Updated 10 August 2026 · 11+ scoring

Bexley & Kent 11+ pass marks 2026: how raw scores and standardised scores work

One question comes up more than any other: “My child is getting around 75% in mock tests — is that enough to pass?” There is no percentage that guarantees a pass. Both the Bexley Selection Test and the Kent Test use standardised scores rather than the raw percentage of questions answered correctly. Here is how the scoring actually works, and what to target in practice.

Quick answer: what percentage should you aim for?

As a practical preparation target — not an official pass mark:

An example: Daniel scores 135/180

Daniel sits a practice test with 45 questions in each area:

Is 75% enough for Bexley? Would it clear 332 in Kent? Answering either question means understanding standardisation first.

What is a standardised score?

A raw score is simply the number of questions answered correctly — 35 out of 45 is a raw score of 77.8%. Selection authorities do not use that number directly. They convert it into a standardised score, which accounts for:

• how difficult that particular test turned out to be;
• how the children sitting it performed overall;
• the child's age on the day of the test.

There is no universal conversion such as “75% = 250 Bexley points” or “75% = 350 Kent points”. The conversion changes between years and between subjects.

How the Bexley 11+ score is calculated

The Bexley Selection Test produces a weighted age-standardised score, and the weighting is uneven:

The average total standardised score is around 200. That 50% verbal weighting is the single most useful thing a Bexley parent can know: a child who is exceptional at Maths but weaker in English and Verbal Reasoning cannot rely on Maths to compensate, because Maths is only a quarter of the result.

Daniel's profile under the Bexley weighting

Taking English and VR together as his verbal performance — 60/90, or 66.7%:

His Maths is excellent. But because Maths carries only 25% of the weighting, his biggest available gain is in English and Verbal Reasoning.

What is the Bexley 11+ pass mark?

There is no permanently fixed Bexley pass mark. The threshold is set after the test and varies year to year. Two different things also get confused:

• Being deemed selective — the child has reached the standard to be considered for a Bexley grammar school.
• The Top 180 — the 180 highest scores in that year's test, which carry particular admissions priority.

These are not the same threshold, and a score associated with the Top 180 should not be read as the minimum needed to pass.

What raw score should you aim for in Bexley?

A child consistently reaching about 145+/180 on suitably challenging material has a far more comfortable margin than one aiming at the theoretical minimum.

How the Kent 11+ score is calculated

Kent works differently. The Kent Test produces three standardised scores — English, Maths and Reasoning, with Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning both feeding the Reasoning score. Each component runs roughly between 69 and 141, so the maximum aggregate is:

141 + 141 + 141 = 423

What is the Kent 11+ pass mark?

For the 2025 Kent Test, children generally needed:

• an overall score of 332 or above; and
• at least 108 in each of English, Maths and Reasoning.

Daniel's 135/180 under the Kent system

Maths should contribute strongly to his aggregate — but because of the component minimum, an outstanding Maths result cannot rescue an English score that falls below the threshold. English is where his attention belongs.

Bexley vs Kent scoring, side by side

The same child's strengths can therefore produce noticeably different outcomes in the two areas.

Why the total percentage can mislead

Two children, both scoring exactly 135/180 — 75%:

Identical percentages, very different profiles. Because Bexley weights verbal ability at 50%, Child B is better placed there. And under Kent's component minimums, the shape of the profile matters as much as the total.

Three practice targets worth using

1. Competitive territory — about 136/180 (76%)

English 33+, VR 33+, Maths 35+, NVR 35+. Encouraging, but not a guaranteed pass.

2. Strong target — about 145/180 (81%)

English 35+, VR 35+, Maths 38+, NVR 37+. A healthier margin for a hard paper.

3. Very strong — about 159/180 (88%)

English 39+, VR 39+, Maths 41+, NVR 40+. Consistent performance at this level on appropriately difficult material is extremely encouraging — though it still does not guarantee a particular standardised score or a Top 180 place.

How should Daniel improve from 135/180?

Not by pushing Maths from 40 to 44. The gains are in the weaker subjects: English 30 → 35+, Verbal Reasoning 30 → 35+, NVR 35 → 37+, holding Maths around 38–40. That takes him from 135/180 (75%) to 147/180 (81.7%) — and, more importantly, to a far more balanced profile.

Frequently asked questions

Is 75% enough to pass the Bexley 11+?

It could be, but no fixed raw percentage guarantees selection. Bexley uses age-standardised and weighted scores, so a raw percentage cannot reliably be converted into a final Bexley score before results are standardised.

Is 80% a good 11+ mock score?

Consistent performance around 80% on appropriately difficult material is encouraging, but the difficulty of the paper matters. 80% on an easy paper is not necessarily stronger than 73% on a hard one.

What score do you need to pass the Kent 11+?

For the 2025 Kent Test, children generally needed an aggregate of 332 or above, and at least 108 in each of English, Maths and Reasoning. Thresholds can change each year.

What is the maximum Kent 11+ score?

Each of the three standardised components can reach approximately 141, giving a maximum aggregate of 423.

What score do you need for Bexley Top 180?

The Top 180 is simply the 180 highest-scoring children in that year's test. Because it depends on how the cohort performs, there is no permanently fixed Top 180 score.

Does age affect 11+ scores?

Yes. Age standardisation accounts for differences in age between children in the same school year. It does not simply award a fixed number of extra marks to younger children.

Final advice for parents

The most common mistake when reviewing mock tests is looking only at the total percentage. Track five things instead:

1. the overall score;
2. performance broken down by subject;
3. accuracy across several tests, not one;
4. time management;
5. the question types that keep going wrong.

For Bexley, watch verbal ability — it is half the weighted score. For Kent, make sure no single component is lagging, because both the aggregate and the individual thresholds have to be met.

There is no magic raw percentage that guarantees an 11+ pass. The goal is a consistently strong, balanced performance with enough margin to absorb a hard paper, unfamiliar questions and ordinary exam-day nerves.

Related: Bexley & Dartford grammar schools, 2027 entry — which schools sit behind each test, Quest vs GL Assessment, and the full timetable of registration, test and offer dates.

This article is general 11+ preparation guidance. The practice percentages are illustrative targets, not official pass marks or predictions. Selection thresholds and standardisation vary by examination year — always check the latest information published by Bexley Council and Kent County Council.