A proposal has been submitted to the authority’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to delay this year’s test due to the Covid pandemic.
The postponement, from September to October, would mean the results of the test would not be available until after parents have made their secondary school selections.
The new dates proposed for the Kent Test are October 15 to October 17, with results arriving in November, a month after parents are required to send off the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF).
But the proposal to delay the test also seeks to increase the number of schools that parents can name on the SCAF from four to six, for one year only.
Matt Dunkley, KCC’s Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education, said: “While the pathway to a return to normal school life is still not fully understood, we know it is important that schools, parents/carers and children have adequate notice of any adjustments to the Kent Test process.
“It has recently become clear that Year 5 pupils are no longer expected to return to school before the start of the new academic year.”
He continued: “Proposals are therefore being made to delay the Kent Test by around one month, with testing for children in Kent schools potentially to take place on Thursday, October 15 and children from outside Kent to be tested from Saturday, October 17.
“It is important to point out, however, that while these are our current preferred plans, no one knows what will happen over the coming months with regards to Covid-19, and if Government guidance changes and it is no longer thought safe to accommodate children in school for the testing then our proposal will need to be revised; the safety and well-being of all the pupils and staff involved has to be our overriding priority.”
The deadline for parents considering a grammar school for their child is Wednesday, July 1. More details are available via the Kent Test pages on www.kent.gov.uk
