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Kent Test results day 2026: what happens on 15 October and what to do next
The test is done, the wait is nearly over - and results day raises a whole new set of questions. Here's exactly what happens on 15 October, what the decision email actually tells you, and the sensible next steps whatever the outcome.
Reviewed 14 September 2026 against kent.gov.uk
Results are out: the 2026 threshold is a 345 aggregate with no subject below 111 - read our
Kent Test results 2026 breakdown for the new numbers and your next steps.
The short answer
Results are released on Thursday 15 October 2026, with decision emails sent after 4pm to the address you registered with. You'll receive standardised scores for English, maths and reasoning, plus a total aggregate score, and - most importantly - a decision: whether your child has been assessed as suitable for grammar school. Whatever the email says, there is a clear next step, and nothing needs to be decided in a panic that evening.
What the results email actually tells you
The email contains two things, and it's worth separating them in your head:
The scores
Three age-standardised scores (one per subject) and an aggregate. Standardisation adjusts for your child's age within the year group, so a summer-born child isn't disadvantaged against an autumn-born classmate. If you want the full explanation of what numbers like 345 mean, our guide to the Kent Test pass mark covers it in detail.
The decision
“Suitable for grammar school” (often called a grammar assessment) or not. This is the part that matters for applications - the scores are context, the decision is the key that unlocks grammar school applications.
One thing the email does not do is offer a place at any school. That comes much later, on National Offer Day in March. Results day is about eligibility and information, not destinations.
Put this into practice
The free assessment shows exactly where your child stands against the real scoring system - and builds a week-by-week plan from there.
Suitable, borderline, not suitable - what each means
Suitable for grammar school
Your child can now be considered by any of Kent's grammar schools. Celebrate - then remember that passing is eligibility, not a guaranteed place. Oversubscribed schools still apply their own criteria (siblings, distance and so on), so the next job is building a realistic school list.
Borderline
Headteacher assessment takes place before results are issued, not after: your child's primary headteacher can refer the case, with school evidence and the test-day writing task, if they disagree with an unsuitable assessment. If your child is assessed as unsuitable for grammar school, ask their primary school to explain the decision - and still submit your school application by 2 November 2026. If a grammar-school place is later refused, there is a separate right of admission appeal.
Not suitable
This is hard news, but it isn't the end of the road. Your child can still be named for grammar schools on the application form, and - if a place is refused in March - you gain the right to appeal to an independent panel. Appeals work best where there's real evidence: a score very close to the threshold, something that went wrong on the day, or school work well above the test result. A good set of mock scores alone won't carry an appeal.
The weeks that matter: 15 October to 2 November
Between results day and the secondary application deadline on Monday 2 November 2026, here's the calm checklist:
1. Read each school's admissions policy
Oversubscription criteria and effective catchments vary enormously between Kent grammars - check before listing, not after.
2. Check last-offered distances
KCC publishes historic admissions data; for popular schools, distance matters as much as the score.
3. Rank in true preference order
Rank schools in your genuine order of preference on the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF). Schools assess applications without knowing their preference position, and KCC offers you the highest preference among the schools able to offer your child a place - so listing a stretch school first costs you nothing.
4. Include a safe option
Always name at least one non-selective school you'd be happy with. If grammar places don't materialise, this protects you from being allocated a school you never chose.
If you haven't started the SCAF yet, you're not behind - many Kent families deliberately wait for results before submitting. Just don't leave it to the final evening.
If the news isn't what you hoped
Be kind to yourself and your child that evening - they've sat a genuinely hard exam, and the result says nothing about their worth or their future. Practically: keep perspective (plenty of children thrive at Kent's non-selective schools), gather information before deciding anything, and if you're considering an appeal, ask your primary head for an honest view of whether your child's school work supports one. Appeals are heard in the spring, after offers come out on 1 March 2027, so there's time to think.
Common questions
What time do Kent Test results come out?+
Emails are sent after 4pm on Thursday 15 October 2026, to the address used at registration. Families without email access receive results by first-class post, which can take a day or two longer.
My child passed - are they guaranteed a grammar school place?+
No. A grammar assessment makes your child eligible to be considered; each oversubscribed school then applies its own admissions criteria. Check last-offered distances and criteria for every school you list.
What is the headteacher assessment and do I need to request it?+
It happens before results are issued: your child's primary headteacher can refer the assessment if they disagree with it, submitting school evidence and the test-day writing task for review. There's nothing for parents to apply for - but if the outcome disappoints, ask the school to explain the decision, and remember the separate admission appeal only becomes available after school places are offered in March.
Should I wait for results before submitting the SCAF?+
You can - most families do. The deadline is Monday 2 November 2026, more than two weeks after results day, which is plenty of time to make a considered list.
Can we appeal if my child didn't pass?+
Yes, but only after places are offered in March: name the grammar school on your SCAF, and if it's refused, you can appeal to an independent panel. Strong appeals rest on evidence - proximity to the threshold, mitigating circumstances on the day, or school work that clearly outstrips the result.
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what happens next matters most
Results arrive on 15 October and the application deadline is 2 November. Read the step-by-step application guide next - and if you have a younger child preparing for a future test, the free assessment is there for them.