Exam format not yet verified. We have not confirmed this school's exam board or paper format from an official source. Where this guide describes the test, treat it as a working assumption and check the school's admissions page before relying on it.
The exam at a glance
Bexley Grammar School uses the Bexley Selection Test for Year 7 entry, and for 2028 entry the working assumption for this guide is a GL Assessment-style paper covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. For families, the most useful takeaway is that preparation needs to stay balanced across all four areas rather than leaning too heavily on just maths and English.
The London Borough of Bexley describes the test as having two papers taken on the same day. The familiarisation material explains that the papers are multiple choice, with children marking answers on a separate answer sheet, and that the test is designed to assess verbal ability, numerical ability, non-verbal reasoning and literacy skills. That gives you a clear picture of the style, even though Bexley Grammar School itself is one of several grammar schools using the borough-wide selection process.
For parents planning ahead for 2028 entry, it is best to think of the day as a formal but manageable assessment morning. Your child will normally need to listen carefully to instructions, work steadily through timed sections and switch comfortably between different types of thinking. Because the papers are multiple choice, accuracy matters just as much as speed: children need to read carefully, avoid rushing and keep their place on the answer sheet.
The school website points families to admissions pages including Admissions, Admissions FAQs, The Bexley Selection Test and Free 11+ Familiarisation Materials. Those are the key places to check each year for the practical arrangements for the test day.
Registration and key dates
For Bexley Grammar School, registration for the selection test is run through the London Borough of Bexley, not by the school acting on its own. The borough’s admissions information says parents must register their child online for the Bexley Selection Test. If your child attends a Bexley primary school, the borough says the school can confirm identity and home address; if your child does not attend a Bexley primary, parents may be asked to provide documents such as a copy of the child’s birth certificate or passport and proof of address.
For the most recently published cycle we found, registration opened on 1 May 2025 and closed on 31 May 2025. The borough said the test would be held on Wednesday 10 September 2025, with results released in October 2025. Because you are preparing for 2028 entry, these are not your child’s dates, but they are the best official guide to the usual pattern until the new timetable is published.
So, for 2028 entry, parents should expect the process to usually open in May, close by the end of May, with the test typically in early September of Year 6 and results usually in October before the secondary school application deadline. Once the 2028 cycle is published, check both the borough page and the school’s admissions pages promptly.
After taking the test, families still need to complete the usual local authority secondary application and list schools in genuine order of preference. Passing or being deemed selective is not the same as being allocated a place.
- Who runs registration? London Borough of Bexley
- How to register? Online registration form/portal via the borough
- Documents that may be needed: identity and address evidence, especially for children not attending a Bexley primary school
- Most recent published pattern seen: opened 1 May 2025, closed 31 May 2025, test on 10 September 2025, results in October 2025
- For 2028 entry: treat this as typical timing until new dates are confirmed
Who can apply: catchment and admissions
Bexley Grammar School is part of the Bexley grammar school admissions system, so families need to think about two separate hurdles: first, a child must be judged selective through the Bexley Selection Test; second, if the school is oversubscribed, places are allocated using the school’s published admission arrangements.
From the school’s determined admission arrangements, Bexley Grammar School has a Published Admission Number of 210 for Year 7. The arrangements also confirm that the school admits children who have been found selective under the Bexley testing process.
The oversubscription criteria set out a clear priority order. After looked after and previously looked after children who are selective, priority includes children attending the school’s named partner primary schools who are selective, then other selective children according to the published rules. The arrangements also refer to the school’s policy for up to 32 places for students who show aptitude in languages, assessed through a separate process described by the school.
The school’s admissions policy should always be read in full because priority rules can be detailed and can change. We did not find a published fixed-pass mark, rank threshold or guaranteed catchment distance for Bexley Grammar School. Parents should not rely on rumoured scores or distances. The safest approach is to check the latest determined admission arrangements and the borough’s composite prospectus when the 2028 entry documents are released.
If you are moving house, living outside Bexley or hoping to apply under a particular priority category, read the exact evidence requirements early. Small paperwork problems can become stressful if left until the autumn application window.
