Borden Grammar School 11 plus preparation can feel calmer when you break it into two tracks from the start. Track one is the Kent Test route used across Kent grammar schools. Track two is the school’s own Borden Assessment Procedure route, which some families also choose to register for. Living in Sittingbourne, this choice often comes down to what your child is like on the day. Some boys do best in a familiar primary-school-style test setting. Others feel steadier knowing there is a second chance route available, even if they do not end up needing it.
It also helps to keep the bigger picture in view. You are not just preparing for a test. You are deciding whether the school’s pace, homework load, and daily commute will suit your child for seven years. A small but useful habit at home is to run one realistic morning routine once a month, so you can see whether everyone stays calm when time is tight.
To keep the process clear, it can help to start with a simple shortlist plan you can revisit without stress using how to choose a grammar school shortlist.
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| Item | Detail |
| School type | Boys selective grammar school in Sittingbourne, Kent |
| Age range | 11 to 18 |
| Year 7 entry | Boys |
| Sixth form | Open to boys and girls subject to entry requirements |
| Main selection route | Kent Test |
| Additional selection route | Borden Assessment Procedure |
| Planned admission number | 150 Year 7 places |
| Location |
Key deadlines and registration details are set out on the Kent Test registration page. Registration is the first decision point, so it helps to complete it early in the window rather than leaving it to the final days.
Some families also register for the school’s own assessment route, which can be reassuring for boys who work well knowing there is another structured opportunity. How the two routes operate alongside each other is explained in the Borden Grammar School admissions policy. Even if you register, you can still decide later whether it is the right fit for your child to sit it.
The waiting period is often the hardest emotionally. Keeping routines normal during this time helps. Many families find it useful to separate schoolwork from family time, so evenings do not turn into repeated test reviews.
Even when a school has its own testing route, you still apply for Year 7 through your home local authority. This step turns testing into an actual school place, so treat it as a priority task rather than an admin detail. Some families use an independent timeline as a cross-check, such as the secondary school applications timeline.
Offers come through the coordinated system rather than directly from the school. Once offers are released, focus usually shifts to practical questions such as travel time, homework routine, and extracurricular commitments. A quick reality check is to test journey times using the National Rail journey planner if trains form part of your routine.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Kent Test registration window | Monday 2 June 2025 to Tuesday 1 July 2025 |
| Kent Test (Kent primary schools) | Thursday 11 September 2025 |
| Borden Assessment Procedure test | Saturday 13 September 2025 |
| Kent Test results sent to parents | Thursday 16 October 2025 |
| Supplementary information form deadline (if applicable) | Friday 31 October 2025 |
For confirmed dates and updates, use the school admissions timeline page.
Borden is clear that selection is only part of the admissions story. When more boys qualify than there are places, oversubscription rules determine who can be offered a place. After priority categories are applied, distance from home to school is usually the deciding factor.
This can catch families out emotionally. A child can perform well in the test, but address rules still shape what is realistic. A calm early step is to ensure your permanent address details are accurate and consistent across all forms and that documents can be provided quickly if requested.
Waiting lists work best as a safety net rather than a plan. Lists can move, but they can also remain static, so it helps to include at least one alternative school you would genuinely accept.
Appeals sit in the background as a final step rather than a strategy. This is supported by the Department for Education guidance on admissions arrangements. For a parent-friendly overview of appeals, many families use the Citizens Advice guide to school admission appeals.
The route is test based rather than interview led, so preparation works best when it focuses on learning habits and timed accuracy. Kent-style papers reward steady comprehension, secure maths methods, and the ability to keep going when questions feel unfamiliar.
To make test style feel less mysterious, it helps to use official-style materials that show layout and pacing. The GL Assessment familiarisation materials allow calm practice without turning sessions into high-stakes events.
Preparation works best when it feels like training, not judgement. For Borden, it also helps to respect the early autumn timing of assessments and build stamina in small steps so September feels familiar rather than intense. For a wider structure to lean on through the year, this page keeps routines practical: Year 5 eleven plus revision plan.
As a clear starting point, you can book a free 11 plus diagnostic session with Find Your Tutor FYT focused on Borden Grammar School. It benchmarks your child’s current level and provides a personalised preparation roadmap.
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The main route is the Kent Test, and there is also a Borden Assessment Procedure route some families register for as an additional option.
Your child will need to prepare for selective style English and maths, plus the ability to handle unfamiliar question types calmly under time pressure.
Yes, the additional route is linked to having taken the Kent Test, so treat Kent Test registration as the first non negotiable step.
Yes, many families treat it as a back up route while still putting most effort into broad Kent Test preparation.
Yes, testing registration and the local authority application are separate steps and both must be completed correctly.
The Year seven route is presented as test based, so preparation is better spent on steady learning habits than on practising interview style answers.
Once boys are assessed as suitable for grammar school entry, published oversubscription rules and distance measurements can decide who is offered a place when the school is oversubscribed.
You can apply, but it is important to read the priority rules carefully and be realistic about travel and how distance rules may affect offers.
Keep routines normal, protect sleep, and avoid turning every evening into a post mortem of practice papers.
Year four is best for habits, Year five is where structure often begins, and Year six is for timed practice and calm readiness.
Timing, stamina, and smart review, because children often improve more by understanding mistakes than by doing endless extra papers.
No, tutoring is not required, but some children benefit from structured feedback if it protects confidence and reduces stress at home.
Keep the week predictable, keep practice short, and protect downtime so your child feels steady rather than watched.
What is a sensible plan if your child is not offered a placeKeep a balanced list on the local authority form, stay open to waiting list movement, and consider an appeal only after offers if you have specific strong evidence.
It means managing two things at once, test preparation and the official application process, while keeping home life calm enough for your child to learn well.
