offered if the applicant meets the required standard and a vacancy is available. In-year testing takes place once each term, so the process can take some time. Parents should apply through their home Local Authority’s in-year admissions process and should discuss any proposed move with her current school beforehand.

Mayfield Grammar School FAQs

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

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

Mayfield 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. In short, pupils need strong test performance and, when there are more eligible applicants than places, they must also meet the school’s oversubscription criteria to secure a place.

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

No. It is not uncommon that the number of students who passed the test will be greater than the number of places available.

Can my daughter take both tests?

Yes. Girls can take both the Kent Test and the optional Mayfield Procedure. The Mayfield Procedure is specifically an additional route for girls who are unsuccessful in the Kent testing process.

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

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

What is the difference between the Kent Test and the Mayfield Procedure?

The Kent Test is a paper-based multiple-choice exam, whereas the Mayfield Procedure is predominately a computer-based multiple-choice exam.

The Kent Test is written by GL Assessment whereas the Mayfield Procedure is written by CEM Durham. Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning question types differ depending on the exam board.

What does oversubscription to a school mean exactly?

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

When the school is oversubscribed, 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.
Sibling Link
Children with an eligible brother or sister attending the school at the time of entry
Children who reside in the postal code areas beginning with DA2 6, DA2 8, DA3, DA4, DA9, DA10, DA11, DA12, DA13, ME3, TN15 7, TN15 6AR, TN15 6AT and TN15 6AS in the following order:

in receipt of free school meals at the time of application
highest aggregated score in the Kent test
proximity to school

Children who reside in the postal code areas beginning with DA1, DA2 7, ME2, TN13, TN14, TN15 except TN15 7, TN15 6AR, TN15 6AT and TN15 6AS in the following order:

in receipt of free school meals at the time of application
highest aggregated score in the Kent test
proximity to school

Eligible children who do not reside in the areas listed above. Places will be allocated in the following order:

highest aggregated score in the Kent test
proximity to school

Can you get into Mayfield Grammar School if you live outside Kent?

You can apply to Mayfield Grammar School if you live outside Kent by registering for the Kent 11+ through the Kent County Council website. You can list Mayfield Grammar School as your preference on the Common Application Form which is provided by your Local Authority.

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.

Register for the Mayfield Procedure
Parents can also register their child to take the optional Mayfield Procedure. Registration forms can be obtained from the school office or on the school website.

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 daughter is a Kent resident and is currently in receipt of Free School Meals, you will also need to 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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