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Grammar Schools in Kent: Complete Guide

Exam Information 10 min read
Table of contents
  1. About Kent Grammar Schools
  2. Key information for 2027 entry to Kent Grammar Schools at 11 Plus (11+)
  3. Grammar Schools included in the Kent 11+ Consortium
  4. Exam format for the Kent Grammar School 11 plus (11+) entrance exam
  5. The Top 10 Best Grammar Schools in Kent
  6. Dartford Grammar School
  7. Tonbridge Grammar School
  8. The Skinners’ School
  9. Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School
  10. The Rochester Grammar School
  11. The Judd School
  12. Weald of Kent Grammar School
  13. Highworth Grammar School
  14. Dane Court Grammar School
  15. Invicta Grammar School
  16. Examberry Papers

About Kent Grammar Schools

Making the right choice between different grammar schools can be an overwhelming decision for parents. With so many great grammar schools all offering amazing opportunities for your child it is often difficult to find comprehensive information concerning all the different options in your area. 

Kent is the largest grammar school area in the country and, with 35 wholly selective and 3 partially selective schools, parents face a considerable challenge when making their decisions. 

This guide aims to provide you with clear and useful information regarding the grammar schools in Kent. This will include general information, exam format details, and key information about each school, including statistics, facilities, results, and Ofsted reviews.

In the coming sections of this article, the below listed key terms mean the following:

  • CAF: Common Application Form, the form you must submit to your local authority listing the schools of your choice in order of preference 
  • PAN: Published Admission Number, the number of places available for year 7 entry in 2027 at 11 plus (11+) level
  • EHCP: Education, Health and Care Plan, a legal document that describes a person’s special educational needs
  • Pupil Premium: a grant that improves educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils
  • PLAC: (previously) looked after children
  •  

Key information for 2027 entry to Kent Grammar Schools at 11 Plus (11+)

Important dates:

  • Registration dates: June – July 2026
  • Exam date: September 2026
  • Exam type: two multiple-choice papers, by GL Assessment, each lasting an hour
  • Results: October 2026
  • CAF deadline & local authority: 31 October 2026
  • National school offer day: 1 March 2027
  • Appeal deadline: end of March 2027

Admissions information:

  • Scoring: 332 or more across the 3 standardised scores in English, maths and reasoning with no single score lower than 108
  • Eligibility criteria: Year 6, within the catchment area
  • Priority criteria: (dependent on the school)
  • Appeals: you will have the right to appeal after National Offer Day
  • Admission Contact details: 03000 412121, [email protected], Kent County Council website
  • Consortium: Kent 11+ Consortium 

 

Grammar Schools included in the Kent 11+ Consortium

Barton Court Grammar School
Borden Grammar School
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
Cranbrook School
Dane Court Grammar School
Dartford Grammar School
Dartford Grammar School for Girls
Dover Grammar School for Boys
Dover Grammar School for Girls
Gravesend Grammar School
Highsted School
Highworth Grammar School
Invicta Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Mayfield Grammar School
Oakwood Park Grammar School    Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School

Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
Sir Roger Manwood’s School
The Folkestone School for Girls
The Harvey Grammar School
The Judd School
The Norton Knatchbull School
The Skinners’ School
Tonbridge Grammar School
Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School
Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys
Weald of Kent Grammar School
Wilmington Grammar School for Boys
Wilmington Grammar School for Girls

Exam format for the Kent Grammar School 11 plus (11+) entrance exam

For Kent based grammar schools, students must take The Kent Test 11 plus (11+); only one entrance exam process is required for entrance into Kent grammar schools. This entrance test is composed of two papers each lasting approximately 1 hour. Both papers are written by GL assessment and all the questions are multiple-choice. 

The first paper will test the following topics:

  • English- a 5-minute practice followed by a 25-minute test- involves a comprehension exercise as well as some additional literacy skill questions 
  • Maths- a 5-minute practice followed by a 25-minute test- questions are based on the KS2 curriculum 

The second paper will test reasoning and will include:

  • Verbal reasoning 
  • Non-verbal reasoning- split up into short sections that will be administered and timed individually 

There will also be a 40-minute writing exercise, including 10-minutes planning time, which will not be marked but may be used in borderline or appeal cases. 

