Medway / Medway 11+
Rainham Road, Chatham, ME5 7EH
Chatham Grammar
1
A selective girls grammar school in Chatham, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 950 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective girls grammar school in Chatham, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 950 pupils on roll. Based in Chatham, Kent, the school serves girls aged 11-18 and includes sixth-form study as part of the offer. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 950 pupils on roll and 150 Year 7 places.
Admissions are central to understanding whether this school is the right fit and realistic shortlist option. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 150 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
Academically, the published picture is strong and easier to judge than reputation alone. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.36 and Attainment 8 at 60.1. 78.2% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 5.1% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 68% moving into higher education.
The wider offer currently includes Duke of Edinburgh, Sport. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. That mix of selective entry, published outcomes, and school life is what will matter most to families deciding whether Chatham Grammar belongs on a serious shortlist.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Medway and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Medway and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Medway and England.
For September 2027 entry, applicants must be assessed as selective through the Medway Test or the Kent Test. Oversubscription is then ranked by looked-after status, current family association, children of staff, and distance.
No catchment area is published for Year 7. Once applicants are deemed selective, the final oversubscription criterion is distance from home to school.
Children in public care or previously in public care are considered first.
After any EHCP allocations, priority starts with looked after and previously looked after children who are deemed selective.
Current family association is considered next.
Sibling priority applies when a brother or sister will still be on roll at the school at the time of admission.
Children of staff come after sibling applications.
The policy applies the published admissions-code conditions for staff priority.
All other deemed-selective applicants are ranked by distance.
Home-to-school distance is measured using Medway's published method. No catchment area is published.
The official Medway test route has English, mathematics, and reasoning papers, with official Chatham Grammar familiarisation materials available for applicants.
This school uses the shared Medway Test consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Medway Test guidePaper 1
English
English paper
The Medway Test includes a 30-minute multiple-choice English paper covering comprehension, punctuation, and grammar.
Paper 2
Maths
Mathematics paper
The Medway Test includes a 50-minute multiple-choice mathematics paper.
Paper 3
VR, NVR
Reasoning paper
The Medway Test includes a 45-minute multiple-choice reasoning paper with verbal and spatial or non-verbal sections.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
The Medway Test includes a 45-minute multiple-choice reasoning paper with verbal and spatial or non-verbal sections.
Non-verbal reasoning
The Medway Test includes a 45-minute multiple-choice reasoning paper with verbal and spatial or non-verbal sections.
Science
Creative writing
Medway Test registration opens
18 May 2026
Medway Test registration closes
12 June 2026
First Medway Test date
15 September 2026
Additional Medway Test dates
Wednesday 16 September, Saturday 19 September, and Sunday 20 September 2026
Medway Test results issued
14 October 2026
Secondary application deadline
31 October 2026
National offer day
1 March 2027
Register for the Medway Test or use a Kent Test result
Chatham Grammar accepts children assessed as selective through the Medway Test or the Kent Test for September 2027 entry.
Open Year 7 admissionsSubmit your secondary application by the deadline
Applications close at 5pm on Saturday 31 October 2026.
Open 2027 key datesUse the school's familiarisation materials
Official familiarisation resources are available for families preparing for the selective admissions route.
Open familiarisation materialsLatest 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 | 64.3 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 59.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 60.1 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 61.8 | 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 (29.8 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | C- average (27.1 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | C+ average (32.1 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | C average (28.6 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 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 97% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 97% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 94% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
| In employment | 2% |
Latest inspection: 18 October 2023
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Medway area and similar girls' selective route
Same Medway area and similar girls' selective route
Nearby South East option with a similar admissions route
Nearby South East option with a similar admissions route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Medway
Compare the best grammar schools in Medway for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Medway sits within the Medway Test route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
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.
Best Grammar Schools in Medway
Compare the best grammar schools in Medway for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Medway sits within the Medway Test route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
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 Grammar currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the Medway Test or use a Kent Test result: Chatham Grammar accepts children assessed as selective through the Medway Test or the Kent Test for September 2027 entry. 2. Submit your secondary application by the deadline: Applications close at 5pm on Saturday 31 October 2026. 3. Use the school's familiarisation materials: Official familiarisation resources are available for families preparing for the selective admissions route.
Medway Test registration opens: 18 May 2026. Medway Test registration closes: 12 June 2026. First Medway Test date: 15 September 2026. Additional Medway Test dates: Wednesday 16 September, Saturday 19 September, and Sunday 20 September 2026. Medway Test results issued: 14 October 2026. Secondary application deadline: 31 October 2026. National offer day: 1 March 2027
Chatham Grammar is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 18 October 2023.