Borden Grammar School

Borden Grammar is a selective boys' grammar school in Sittingbourne, Kent. Entry is through the Kent Test, a county-wide exam administered by GL Assessment. The Kent Test has three papers: Verbal Reasoning (about 50 minutes, 80 questions), Mathematics (about 50 minutes, 50 questions), and English (about 50 minutes, 50 questions). Note that there is no Non-Verbal Reasoning paper in the Kent Test. The registration deadline is typically late June for the September sitting.

The exam is broadly in line with standard GL difficulty, though slightly above average for Kent as a whole — which reflects Borden's selective intake. You should expect solid preparation across vocabulary (Tier 2 and 3 words), multi-step maths problems, and careful reading for English comprehension. Time pressure is moderate and manageable for well-prepared candidates, so this is not a rushed exam compared to other Kent grammar schools.

The English section requires careful reading and includes inference questions, but passages are age-appropriate. Verbal Reasoning follows standard GL formats with no unusual surprises, and Maths covers the typical Year 5/6 curriculum extended to GL level, with word problems and reasoning questions. Overall, this is a fair exam that rewards thorough preparation rather than exceptional difficulty.

For the most up-to-date admissions information, deadlines, and qualifying scores, always check the school's own website and Kent County Council's Kent Test guidance directly.