The Top 10 Best Grammar Schools in Kent

The information used in this list was published by the Sunday Times in their Parent Power 2023 article. The list is ranked using the school’s A Level and GCSE results from 2022. 

Dartford Grammar School

School type: Boys’ grammar (co-educational sixth form)

Number of pupils: 1,486

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 180

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 15

Headteacher: Julian Metcalf

Address: West Hill, Dartford, DA1 2HW

Catchment area: Priority is given to children based on proximity to the school within the Dartford Electoral Wards

Priority criteria: Children in local authority care; children who are entitled to Pupil Premium; children who score the highest in the Kent Test

Facilities: 60m all-weather running track with a 6-lane pit; a high-jump fan; competition-grade throwing cage; netball courts; sports hall; and a fully-equipped gym 

2022 Results: GCSE: 81.2% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 96.1% of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Outstanding

School’s contact details: 01322 223 039, [email protected], www.dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk

Tonbridge Grammar School

School type: Girls’ grammar (co-educational sixth form)

Number of pupils: 1,134

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 180

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 20

Headteacher: Rebecca Crean

Address: Deakin Leas, Tonbridge, TN9 2JR

Open event: www.tgs.kent.sch.uk/join-us-in-year-7

Catchment area: There is an inner and outer catchment area. The inner catchment area consists of the following areas: Tonbridge & Malling Borough, Tunbridge Wells Borough and Sevenoaks District 

Priority criteria: children in local authority care; children who meet the required score in the 11+ (135 area places/ 35 Trustee places); children who are eligible for Pupil Premium (10 places) with priority given to those who score highly in the Kent Test and those who live closer to the school

Facilities: 14 acres of land in Deakin Leas; state-of-the-art classrooms; a drama and dance studio; a sports hall; newly refurbished science laboratories; and a dedicated sixth-form study centre

2022 Results: GCSE: 88.6% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 89.4% of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Outstanding 

School’s contact details: 01732 365 125, [email protected], www.tgs.kent.sch.uk

The Skinners’ School

School type: Boys’ grammar

Number of pupils: 1,180

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 160

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 46

Headteacher: Edward Wesson 

Address: St John’s Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PG

Open event: www.skinners-school.co.uk/admissions/visiting-skinners/

Catchment area: www.skinners-school.co.uk/admissions/detailed-area-map 

Priority criteria: children in local authority care; children who live in West Kent (140 places) with priority going to recipients of Pupil Premium and pupils who score highly in the Kent Test

Facilities: sports hall; drama studio; large all-weather pitch with floodlighting; multi-use games area with netball and tennis courts; activity studio; lecture theatre; conference room 

2022 Results: GCSE: 83.2% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 84.3% of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Good 

School’s contact details: 01892 520 732,  [email protected], www.skinners-school.co.uk

Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School

School type: Girls’ grammar

Number of pupils: 994

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 145

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 51

Headteacher: Katie Marchant  

Address: Southfield Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9UJ

Open event: www.twggs.kent.sch.uk/548/open-events

Catchment area: map available here on page 6

Priority criteria: children in local authority care; children who are recipients of Pupil Premium; children who have siblings at the school; children who have health and special access reasons; children who live within 4 miles of the school

2022 Results: GCSE: 74.6% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 87.1% of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Outstanding

School’s contact details: 01892 520 902, [email protected], www.twggs.kent.sch.uk 

The Rochester Grammar School

School type: Girls’ grammar (co-educational sixth-form)

Number of pupils: 1,232

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 175

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 64

Headteacher: Clare Brinklow

Address: Maidstone Road, Rochester, ME1 3BY

Open event: https://rochestergrammar.org.uk/our-school/virtual-open-day/

Catchment area: applications are prioritised based on the shortest distance from the child’s home to the school

Priority criteria: children in local authority care; children who are recipients of Pupil Premium; children who have siblings at the school; children who attend a Thinking Schools Academy Trust’s Medway primary school; children of staff members; children who have health and special access reasons

2022 Results: GCSE: 63.7% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 90.1% of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Good

School’s contact details: 0333 360 2120, [email protected], www.rochestergrammar.org.uk

