The Kent Test is to be delayed by a month.

Kent County Council has confirmed it will press ahead with proposals to delay the grammar school assessments until October because of the impact coronavirus has had on schools and pupils.

The test will now take place on Thursday, October 15 for pupils at a Kent school and from Saturday, October 17 for all other students.

Kent parents will also be offered two additional preferences on their child’s secondary school applications this year, an increase from four to six, to account for the later release of Kent Test results.

Medway Council has already announced it too will be delaying the Medway Test until October.

Richard Long, cabinet member for Education and Skills said: “I am pleased to be able to provide parents with greater clarity about how the Kent Test will be delivered this year.

“The vast majority of responses that we have received have supported our plans, which are similar to those being made by nearly all local authorities and admission authorities around the country.

"I have carefully considered the responses from schools, parents and other interested parties suggesting alternative approaches, however, this plan offers the strongest opportunity to assess over 17,000 pupils who have registered for the test this year in as fair and consistent a way as possible.

“While the delay in testing will provide an opportunity for children to settle back into a more normal school environment, we appreciate that children will have missed around four months of schooling.

"Fortunately, the Kent Test process is already designed to ensure that a child’s wider circumstances can be considered before their assessment is finalised and guidance will be provided to schools in light of the differing educational opportunities that children will have received.”

The registration window for the Kent Test is now closed, and familiarisation material remains available for all families at www.kent.gov.uk/kenttest says KCC.

Read more education-related news from across Kent here.