The Kent Test

The Kent Test is changing format in 2014 with a view to providing a fairer test by reducing the effects of tutoring. There will now be two main tests, one assessing reasoning ability and one assessing pupils’ attainment in literacy and numeracy. Both of these tests will be in a multiple choice format as before and will include relevant practice questions, implying that there will not be separate practice papers.

There will also be a shorter writing task which will not be marked and only be looked at in an appeal situation if your child's results from the other tests are borderline.

As there are fewer tests and the writing task is shorter, it is hoped that all the tests will be completed in a single day.

The reasoning ablility test will incorporate both verbal and non-verbal types of questions and will vary from year to year.

The literacy and numeracy test will contain maths questions as before but will now include elements of literacy - possibly spelling, comprehension and grammar which have not been tested before.

The tests are to be provided by GL Assessment, as before, but it is understood that as part of their contract they have been asked not to provide specific Kent Test practice papers.

More information is promised during May and parents are advised to look to the KCC website www.kent.gov.uk for further advice. There is also a Guide for Kent Parents which you may also find useful.

As a tutor, I have assumed that as the test is provided by GL Asseessment then the various types of VR and NVR questions will be similar to the types covered in their normal practice papers. This year I am covering all of the test types with my students (in the past six VR types did not come up in Kent) with a view that if your child is familiar with the different styles they will hopefully be ready for anything!