A month-by-month preparation plan
The Bexley Selection Test sits early in Year 6, so most families do best with steady preparation through Year 5 rather than intense last-minute cramming. A calm plan usually works better than very long sessions.
January to March of Year 5
Keep things light: around 1 to 2 hours a week in short sessions is enough for most children at this stage. Focus on reading fluency, mental arithmetic, times tables, vocabulary building and first exposure to verbal and non-verbal reasoning. The aim is familiarity, not pressure.
April to May
Increase to about 2 to 3 hours a week. Once registration usually opens, motivation often improves because the test starts to feel real. Begin mixed practice across all four subjects. Keep a notebook of recurring mistakes: skipped words, careless arithmetic, weak vocabulary, spatial slips and answer-sheet errors.
June
Work at roughly 3 hours a week. Start using short timed exercises, especially in reasoning, where children often need to learn pace as well as method. English work should include careful comprehension, punctuation and grammar awareness. In maths, prioritise arithmetic security and multi-step word problems.
July
Move to 3 to 4 hours a week. This is a good time for the first half-papers or section-based timed work. Do not jump straight into endless full papers. Review matters more than volume: after each practice session, go back through every wrong answer and any guessed answer that happened to come out right.
August
This is usually the most focused month, but it still needs balance. Aim for about 4 to 5 hours a week, split across several short sessions and one longer session. Start full timed papers once your child is already comfortable with question types. Build exam habits: neat working, accurate answer-sheet transfer, steady pacing and recovery after a difficult question.
Early September
In the final stretch, reduce volume slightly and protect confidence. One or two final timed papers are usually enough. Spend more time on routine, sleep, calm review and quick refreshers of familiar methods. Avoid trying to relearn everything at once.
A simple rule helps many families: learn first, then time it, then review it. Timed papers are useful only when a child already understands the underlying question types.
Subject by subject: what to practise
Maths
For this test, maths preparation should centre on secure Key Stage 2 arithmetic and the ability to apply it under time pressure. Practise the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, averages, simple algebraic thinking, measures and word problems. Because the paper is multiple choice, children should also learn how to estimate sensibly, eliminate unlikely options and check whether an answer is reasonable before committing to it.
Good practice means mixing straightforward fluency with short problem-solving sets. If your child often gets maths wrong through rushing rather than misunderstanding, use brief timed drills followed by careful correction.
English
The familiarisation material refers to literacy skills, so English practice should cover strong comprehension, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and accurate reading of the question. Many children lose marks not because the passage is too hard, but because they skim and miss a key word. Build the habit of reading precisely and returning to the text for evidence.
Vocabulary work is especially worthwhile over time. Wide reading, discussing unfamiliar words and keeping a word notebook can all help. Short grammar refreshers are useful too, particularly where children confuse parts of speech or common punctuation rules.
Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning rewards familiarity. Children improve when they repeatedly see common task types and learn efficient methods. Practise patterns involving letter sequences, codes, word relationships, vocabulary links, logical deduction and structured processing of written information. The goal is not just getting to the answer, but getting there calmly and consistently.
Because this area can feel artificial at first, keep early sessions short. Accuracy usually rises once children recognise the structure of the tasks.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning usually involves spotting patterns and transformations in shapes and diagrams. Practise rotations, reflections, symmetry, shading changes, movement of shapes, codes and visual sequences. Children should get used to describing what has changed between one image and the next; saying the rule out loud often makes the pattern clearer.
This is one of the easiest areas to improve through repeated exposure. However, it still needs review. If your child gets a visual question wrong, ask which exact rule was missed? That is more useful than simply moving on.
Practice papers and mock exams
Practice papers are most useful when they are part of a plan, not just a pile of worksheets. Start with untimed familiarisation so your child understands each question type. Then move to short timed sections. Only after that should you use full papers to build stamina and pacing.
A good routine is simple:
- Do one short set or one paper section.
- Mark it carefully.
- Sort errors into groups: knowledge gap, misunderstood question, careless slip or time pressure.
- Redo a few similar questions later in the week.
If you use mock exams, treat them as information rather than judgement. They can be helpful for practising timing, working in a formal setting and managing nerves, but they should not dominate family life.
