"Utter madness." That's what opponents of Kent's selective system think of a decision to bring forward the timing of the 11-plus to September, saying it will make it harder for non-selective schools to meet challenging government targets.

The Government has agreed to KCC's plans to switch the timing of the test so pupils will sit it shortly after the summer holiday.

It will mean parents will know if their child has passed before applying for secondary school places.

But Martin Frey of Kent campaign group STEP (Stop The Eleven Plus) said: "I am desperately sad.

"This is a disaster for Kent because it will strengthen the county's grammar schools and therefore weaken the rest, which seems to be utter madness.

"This will simply encourage more parents to enter their child for the 11-plus and grammars will pick from a larger cohort and will be even more successful at creaming off the most able pupils."

Meanwhile, the opposition Labour group at County Hall criticised its own government for ignoring concerns about the new arrangements.

Shadow cabinet education spokeswoman Cllr Christine Angell said: "This will make children and parents stress earlier about this divisive examination which segregates and labels children at such a young age."

Kent currently has 30 schools that fall short of a new government target for at least 30 per cent of pupils to have achieved five or more passes at GCSE, including maths and English, by 2012.

However, county education chiefs say they are certain the target will be met and help is already being given to those that are below the standard set by Mr Brown.

Kent’s new admissions arrangements are in line with recommendations in a recently revised Government code on admissions.

But although the test will be sat earlier, children will still not be told which school they have been allocated a place at until the following March, in line with the rest of the country.