The Judd School

School type: Boys’ grammar (co-educational sixth-form)

Number of pupils: 1,471

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 180

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 71

Headteacher: Jon Wood

Address: Brook Street, Tonbridge, TN9 2PN

Open event: details can be found here

Catchment area: www.judd.online/page/?title=Inner+and+Outer+Area&pid=167

Priority criteria: children in local authority care; children who score highly in the Kent Test; children who live the closest to the school

2022 Results: GCSE: 73.5% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 81.2%of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Outstanding

School’s contact details: 01732 770 880, [email protected], www.judd.online

Weald of Kent Grammar School

School type: Girls’ grammar (co-educational sixth-form)

Number of pupils: 1,450

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 270

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 76

Headteacher: Sophie Clark

Address: Tudeley Lane, Tonbridge, TN9 2JP

Open event: www.wealdofkent.kent.sch.uk/open-events

Catchment area: details about the school’s catchment area are set out here in paragraph 6

Priority criteria: children in local authority care; children with siblings at the school; children with health and special access reasons; children eligible for Pupil Premium; the children of permanent staff members; remaining spaces are allocated based on distance from the school

Facilities: grass pitches for rounders, football, and cricket; a sports hall; a dedicated sixth-form centre

2022 Results: GCSE: 73% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 80.3%of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Good/ requires improvement

School’s contact details: 01732 373 500, [email protected], www.wealdofkent.kent.sch.uk

Highworth Grammar School

School type: Girls’ grammar (co-educational sixth-form)

Number of pupils: 1,486

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 210

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 98

Headteacher: Duncan Beer

Address: Maidstone Road, Ashford, TN24 8UD

Open event: www.highworth.kent.sch.uk/2017/admissions-information

Catchment area: this school does not have a formal catchment area, however, in some cases, it will prioritise admission for children who live closer to the school

Priority criteria: children in local authority care; children eligible for Pupil Premium; children with siblings at the school; children with health and special access reasons; children who live closer to the school 

2022 Results: GCSE: 69% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 78%of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Outstanding

School’s contact details: 01233 624 910, [email protected], www.highworth.kent.sch.uk

Dane Court Grammar School

School type: Co-educational grammar

Number of pupils: 1,269

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 165

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 118

Headteacher: Kate Greig

Address: Broadstairs Road, Broadstairs, CT10 2RT

Catchment area: Dane Court Grammar School does not have an official catchment area, however, it does often prioritise prospective students who live closer to the school

Priority criteria: Children in local authority care; children who have specific health/medical needs; children who are eligible for Pupil Premium; children who have siblings at the school; children who live closest to the school

2022 Results: GCSE: 53.5% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 82.9%of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Good

School’s Contact details: 01843 864 941, [email protected], www.danecourt.kent.sch.uk

Invicta Grammar School

School type: Girls’ grammar (co-educational sixth form)

Number of pupils: 1,546

Ages: 11-18

PAN: 240

The Sunday Times Parent Power National Rank: 121

Headteacher: Van Beales

Address: Huntsman Lane, Maidstone, ME14 5DS

Catchment area: this school does not have a formal catchment area, however, in some cases, it will prioritise admission for children who live closer to the school

Priority criteria: Children in local authority care; children who have siblings at the school; children who have specific health/medical needs; children who are eligible for Pupil Premium; the children of staff members; children who live closest to the school

2022 Results: GCSE: 54.8% of students achieved grades 9-7, A Level: 81.9%of students achieved grades A*-B

Ofsted ranking: Outstanding

School’s Contact details: 01622 755 856, [email protected], www.invicta.viat.org.uk

Examberry Papers

The most effective way to prepare for Kent’s 11+ entrance exam is to use practice tests written by experts.

Each of our practice tests:

  • is written for the current Medway Test: multiple choice, with answers on separate answer sheets and no writing paper.
  • is available in PDF download and physical format.
  • familiarises your child with the types of questions they will face in the real exam.
  • includes answers to every question and also detailed, step-by-step explanations for all maths questions.
  • boosts your child’s confidence before the actual exam.

For Kent 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs:

Kent 11+ Practice Tests

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Also available as smaller bundles:

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Targeted Skills

Key Recommendations

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Targeted Skills

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