11+ English timeline: from Year 5 to offer day

Published 24 October 2026 by 11+ Texts

What are the fixed dates?

For state secondary schools in England, GOV.UK says applications usually open on 1 September, you must apply by 31 October, and councils send secondary offers on 1 March (or the next working day if that falls on a weekend or bank holiday). You apply through your local council, even for a grammar school.

The 11+ test itself is separate from the application and is run by each area or school. Its dates and registration deadline vary.

What does a real registration timeline look like?

As an example only, here is the timeline Kent County Council published for the Kent Test (for entry in September 2027):

The Kent Test is only for Kent grammar schools; Medway and Bexley, for example, run their own tests. Other areas, and independent schools, set different dates.

What should you focus on, term by term?

Year 5, autumn: find out and build habits

• Find out which schools you're considering, which test they use, what it covers and when registration opens.
• Build a daily reading habit, including some classic or older books. See classic books for the 11+.
• Talk about books with “how” and “why” questions to build inference.

Year 5, spring: learn the question types

• Introduce retrieval, vocabulary in context, inference and language questions one at a time.
• Learn the key terms in our 11+ English glossary.
• Practise answering with evidence, using PEE for longer answers.
• If your child may need access arrangements, talk to the school SENCO now. In Kent, for example, the primary school applies, and requests were not accepted after the registration deadline.

Year 5, summer: register and get familiar with the format

• Register for the test before the deadline.
• Use any official familiarisation materials. GL Assessment, for example, offers free familiarisation papers, and notes that the exact timings and number of questions in your local test may differ.
• Start some timed practice once accuracy is good.

Year 6, September: test time

• Keep practice light in the final days; prioritise sleep and routine.
• Applications open, usually on 1 September.

Year 6, October: results and application

• In some areas, results arrive before the application deadline. In Kent, for example, 2026 results were sent on 15 October, ahead of the 31 October deadline, so families could use them when choosing preferences.
• Submit your application to your council by 31 October.

Year 6, 1 March: offer day

Your council sends secondary school offers.

Is it too late if we start in Year 6?

It's never too late to help. With a few weeks, focus on answer technique and the common mistakes in our guide to 11+ comprehension mistakes, and keep reading every day.