London grammar schools: when do you register for the test, and does passing get you a place?
Each area runs its own test with its own registration window, usually closing in spring or summer of Year 5. What the official pages say for 2027 entry, and what it means for families with a child in Year 5 now.
Grammar school tests are sat in September or October of Year 6, but you register months before: for September 2027 entry, the London windows we checked closed between March and September 2026. Passing the test does not guarantee a place. You must also name the school on your council's application by 31 October. If your child is in Year 5 now, plan for registration in spring or summer 2027.
What makes a grammar school different?
Grammar schools are state schools, so there are no fees, but GOV.UK says they select their pupils based on academic ability and there is a test to get in. Each area or school sets its own test and timetable. There is no single London 11+.
That creates two separate steps. First, register your child for the test, directly with the school or the area's testing scheme. Second, name the school on your home council's Common Application Form by 31 October; The Tiffin Girls' School, for example, lists Saturday 31 October 2026 as the deadline to complete your local authority form. A test without the council form, or the form without the test, will not lead to an offer.
When did registration close for September 2027 entry?
These are the dates published for this year's round. They show the pattern to expect next year, not next year's dates.
Bexley (Beths, Bexley Grammar, Chislehurst and Sidcup, Townley): online registration ran from 1 March to midnight on 31 March 2026, and the council says late registrations will not be accepted. Tests were sat in September and results sent on 2 October 2026.
Redbridge (Ilford County High, Woodford County High): registration opened on 1 May and closed at 5pm on Monday 15 June 2026; the test was on Friday 18 September 2026.
Sutton: the Selective Eligibility Test, sat on 15 September 2026, had registration from 1 May to 31 July 2026. Children who qualified then sat second-stage tests at the individual schools: on 26 September at the two girls' schools, and on 3 October at the others, including Wilson's School.
Kingston: both Tiffin schools closed registration at 12 noon on Tuesday 1 September 2026. The Tiffin Girls' School set its first-stage test on 1 and 2 October and a second stage on 7 November 2026.
Barnet: The Henrietta Barnett School says applications for its September 2026 test are closed and it does not accept late applications.
If my child passes, do they get a place?
Not necessarily. Passing means your child meets the standard; places then go by each school's published oversubscription criteria. Bexley states that achieving the selective standard does not guarantee a grammar school place unless your child is among the top 180 highest scorers. The Tiffin Girls' School says that since it introduced a designated area in 2014, all places have been offered to children living inside it. Where you live can matter as much as the score.
The tempting mistake is to name only grammar schools on the council form. If none can offer a place, your council offers one at a school with room. Using every line, including a school your child is likely to qualify for by distance, is the safer form. Our explainer on how school-place allocation works shows why.
My child is in Year 5. What should I do now?
Find out which tests your target schools use, and when each registration window opened this year. None of the schools above had published September 2028 dates on 13 October 2026. Some arrangements change: The Latymer School in Enfield says that from September 2027, for 2028 entry, its 11+ assessments will be provided by Quest Assessments. Note each school's page and check it again from early 2027.
Preparation is a separate question. Our research on when to start 11+ preparation looks at the evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Can my child sit tests in more than one area?
Yes, if you register separately for each and the dates do not clash. Check each scheme's rules on where your child must live to be offered a place.
Our test result came in October. Can I still change the council form?
Until 31 October, usually yes. After that a change is normally treated as a late application.
This guide gives the published dates and rules. It cannot tell you whether your child will pass, or whether your address is close enough for a place; those depend on the school's 2027 or 2028 arrangements and on who else applies.
A grammar school is one option among several. Seeing the selective, comprehensive and independent schools within reach of your home side by side helps you decide which tests are worth registering for.
Find schools that match your child near you →Evidence level
Every date is taken from the council's or school's own admissions page, checked on 13 October 2026. Dates for September 2028 entry had not been published by any of these schools on that date.
References
- GOV.UK. (2026). Grammar schools ↗ external. gov.uk
- Bexley Council. (2026). Register for the secondary selection test ↗ external. bexley.gov.uk
- Bexley Council. (2026). Selection tests ↗ external. bexley.gov.uk
- Redbridge Council. (2026). Redbridge 11 plus ↗ external. redbridge.gov.uk
- Sutton Grammar School. (2026). Selective Eligibility Test examination ↗ external. suttongrammar.sutton.sch.uk
- The Tiffin Girls' School. (2026). Year 7 admissions ↗ external. tiffingirls.org
- Tiffin School. (2026). Year 7 admissions ↗ external. tiffinschool.co.uk
- The Henrietta Barnett School. (2026). Admissions ↗ external. hbschool.org.uk
- The Latymer School. (2026). Year 7 admissions ↗ external. latymer.co.uk
Related research
How do I apply for a London secondary school place for September 2027?
Apply to the council where you live, not to the schools, by Saturday 31 October 2026. In London you can name up to six state schools, in any borough, in your true order of preference. Offers arrive on Monday 1 March 2027.
How does registration for independent school 11+ and 13+ entry work?
Independent schools are outside the council system: you register with each school directly, pay its registration fee and meet its own deadline. For September 2027 at 11+, several well-known London schools close registration in early November 2026. At 13+ some schools close registration in Year 6.
When should we start preparing for the 11+?
Most families who use structured 11+ preparation begin in Year 4 or the summer between Year 4 and Year 5. Earlier is usually not more effective; later than mid-Year 5 requires a tighter, more focused approach. What matters more than start date is how the time is used.