Medway Test 11+ Guide for Parents

What Is the Medway Test?

The Medway Test is the 11+ test used for admission consideration to Medway grammar schools. If parents want their child to be considered for a Medway grammar school, the child needs to sit the Medway Test.

A child can take the Medway Test whether they live in Medway or not. However, the test must be taken at a Medway Council test venue in Medway. It cannot be taken remotely or elsewhere in the UK.

Passing the Medway Test does not automatically guarantee a grammar school place. Grammar schools may receive more applications than available places, and each school uses its own oversubscription criteria to decide offers.

Which Grammar Schools Use the Medway Test?

The Medway Test is for admission to Medway grammar schools only. Children applying for grammar schools in another local authority area must sit the relevant test for that area.

The Medway grammar schools include:

Chatham Grammar has an exception in its admissions policy because it allows children to be assessed as suitable for grammar school through the Medway Test or the Kent Test. Parents should still check the latest admissions policy for every school they are considering.

Who Provides the Medway Test?

The Medway Test provider is GL Assessment. The tests are written specifically for Medway Council.

Parents should be careful with unofficial materials. Medway Council states that test materials found online or in retailers, other than on the GL website, are not official and are not supported or endorsed by GL or Medway Council.

What Does the Medway Test Assess?

The Medway Test is made up of three papers:

• English
• Mathematics
• Reasoning

In practical preparation terms, pupils should build confidence across:

• English comprehension
• Punctuation and grammar
• Vocabulary
• Maths arithmetic
• Maths problem solving
• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-Verbal Reasoning
• Spatial reasoning
• Multiple-choice technique
• Working accurately under timed conditions

Medway Test Format and Timing

The Medway Test has three test papers. There is a minimum 20-minute break between test papers.

The Reasoning paper includes Spatial Reasoning/Non-Verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning. The Spatial Reasoning/Non-Verbal Reasoning part is 20 minutes and the Verbal Reasoning part is 25 minutes.

All of the tests are multiple choice. Pupils choose the answer they think is correct and mark it on the answer sheet.

Registration and School Application

Parents must register their child for the Medway Test within the published registration window. For September 2027 entry, Medway Council lists registration opening on Monday 18 May 2026 and closing on Friday 12 June 2026.

A test registration is not a school application. Parents must apply for secondary school places separately during the normal secondary application window.

Late Medway Test registrations after the closing date cannot be accepted. Parents should check that they receive confirmation that their child is registered.

Special Arrangements

If a child needs special arrangements to sit the Medway Test, parents must first register the child for the test in the normal way.

Parents should speak to the child’s school before the registration closing date if they think special arrangements may be needed. The current school must submit the special arrangements request by the published deadline.

Medway Council states that there are no compensatory marks for the Medway Test. Arrangements should therefore be requested in advance where they are needed to help a child access the test fairly.

How the Medway Test Is Marked

Each test paper is marked to produce a raw score. The raw scores are then standardised to reflect the child’s age at the time of the test, so younger children are not disadvantaged because they were born later in the school year.

The standardised paper scores are then weighted to produce a total weighted score. The formula is:

• English standardised score × 2
• Mathematics standardised score × 2
• Reasoning standardised score × 1

The total weighted score is used to decide whether a child is assessed as suitable for grammar school.

The minimum total weighted score required to be assessed as grammar is set each year. Medway Council explains that the tests are designed to assess the equivalent of 26% of children attending Medway maintained schools as grammar. Recent published minimum scores include 481 for 2026 admissions, 482 for 2025 admissions and 492 for 2024 admissions.

Medway Test Results

The results give parents:

• the child’s total score
• a breakdown of scores for each paper
• a decision on whether the child is assessed as suitable for grammar or non-grammar school
• details of what to do next

Medway Council does not provide raw scores, percentages, scores for individual test sections, pass mark percentages, the highest score for each paper, the overall lowest or highest score achieved, the standardisation calculation or exam papers.

Scholars Tutorial Preparation Route for Medway

On the Scholars Tutorial platform, Medway preparation should focus on English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, spatial reasoning, SPAG and mixed exam-style practice.

The Scholars Tutorial 11+ GL CEM ISEB FSCE mixed sets are useful because they combine:

• English + Verbal Reasoning
• Maths + Non-Verbal Reasoning

This supports the Medway Test skill areas: English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and spatial reasoning.

Scholars Tutorial Online Categories

Scholars Tutorial organises 11+ preparation into clear categories. For Medway, the most relevant areas are Core Subjects, Mock Exams, Foundation and selected Advanced practice.

11+ Core Subjects

These are essential for Medway Test preparation.

• 11+ English
• 11+ Maths
• 11+ Maths : Word Problems
• 11+ VR
• 11+ NVR

11+ Mock Exams

This category supports mixed exam-pattern practice.

• 11+ GL CEM ISEB FSCE — mixed sets for GL, CEM and ISEB-style preparation.
• 11+ SPAG — spelling, punctuation, grammar and language accuracy practice.

11+ Foundation

Foundation subjects are useful for children who need to strengthen basics before harder practice.

• 11+ Foundation English
• 11+ Foundation Maths
• 11+ Foundation VR

11+ Advanced

Advanced subjects are useful for pupils who need extra challenge.

