At long last we have the dates for the Kent Test. For pupils in Kent, the test will go ahead on Thursday 15th October; other students will sit the test on Saturday 17th October.
The other news is a change to the CAF – Common Application Form – will allow 6 choices of secondary school, rather than the usual 4. Unfortunately, the closing date for the return of your application remains 31st October, so it seems possible many of you will be filling in the form without having the Test results to hand.
So how do you decide which schools to put? Many schools will have set CAT tests earlier in the academic year, and while these aren’t an exact science they give some indicator of the type of school your child might be happy in. Chat to your child’s teacher. Look at the websites for all the schools that have caught your eye. Discuss them with your child. Make a list of the ‘non-negotiables’ –that might be the type of journey, any specialisms you are interested in (eg sport, languages), the general ethos. Look at the policies – do you agree with them all? Your child will be spending 7 years in this school, so it’s crucial they like it.
When you fill in the CAF, it may be wise to choose a variety of schools, some grammar, some wide ability. With 6 choices you have more freedom, and there are some excellent schools in the areas in both sectors.
You can find more information about admissions here: https://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/17930/Secondary-admissions-booklet-all-areas.pdf
This link explains what happens to your application:https://www.theschoolrun.com/equal-preference-system-explained?fbclid=IwAR1IuPfvue2H7mWmgaVU-RavUDtOBPzFmK3GUXq9386aUTHu7IDS_MvMQeE
Above all, keep your child involved, and reassure them they will do brilliantly wherever they go.