A selective co-educational grammar school in Ramsgate, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,388 pupils on roll.
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
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At a glance
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School brings together two Ramsgate grammar traditions in a modern co-educational selective school for ages 11 to 18. The roll is around 1,390 pupils, large enough for a substantial sixth form while still retaining the identity of its Chatham House and Clarendon House roots.
The curriculum is broad and recognisably grammar-school in tone, with departments publishing subject intent and sixth-form routes rather than presenting the school as a test factory. Drama has a particularly visible profile, supported by performance spaces and productions, and the sixth form publishes course, admissions and results information for families comparing post-16 options.
The school day extends into choir, Duke of Edinburgh, Combined Cadet Force, drama and subject enrichment. That breadth matters in Thanet, where the school serves both local Ramsgate families and applicants from the wider Kent grammar system.
Year 7 entry has a published admission number of 180 and uses the Kent Test: English and mathematics, reasoning, and a writing exercise used where headteacher assessment is needed. Once a child is grammar-qualified, the school's oversubscription criteria give priority to looked-after children, health and special access cases, pupil or service premium applicants, siblings, staff children and then named local areas before wider distance.
Creative writing is tested in this school's current 11+ assessment.
A weak creative writing piece can leave a child short of qualification. 11 Plus Writing Coach helps families build steadier practice and clearer feedback.
From our 11 Plus Writing Coach site
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Kent and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Kent and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Kent and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,388 pupils; 1,359 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 72.9% | White | 1,012 |
| Any other White background | 8.5% | White | 118 |
| White and Asian | 4% | Mixed | 56 |
| Unclassified | 2.1% | Unclassified | 29 |
| Any other mixed background | 1.9% | Mixed | 26 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.6% | Other | 22 |
| Indian | 1.4% | Asian | 20 |
| African | 1.4% | Black | 19 |
| Chinese | 1.4% | Asian | 19 |
| Any other Asian background | 1.2% | Asian | 17 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.9% | Mixed | 13 |
| White and Black African | 0.9% | Mixed | 12 |
| Irish | 0.7% | White | 10 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.5% | Asian | 7 |
| Pakistani | 0.3% | Asian | 4 |
| Caribbean | 0.2% | Black | 3 |
| Any other Black background | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
Applicants must first qualify for grammar school through the Kent Test. Eligible children are then ranked through the school's published oversubscription order, including a named-area priority before the final open distance criterion.
The 2027 policy gives a named-area priority for children living in Thanet, Broomfield, Chestfield, Herne, Herne Bay, Reculver, Swalecliffe, and Whitstable. Distance is then used inside each criterion.
Eligible looked after and previously looked after children are considered first.
After any EHCP placements, priority starts with children who are eligible for grammar school and are looked after or previously looked after.
Health or special access applications come next.
Families must complete the supplementary process and provide evidence showing why this school is the only suitable option.
Pupil premium and service premium applicants follow.
The policy requires the supplementary route for this criterion as well.
Current family association is considered next.
Sibling priority applies for current brothers or sisters at the school.
Children of staff are considered after sibling applications.
The published policy defines the qualifying employment conditions for staff priority.
Eligible children living in Thanet and the named coastal areas come next.
The named areas are Thanet, Broomfield, Chestfield, Herne, Herne Bay, Reculver, Swalecliffe, and Whitstable, with distance used inside the criterion.
Year 7 entry uses the Kent Test: multiple-choice English, mathematics and reasoning papers plus a writing exercise used only for headteacher assessment where needed. Scores are age-standardised.
Shared exam route
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School uses the shared Kent Test route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all Kent Test practice papersPaper 1
English, Maths
Kent Test English and mathematics paper
The first Kent Test paper has multiple-choice English and mathematics sections, each with a short practice section followed by a timed test.
Paper 2
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning
Kent Test reasoning paper
The second Kent Test paper is a multiple-choice reasoning paper covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Paper 3
Writing task
Writing exercise
A 40-minute writing exercise is not marked for the standardised score but may be used by a local headteacher panel.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science is not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
The second Kent Test paper is a multiple-choice reasoning paper covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Non-verbal reasoning
The second Kent Test paper is a multiple-choice reasoning paper covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Science
Kent Test registration opens
Monday 1 June 2026
PastKent Test registration closes
Wednesday 1 July 2026
Kent Test for Kent primary pupils
Thursday 10 September 2026
Out-of-county Kent Test weekend
Weekend of 12/13 September 2026
Kent Test decision sent
Thursday 15 October 2026
Secondary application deadline
Monday 2 November 2026
The school page still refers to the usual 31 October deadline wording, but Kent's 2027 scheme falls on Monday 2 November 2026.
Supplementary evidence deadline
Within 10 school days of the national secondary application deadline
Only applies to health or special access applications and pupil or service premium applications.
National offer day
Monday 1 March 2027
Register for the Kent Test
Kent's 2027 transfer scheme opens registration on Monday 1 June 2026 and closes it on Wednesday 1 July 2026 for Year 7 entry.
Open Kent Test guidanceSend the supplementary form only if it applies
The school only asks for a supplementary submission under the health or special access criterion and the pupil or service premium criterion.
Open school admissionsSubmit your secondary application
You still need to name Chatham & Clarendon on your local authority secondary application by Monday 2 November 2026.
Latest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 62.8 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 60.9 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 64.6 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 64 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | C+ average (33.9 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | C+ average (32.9 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B- average (35.7 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B- average (36.4 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 98% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 96% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 94% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
Latest inspection: 16 May 2018
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same Kent area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Kent area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Kent area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Kent area and similar co-ed selective route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Nearby option with a similar GCSE profile
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
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Best Grammar Schools in Kent
Compare 32 Kent grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Kent Test route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the Kent Test: Kent's 2027 transfer scheme opens registration on Monday 1 June 2026 and closes it on Wednesday 1 July 2026 for Year 7 entry. 2. Send the supplementary form only if it applies: The school only asks for a supplementary submission under the health or special access criterion and the pupil or service premium criterion. 3. Submit your secondary application: You still need to name Chatham & Clarendon on your local authority secondary application by Monday 2 November 2026.
Kent Test registration opens: Monday 1 June 2026. Kent Test registration closes: Wednesday 1 July 2026. Kent Test for Kent primary pupils: Thursday 10 September 2026. Out-of-county Kent Test weekend: Weekend of 12/13 September 2026. Kent Test decision sent: Thursday 15 October 2026. Secondary application deadline: Monday 2 November 2026. Supplementary evidence deadline: Within 10 school days of the national secondary application deadline. National offer day: Monday 1 March 2027
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 16 May 2018.