For free practice matched to this school, use these ElevenReady resources:
- Free Bexley Grammar School practice papers (one per tested subject, with answers)
- The Bexley Grammar School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates)
- Free email alerts for this school's key dates
One final point: do not judge progress from a single score. Look for trends across several weeks, especially in consistency, concentration and the number of avoidable mistakes.
On the day
Keep the morning simple. Aim for an unhurried start, comfortable clothes, a familiar breakfast and plenty of time to travel. Last-minute drilling rarely helps; confidence comes more from a calm routine than from squeezing in one more worksheet.
Remind your child of a few practical basics only: listen carefully, check the question number matches the answer-sheet number, do not panic if one section feels hard, and move on sensibly if stuck. In a selective test, many children find at least part of the paper challenging. That is normal.
If your child tends to rush, encourage a steady first pass through the section rather than a frantic one. If they tend to freeze, remind them to start with the next manageable question and rebuild momentum. A single difficult item should not spoil the rest of the paper.
After the test, avoid a detailed post-mortem on the journey home. Most children feel better if the day is allowed to end normally.
After the exam: results, allocation and appeals
After the Bexley Selection Test, families are told whether a child has been assessed as selective. In the most recent borough timetable we found, results were issued in October 2025, which fits the usual pattern of arriving before the national secondary application deadline.
Being selective does not automatically mean your child has a place at Bexley Grammar School. You still need to submit your local authority secondary application and list the school as a preference. If more selective children apply than there are places available, the school’s oversubscription rules are used.
National offer day then determines whether your child is allocated a place. If not, families may join waiting lists and, where appropriate, consider an appeal. Appeals are about whether the admission decision was properly made and whether the case for admission outweighs the school’s reasons for refusing a place. The exact process will be set out by the admission authority for that year.
If your child is not deemed selective, check whether the borough offers any review or appeal route for the result itself in that admissions round. Read the official documents for the relevant year carefully rather than relying on forum advice.
What has changed recently
We found no clearly announced recent change from the school or borough to the core tested subjects for Bexley Grammar School beyond the current Bexley Selection Test structure already in use. The school’s admissions materials and borough pages should still be checked each year for any updates to dates, arrangements or oversubscription rules.
One recent school notice on the homepage dated 14 September referred to Year 7 Open Mornings for entry in September 2027 and stated that the events were for children in Year 6 who had been deemed selective. That is not a change to the test itself, but it is a useful reminder that some school events for applicants may happen after selection outcomes are known.
Frequently asked questions
When should my child start preparing for Bexley Grammar School?
For most children, steady preparation from the start of Year 5 is enough. Keep it light at first, then build gradually over the spring and summer before the September test.
Is the Bexley Grammar School 11+ the same as the Bexley Selection Test?
Yes. Bexley Grammar School uses the Bexley Selection Test for Year 7 admission, alongside the school’s own admission rules if more selective children apply than there are places.
Who registers my child for the test?
Registration is handled by the London Borough of Bexley through its online process. Check the borough admissions page when the 2028 cycle opens.
Does Bexley Grammar School publish a pass mark?
We did not find a published school-specific pass mark or guaranteed cut-off score. Parents should check the latest official admissions information and avoid relying on unofficial figures.
How many places does Bexley Grammar School offer in Year 7?
The determined admission arrangements state a Published Admission Number of 210 for Year 7. Always check the latest policy in case this changes for a future intake.
Are there language aptitude places at Bexley Grammar School?
Yes. The school’s admission arrangements refer to up to 32 places for children who demonstrate aptitude in languages, with details set out by the school.
Sources
- Bexley Grammar School website: The school website signposts admissions pages including Admissions, Admissions FAQs, The Bexley Selection Test and Free 11+ Familiarisation Materials; homepage news item dated 14 September refers to Year 7 Open Mornings for entry September 2027 for children deemed selective.
Preparing for other schools in Bexley
- Beths Grammar School · practice papers
- Break Through School · practice papers
- Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School · practice papers
- How to prepare for the Townley Grammar School 11+ · practice papers
Written by ElevenReady from the school's published information and reviewed by a person before publishing. Last reviewed 4 October 2026. Exam arrangements change. Check the school's admissions page for the current year.