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Kent 11+ 32 schools Shared test area

Updated for 2026 admissions cycle

Best Grammar Schools in Kent

The grammar schools in Kent make up the largest and most varied selective landscape in England. Kent's scale is both its strength and its complication: West Kent, mid-county, Medway-edge, and coastal schools belong to the same county story, but they do not produce one uniform experience.

girls', boys', and co-ed options GL Assessment, CEM, Individual Kent Data checked 11 May 2026 Uses published 2025 GCSE measures and verified shared-test route data
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Top schools

Top grammar schools in Kent

Previewing the top 5 grammar schools in Kent by GCSE results. The full table ranks schools by GCSE results and adds competition level, shared test route detail, and admissions context.

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  1. Rank #1

    Dartford Grammar School

    Very High competition / GL Assessment

    GCSE score 83.6
  2. Rank #2

    The Judd School

    High competition / GL Assessment

    GCSE score 78.2
  3. Rank #3

    Tonbridge Grammar School

    High competition / GL Assessment

    GCSE score 76.9
  4. Rank #4

    Dartford Grammar School for Girls

    High competition / CEM

    GCSE score 70.6
  5. Rank #5

    Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School

    Very High competition / GL Assessment

    GCSE score 67.6

Area map

Map of grammar schools in Kent

Open map viewSee the shortlist spatially

School ranking

Full grammar school ranking in Kent

This table ranks schools by GCSE results. Before saving a school, check the shared test route, school-level admissions rules, Ofsted, competition level, and daily journey.

Compare up to 4 schools
UK Rank #20

Dartford Grammar School

Dartford Grammar School, West Hill

Ofsted: OutstandingBoys onlyCompetition: Very High

Overall GCSE score:83.6

Assessment: GL Assessment

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UK Rank #32

The Judd School

Judd School, Brook Street

Ofsted: OutstandingBoys onlyCompetition: High

Overall GCSE score:78.2

Assessment: GL Assessment

Open school page
UK Rank #95

Highworth Grammar School

Highworth Grammar School, Maidstone Road

Ofsted: OutstandingGirls onlyCompetition: High

Overall GCSE score:61.9

Assessment: GL Assessment

Open school page
UK Rank #96

Invicta Grammar School

Invicta Grammar School, Huntsman Lane

Ofsted: OutstandingGirls onlyCompetition: High

Overall GCSE score:61.7

Assessment: GL Assessment

Open school page
UK Rank #105

The Skinners' School

Skinners' School, St John's Road

Ofsted: GoodBoys onlyCompetition: High

Overall GCSE score:58.4

Assessment: GL Assessment

Open school page
UK Rank #130

Cranbrook School

Cranbrook School, Waterloo Road

Ofsted: GoodMixedCompetition: Moderate

Overall GCSE score:48.7

Assessment: GL Assessment

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UK Rank #133

Gravesend Grammar School

Gravesend Grammar School, Church Walk

Ofsted: OutstandingBoys onlyCompetition: Moderate

Overall GCSE score:47.8

Assessment: GL Assessment

Open school page
UK Rank #149

Borden Grammar School

Borden Grammar School, Avenue of Remembrance

Ofsted: GoodBoys onlyCompetition: Moderate

Overall GCSE score:38.1

Assessment: GL Assessment, Individual

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UK Rank #154

Highsted Grammar School

Highsted Grammar School, Highsted Road

Ofsted: GoodGirls onlyCompetition: Moderate

Overall GCSE score:35.0

Assessment: GL Assessment, Individual

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Shared test guide

These schools share one test

The Kent Test guide explains the test, dates, and papers these schools share. It is the quickest way to see the shared exam details in one place.

7 key dates 18 downloads GL Assessment, CEM, Individual
Open Kent Test guide See all shared test guides

Next checks

Compare schools and guides for Kent

Open focused comparisons and guides for the routes, admissions rules, and journeys that matter in Kent.

