Kent Test practice papers: free samples and explanations
Start with KCC's familiarisation booklet to learn the format, then use our free Kent sets for practice.
Give each resource a job
| Resource | Use it to |
|---|---|
| Official familiarisation | Learn the instructions and answer sheet. |
| A practice set | Find a skill to revisit, then study the explanation. |
| A timed session | Practise pace and moving between questions. |
Each part has its own clock
| Part | Published timing |
|---|---|
| Paper 1: English | 5 minutes of practice questions, then 25 minutes |
| Paper 1: Maths | 5 minutes of practice questions, then 25 minutes |
| Paper 2: Verbal reasoning | 10 minutes of practice, then 20 minutes |
| Paper 2: Non-verbal and spatial | Untimed practice before each short subtest of 4 or 5 minutes |
| Writing task | 40 minutes, not marked; the head teacher panel may read it |
So practise each part against its own clock, not one long timer for a whole paper.
Try a slice: English, maths and verbal reasoning
Sixteen original questions in the Kent multiple-choice style, from our reviewed practice. Each part has its own short clock. After marking, every missed skill links to its free practice set.
Kent Test practice slice
Kent Test slice: English, maths and verbal reasoning
English · 8 min practice clock
Paper 1, English part. One answer each. Questions 1 to 4 are about the text. In the real test this part has 25 assessed minutes after 5 minutes of practice questions.
English practice clock
Letters about the old shelter
[1]The following letters concern an invented village proposal.
[2]Dear Editor, The old bus shelter is no longer used by buses, and some residents want it removed. I suggest turning it into a book exchange. Three shelves would fit against the back wall, leaving space for people to stand out of the rain. Anyone could take a book and leave another when they had one to spare. We would need permission and regular volunteers, but the building itself would remain useful. Removing it would leave us with an empty patch of pavement and the cost of demolition. Yours sincerely, Ellen Ward
[3]Dear Editor, I like Ms Ward's idea, but the shelter's roof leaks at the back, exactly where the shelves would go. Until that is repaired, books would be damaged. Also, "anyone could take a book" sounds welcoming, yet a box abandoned elsewhere in the village last year filled with torn magazines. Someone must check the shelves regularly. I would support a three-month trial after the roof repair, with a named team to look after it. A good idea deserves a practical plan. Yours sincerely, Samir Khan
[4]Dear Editor, I helped organise last year's box. It was not intended as a book exchange: it collected magazines for a craft project and was removed at the agreed time. I agree that the shelter would need care, but that box cannot tell us whether a book exchange would succeed. If the proposal goes ahead, I can take a turn checking the shelves on Saturdays. Yours sincerely, Jo Brooks
What is Ellen's main proposal?
Why is the leaking roof especially relevant to the proposal?
Which statement best describes Samir's position?
Which claim does Jo correct?
Which word is the opposite of "reluctant" as used here? "Ben was reluctant to lend his treasured compass."
One child owns several books. Which phrase shows this possession correctly?
Maths · 6 min practice clock
Paper 1, maths part. One answer each, no calculator. The real part has 25 assessed minutes after 5 minutes of practice questions.
Maths practice clock
A number has 6 hundreds and 8 ones. Its tens digit is half its hundreds digit. What is the difference between this number and the number with its digits reversed?
A measuring scale has equally spaced marks labelled 0 g and 200 g with four unlabelled marks between them. A pointer is on the third mark after 0 g. What mass does it show?
A survey asks each of 50 children to name every pet type they own. The totals are dogs 28, cats 23 and rabbits 9. Which statement must be true?
A number machine doubles its input, adds 6, then halves the result. Isla says the output is always 3 more than the input. Which statement is correct?
A robot starts at (2, 3) on a coordinate grid. It moves 5 units right, 4 units up, 3 units left and 6 units down. Where does it finish?
Verbal reasoning · 4 min practice clock
Paper 2, verbal reasoning. One answer each. The real part has 20 assessed minutes after 10 minutes of practice. Non-verbal and spatial subtests follow it, each with its own 4 or 5 minute clock.
Verbal reasoning practice clock
The library opens on Monday only if a volunteer is present. Today is Monday and the library is open. Which must be true?
The missing letters occur at different positions in __L and CR__N. Select the two-letter group that produces a bird and an object worn by a monarch.
In a substitution code MINT=4836 and TIME=6842. Each letter always has the same digit. What is NINE?
A letter-number code uses A=1 to Z=26. Multiply the first and last letter values, then add the middle letter value. What is the code for CAT?
Nia has more stamps than Omar. Pia has twice as many as Omar. Quinn has fewer than Omar. Which must be true?
Review the method, not just the answer
Worked example Fractions of a collection
A club has 84 badges. Three sevenths are blue. Half of the remaining badges are green. How many are neither blue nor green? A 18, B 24, C 36, D 42, E 48.
- One seventh of 84 is 12, so 36 badges are blue.
- 84 minus 36 leaves 48. Half of 48 are green, leaving 24.
Answer: B, 24. Check: 36 blue + 24 green + 24 other = 84.
The trap: D takes half of the original 84, not of the remainder.
A three-line review
- What did I miss? I used the total instead of the remainder.
- What will I do next time? Circle 'remaining' and write the new total.
- Can I explain it tomorrow without the answer?