The Kent PESE sits in early September of Year 6, which compresses the substantive practice window into the summer holidays.
Year 5 spring (March–May)
Confirm Kent registration dates with Kent County Council — registration opens in June and closes in mid-July, ahead of the September sitting. Order Kent-specific practice materials in GL Assessment format.
Begin gentle topic work in Maths, English and Reasoning. The Kent format is subject-discrete, so subject-by-subject preparation maps cleanly to the test.
Year 5 summer term (April–July)
Daily mental arithmetic and reading. Twenty-minute topic sessions four times a week. Sit a baseline paper in each subject at half-term to identify weakest areas.
Submit the Kent registration as soon as it opens in June. Do not wait — the deadline catches families out every year.
Summer holidays (July–August)
The substantive practice window. Full timed papers fortnightly with off-week review. Aim for six to eight full mocks across the holiday in Kent format specifically.
Holiday should not be sacrificed entirely. Two clear days per week minimum, no exceptions. Family time matters more than additional papers.
Early September — test sitting
The Kent PESE typically falls in the second week of September, on a Saturday morning. Test venue is usually the child's primary school, with travel arrangements confirmed by Kent County Council in advance.
Final fortnight before the test: minimal practice, normal routine, early bedtimes. The work is done; rest is now the priority.
Mid-October — results
Kent results are released in mid-October by post and via the Kent admissions portal. The qualifying band sits in the 111–121 range across the three subject scores; specific thresholds are confirmed alongside results.
Submit your Kent secondary preference list to Kent County Council by 31 October. List grammars in genuine order; the allocation respects preference order.
1 March — offer day
Kent secondary offers are released on 1 March alongside the national release. Stay on waiting lists for any preferred grammar you were not offered; movement through spring is common in Kent.
For families with cross-county applications (to Bexley or Medway), confirm offers from each local authority separately. Coordination across counties is common in border areas.