Comparisons

Compare nearby schools

Compare Dartford Grammar School with The Judd School Compare Tonbridge Grammar School with Dartford Grammar School for Girls Compare Dartford Grammar School with Tonbridge Grammar School

Guides

Open area guides

Grammar School Admissions Explained

A calm parent guide to registration, testing, preferences, and offer-day decisions when building a grammar school shortlist.

Grammar School Offer Day and Waiting Lists

A calm parent guide to offer day, waiting lists, and what to do when your shortlist does not land exactly as hoped.

Grammar School Travel and Commute Guide

How to judge daily travel reality before a grammar school makes it onto a serious shortlist.

Explore other areas

Compare nearby grammar-school areas

Nearby areas can share similar routes, school mix, or journey patterns while still leading to different daily choices.

Regional overview

Best Grammar Schools in South East

57 grammar school profiles in 3 counties across South East, covering 5 local clusters in total, with local area hubs for route, admissions and journey detail.

 Shared route

Best Grammar Schools in Medway

6 grammar school profiles in Kent. The linked Medway Test guide covers shared test dates, downloads, and route detail.

 Shared route

Best Grammar Schools in Southend-on-Sea

4 grammar school profiles in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The linked Essex (CSSE) guide covers shared test dates, downloads, and route detail.

 Shared route

Best Grammar Schools in Bexley

4 grammar school profiles in Greater London. The linked Bexley guide covers shared test dates, downloads, and route detail.

Kent overview

Kent grammar schools at a glance

32 grammar schools are mainly spread across Dartford, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, and 8 more. The school list changes by town cluster before results or inspection grades come into play.

Schools 32 schools
Main places Dartford, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, and 8 more
School mix Mixed
Tests Mostly GL

What stands out

Kent has 32 grammar schools in this ranking, making it one of the biggest and broadest selective areas in the country.

School mix and route

The county includes boys', girls', and co-educational schools, with major local groupings across north-west Kent, west Kent, mid Kent, Canterbury, and the east coast.

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Where they are

Where Kent grammar schools are concentrated

Dartford, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, and 8 more give Kent its main grammar-school shape.

Shared route

Much of the area is still tied together by the Kent Test route, but the tests themselves are not identical across every school.

School mix

The area includes boys' schools, girls' schools, and co-ed options.

Admissions

Distance and catchment rules matter at many of these schools. Competition varies noticeably across the area.

Dartford

Dartford has 4 grammar schools, including Dartford Grammar School, Dartford Grammar School for Girls, and 2 more schools, with both boys' and girls' schools.

Maidstone

Maidstone has 4 grammar schools, including Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone Grammar School, and 2 more schools, with both boys' and girls' schools.

Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells has 4 grammar schools, including Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School, The Skinners' School, and 2 more schools, with boys', girls', and co-ed options.

Canterbury

Canterbury has 3 grammar schools, including Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School, Barton Court Grammar School, and Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, with boys', girls', and co-ed options.

Dover

Dover has 3 grammar schools, including Dover Grammar School for Boys, Sir Roger Manwood's School, and Dover Grammar School for Girls, with boys', girls', and co-ed options.

Swale

Swale has 3 grammar schools, including Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Borden Grammar School, and Highsted Grammar School, with boys', girls', and co-ed options.

Elsewhere in Kent

Other grammar-school clusters also sit around Tonbridge and Malling, Ashford, Folkestone and Hythe, and 2 more.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Why does Kent feel bigger than most grammar-school areas?

Kent has 32 grammar schools in this ranking and stretches across a very large county, so parents are often comparing several local clusters rather than one compact school group.

Where are Kent grammar schools mainly concentrated?

Kent grammar schools are spread across several belts including Dartford, Wilmington, and Gravesend in the north-west; Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells in the west; Maidstone and Ashford in mid Kent; and Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone, Faversham, Sandwich, and Thanet in the east.

Does Kent offer different school types?

Yes. Kent includes boys' schools, girls' schools, and co-educational grammar schools, giving families one of the broadest selective mixes in England.

Do most Kent grammar schools follow the Kent Test route?

Much of the county is tied together by the Kent Test, which is one reason parents often start with a county-wide view before narrowing into local town clusters.