GrammarPrep

Medway Test preparation: a separate exam from Kent — here's what changes

Medway sits inside Kent geographically but runs its own 11+. This guide explains the Medway Test format, the six Medway grammars, and how preparation differs from the Kent Test next door.

Medway Test (administered by Medway Council): key facts

Typical test date
Mid-September of Year 6, sat at each child's primary school
Papers
3 papers — Mathematics, Extended Writing, and a combined English/Reasoning paper
Duration
Multiple-choice papers around 50 minutes each, plus a separate writing task of approximately 40 minutes
Subjects
Mathematics, English (comprehension and writing), Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Indicative qualifying threshold
Medway uses an aggregated standardised score; in recent years a score of around 525 across the papers has been associated with the 'qualifying' threshold, but the council publishes the cut-off after the test
Registration window
Registration opens in early June and closes in early July of Year 5 — apply via Medway Council's admissions portal

Why Medway is different

Medway is one of the most commonly misunderstood 11+ regions in England. Although the Medway towns sit inside Kent geographically — and the schools' uniforms, accents and football clubs are all firmly part of the Kent county identity — Medway is a separate unitary authority. It runs its own admissions process, its own test, and its own scoring system. Families who assume "Kent Test materials" are interchangeable with Medway preparation make a real mistake.

The Medway Test differs from the Kent Test in three ways that matter for preparation. First, Medway uses three components rather than three combined papers — including a standalone Extended Writing task that contributes to the headteacher review for borderline cases. Second, the qualifying score is calculated from an aggregate of standardised scores in a slightly different weighting than Kent. Third, the registration runs through Medway Council, not Kent County Council.

Practically, this means children sitting both the Kent Test and the Medway Test in the same September — common for families on the Kent/Medway border — face a double sitting, and parents need to plan the calendar carefully. Sitting both is straightforward if your child is well prepared, but the Medway-specific writing task needs explicit practice that pure Kent prep doesn't cover.

How the Medway Test (administered by Medway Council) is structured

  • Multiple-choice Mathematics paper (around 50 minutes).
  • Multiple-choice combined English / Verbal Reasoning / Non-Verbal Reasoning paper (around 50 minutes).
  • Extended Writing task (around 40 minutes) — a separately marked piece of writing used to inform the headteacher review for borderline cases.
  • Multiple-choice papers are age-standardised so younger Year 6 children aren't disadvantaged.
  • Children sit the test at their own primary school under exam conditions, supervised by school staff.
  • An aggregate standardised score determines whether the child has 'qualified' for Medway grammar consideration; individual schools then apply their own oversubscription criteria.

Notable grammar schools in Medway

6 fully selective grammar schools across the Medway towns.

  • Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School (Rochester)
  • Rainham Mark Grammar School
  • The Rochester Grammar School (girls')
  • Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
  • Holcombe Grammar School (boys')
  • Fort Pitt Grammar School (girls')

How to prepare your child for the Medway 11+

Treat the Medway Test as Kent prep plus a writing task. The multiple-choice content is GL Assessment, so all the standard GL practice papers and question banks apply. But Medway also assesses a 40-minute piece of extended writing — and that needs its own practice rhythm. From the summer of Year 5, schedule a weekly timed writing exercise (story or persuasive piece) and discuss structure and editing rather than just word count.

If your child is sitting both the Medway and Kent Tests, plan the two test dates explicitly in your family calendar — they typically fall within two weeks of each other in September. The papers themselves are similar enough that a child can carry their preparation across both, but the writing task is unique to Medway. See our Kent Test guide for the Kent-specific format alongside this page.

Practise the multiple-choice answer-sheet format. Medway uses separate answer sheets in the same style as Kent — children who only practise on workbook pages where they circle the answer get caught out by transferring answers to a grid. Use printable answer sheets in the final month before the test.

Frequently asked questions about the Medway 11+

What's the difference between the Medway Test and the Kent Test?

The Medway Test is administered by Medway Council; the Kent Test by Kent County Council. They are separate. Medway uses three components (two multiple-choice papers and a standalone Extended Writing task), whereas Kent uses three combined multiple-choice papers plus a short writing exercise used only in review. The scoring systems also differ. Children living in Medway who want to apply to Kent grammars usually sit both tests.

How do I register my child for the Medway Test?

Registration is via Medway Council's admissions portal. The window typically opens in early June of Year 5 and closes in early July. There is no fee. Registering for the Medway Test does not register your child for the Kent Test — if your child is applying to both, you must complete both registrations separately. Out-of-area pupils (e.g. from outside Medway) can also register and sit the test.

Is the Medway Extended Writing task marked as part of the score?

Not directly. The Extended Writing piece is read by the headteacher review panel and used in borderline decisions — for example, when a child's aggregate standardised score sits just below the qualifying threshold but the writing demonstrates clear grammar-school suitability. It is not added numerically to the standardised score but is materially important for borderline cases.

Which exam board does the Medway Test use?

GL Assessment. Use GL-style practice materials for the multiple-choice papers. The Extended Writing component is Medway-specific and not directly comparable to any GL product — past Medway writing prompts (where available) are the best practice resource.

How competitive is Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School?

'The Math' is consistently the most academically selective of the Medway grammars, with applications routinely exceeding places by a wide margin. Effective qualifying scores tend to sit well above the council's published qualifying threshold. Distance is used as a tiebreaker once oversubscription kicks in, so families further from Rochester typically need a stronger rank.

Can my child sit the Medway Test if we don't live in Medway?

Yes. The Medway Test is open to children regardless of where they live, but Medway grammars' oversubscription criteria generally prioritise pupils living within Medway after the qualifying score is met. Out-of-area applicants typically need to rank highly to receive an offer at oversubscribed schools.

When are the Medway 11+ results released?

Results are typically released in mid-October of Year 6, in time for the secondary school application deadline on 31 October. The result indicates whether your child has met the qualifying threshold and provides their standardised aggregate score, but it does not predict offer outcomes — those depend on each preferred school's oversubscription rules.

Related 11+ guides

Other regions

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