• 11+ Advanced English
• 11+ Advanced Maths
• 11+ Advanced VOCAB
• 11+ Advanced SPAG

English Preparation for the Medway Test

The English paper includes comprehension, punctuation and grammar. Pupils should build reading accuracy, vocabulary and SPAG confidence.

Your child should practise:

• Reading comprehension
• Inference
• Retrieving information from a passage
• Vocabulary in context
• Spelling accuracy
• Punctuation rules
• Grammar knowledge
• Sentence structure
• Careful reading of question wording
• Multiple-choice English questions

Useful Scholars Tutorial subjects include:

• 11+ English
• 11+ SPAG
• 11+ Advanced VOCAB
• 11+ Advanced English, for stronger pupils

Maths Preparation for the Medway Test

The Mathematics paper covers mathematical elements and may include questions that require pupils to apply skills to new kinds of problems.

Your child should practise:

• Times tables and mental maths
• Written calculations
• Fractions
• Decimals
• Percentages
• Ratio and proportion
• Measurement
• Geometry
• Data handling
• Algebra basics
• Number patterns
• Word problems
• Multi-step reasoning
• Checking calculations

Useful Scholars Tutorial subjects include:

• 11+ Maths
• 11+ Maths : Word Problems
• 11+ Foundation Maths
• 11+ Advanced Maths, for stronger pupils

Reasoning Preparation for the Medway Test

The Medway Reasoning paper includes Spatial Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning.

Verbal Reasoning

Your child should practise:

• Word relationships
• Synonyms and antonyms
• Letter codes
• Word codes
• Compound words
• Hidden words
• Logical word sequences
• Vocabulary-based reasoning

Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning

Your child should practise:

• Shape patterns
• Sequences
• Matrices
• Odd-one-out questions
• Rotation
• Reflection
• Symmetry
• 2D and 3D shape reasoning
• Visual problem solving

Useful Scholars Tutorial subjects include:

• 11+ VR
• 11+ NVR
• 11+ Foundation VR
• 11+ GL CEM ISEB FSCE mixed sets

Printed Paper Sets for Medway Test Preparation

Printed paper sets are useful because they help pupils practise concentration, timing, multiple-choice answer selection and full-paper discipline.

Useful Scholars Tutorial printed paper sets include:

• 11+ Mixed Practice Papers
• 11+ English Practice Papers
• 11+ Maths Practice Papers
• 11+ Maths : Word Problems Practice Papers
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning Practice Papers
• 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Practice Papers
• 11+ SPAG Practice Papers
• 11+ Foundation Practice Papers
• 11+ Advanced English Practice Papers
• 11+ Advanced Maths Practice Papers
• 11+ Advanced VOCAB Practice Papers

Printed papers should be used alongside online practice. Online practice helps target weak areas, while printed papers help pupils apply skills in a realistic paper format.

Multiple Choice Format

The Medway Test papers are multiple choice. Pupils choose the answer they think is correct and mark it on the answer sheet.

Scholars Tutorial printed paper sets support Multiple Choice Format practice.

This helps pupils learn how to:

• Read each question carefully
• Identify key information
• Use rough working effectively
• Eliminate incorrect options
• Avoid rushing
• Check calculations and reasoning
• Mark answer choices accurately
• Manage time across timed sections

Suggested Weekly Medway Test Preparation Plan

A balanced weekly plan could include:

• 2 days per week: English comprehension, grammar or SPAG
• 2 days per week: Maths or word problems
• 1 day per week: Verbal Reasoning
• 1 day per week: Non-Verbal or spatial reasoning
• 1 day per week: Mixed practice, printed paper practice or mistake review

Pupils closer to the test can gradually increase timed practice and printed paper work. Pupils still building foundations should use shorter, focused sessions.

Common Medway Test Preparation Mistakes

Avoid these common mistakes:

• Practising only English and Maths while ignoring reasoning
• Leaving spatial or non-verbal reasoning until the final weeks
• Not practising multiple-choice answer-sheet technique
• Doing papers without reviewing mistakes
• Starting timed work before the child understands the question types
• Focusing only on speed instead of accuracy
• Missing the registration deadline
• Forgetting that school applications are separate from test registration
• Assuming a grammar assessment guarantees a specific school place
• Relying on outdated Medway Test format information

How Parents Can Support at Home

Parents can make Medway Test preparation more effective by keeping it steady, calm and balanced.

Helpful habits include:

• Check the current Medway Test registration and admissions timetable
• Read individual grammar school admissions policies
• Encourage daily reading and vocabulary discussion
• Practise mental maths regularly
• Review mistakes after each test
• Keep a notebook of weak topics
• Use online practice to target gaps
• Use printed papers for exam discipline
• Practise reasoning consistently
• Avoid last-minute cramming
• Focus on confidence as well as scores

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Advice

Medway Test preparation should be balanced across English, Mathematics and Reasoning.

Pupils should build strong comprehension, punctuation, grammar, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, spatial reasoning and multiple-choice skills, supported by regular mistake review.

The Scholars Tutorial online platform helps pupils strengthen these areas through organised subject categories, while printed paper sets help children practise with realistic exam discipline.

For Medway Test preparation, the 11+ GL CEM ISEB FSCE mixed sets under 11+ Mock Exams are useful because they combine English with Verbal Reasoning and Maths with Non-Verbal Reasoning.

By combining online practice, printed paper sets, timed work, careful mistake review and up-to-date admissions checking, pupils can build the confidence and accuracy needed for the Medway Test.