11+ Dates and Deadlines by Area: Registration Windows You Cannot Miss

The one rule: registration comes first

The 11+ is the only school test you must sign up for months in advance — and if you miss registration, there is no exam and no appeal. Registration typically opens in May–June of Year 5 and closes between June and early August depending on the area. Put the registration deadline in your calendar the day your child starts Year 5. Always confirm current dates on the school's or council's own admissions page — they shift slightly every year.

Typical timetables in the major areas

Indicative patterns (always verify locally for your year):

• •Kent (Kent Test) — register roughly 1 June–1 July; test early–mid September of Year 6; results mid-October
• •Medway — registration early summer; test mid-late September
• •Buckinghamshire — opt-in for out-of-county families around May–June; test mid-September (GL since 2024)
• •Essex (CSSE) — register before mid-July; tests mid-late September
• •Birmingham & Warwickshire grammars — register by end of June; test in September
• •Trafford, Sutton, Bexley, Redbridge and other London-area selectives — school-by-school registration, mostly June–August, tests September–October (some schools run two stages)
• •Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire, Wirral — registration early summer, tests in September

Build the backwards plan

Once you know your test date, plan backwards: final 6 weeks = timed mocks and error review only; 3–4 months out = all topics and question types covered; the autumn of Year 5 = systematic preparation begins. And remember the sequencing quirk that surprises everyone: your child sits the test BEFORE you submit the school application (CAF, deadline 31 October), so results arrive in time to inform your choices — use them honestly when listing schools.