Bexley Selection Test
Information and familiarisation for families
This website had been produced by Quest Assessments and the London Borough of Bexley (Beths Grammar School, Bexley Grammar School, Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School and Townley Grammar School) to provide families with clear information and practical support for the Bexley Selection Test.
Registration closes: Midnight, 31st March 2026
Test at primary school centres (Bexley pupils): Between Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 10th September 2026
Test at grammar school centres (all other pupils): Between Monday 7th and Thursday 10th September 2026
Results day: Early October 2026
Secondary school application deadline: 31st October 2026
National Offer Day: 1st March 2027
Your child will sit two non-adaptive paper assessments. Each paper lasts around 50 minutes. All papers will be sat on the same day, and your child will have breaks between assessments.
Paper One
verbal ability and English comprehension
Paper Two
numerical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
The Bexley Selection Test assesses English, numerical reasoning, verbal ability, and non-verbal reasoning. The best preparation is a strong grounding in what your child is already learning at school, combined with wide reading and the ability to apply their knowledge to new contexts. The test is built to assess genuine understanding of the curriculum: the most valuable thing your child can do is keep learning steadily and confidently in school.
We've created a set of free resources to help your child understand what the test looks and feels like, and build confidence across all subjects ahead of exam day. These booklets provide sample questions so your child can become familiar with the question format and filling in an OMR answer sheet.
Written for children, this guide includes what the test is, how to handle nerves, what to do if they get stuck, and what to expect on the day.
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A list of words your child may find useful to know, designed to support their broader vocabulary development.
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Bexley Council and Quest have worked together to ensure every child has access to high-quality preparation materials, regardless of their family's circumstances.
In partnership with Atom Learning, they are offering free access to Atom Home for all pupil premium eligible candidates through the Atom Learning Pupil Premium Support Programme. Atom Home provides structured practice and KS2 learning across all subjects, with questions, progress tracking, and subject-specific learning paths your child can work through at home.
If your child is eligible for pupil premium, you can request access using the link below. Eligibility will be verified by your child's primary school.
REQUEST ACCESS TO ATOM HOME
The Bexley Selection Test typically takes place across a morning session. Your child will sit the test either at their primary school (if it is acting as a Bexley test centre) or at one of the four grammar school test centres.
The Bexley Selection Test consists of two booklets, both sat in the same session with a short supervised break between them. Each paper lasts approximately 50 minutes, plus time for instructions. Your child will remain in the test environment during the break.
An invigilator will read instructions before, during, and after each paper. Your child will be given a question booklet and a separate answer sheet for each subject. They may also receive a reading booklet.
If your child can't hear the instructions or has a question, they should put their hand up.
The total time in the test centre, including settling in, instructions, papers, and breaks, is typically around two to three hours.
The Bexley Selection Test is a paper test. All questions are multiple choice. Your child selects from a set of options (usually five: A, B, C, D or E).
Most Quest 11+ papers use an OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) answer sheet. This means, instead of writing out answers, your child will draw a horizontal line through a box next to their chosen answer.
The familiarisation materials include a practice OMR answer sheet to help your child get comfortable with the format before test day.
Draw a clear, solid horizontal line through the chosen box.
Mark one answer per question unless the question specifically tells you there is more than one answer.
The familiarisation booklets include a sample OMR answer sheet.
Working through a few questions, practising marking answers, rubbing out, and checking question numbers match helps your child get familiar with how to complete an OMR sheet.
They should rub it out fully with a clean eraser, then mark their new answer.
A good eraser matters as much as a good pencil!
Results will be published in early October 2026 and can be viewed online at bexley.gov.uk using your SA reference number.
Your child will be either deemed selective or not deemed selective. Around 30% of children who sit the test are deemed selective each year. A selective result does not guarantee a place. There are 800 places across all four grammar schools. The top 180 highest scorers are prioritised; all other selective pupils are considered against each school's admissions criteria, with home-to-school distance the key factor in most cases.
If your child is not deemed selective and you believe there are grounds for a review, contact their headteacher after results are published. The Independent Review Panel will only change a decision in exceptional circumstances and their decision is final.
Secondary school applications are due by 31 October 2026. This deadline cannot be extended. Do not wait for a review outcome before submitting. Apply at bexley.gov.uk.
Still have questions?
Please note that Quest Assessments is not able to respond to individual enquiries from parents or carers. All queries about the Bexley Selection Test (including questions about registration, results, venues, and special arrangements) should be directed to the Council at selectiontests@bexley.gov.uk.
London Borough of Bexley
The Quest Assessments Team
questassessments.com
