A selective girls grammar school in Chatham, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 950 pupils on roll.
Chatham Grammar
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At a glance
Chatham Grammar is a selective academy on Rainham Road in Chatham, serving pupils from Year 7 through to sixth form as part of the University of Kent Academies Trust. The school has historically served girls in Years 7 to 11, with a co-educational sixth form, and its own admissions material records the move to co-education from September 2026. The University of Kent sponsorship is more than branding: Chatham Grammar says students benefit from university resources that support academic and social development.
The school describes itself as ambitious and supportive, with a strong emphasis on healthy, inquisitive minds and confidence. Its curriculum and results pages point to the usual grammar-school academic route, including computer science and sixth-form study, while the UKAT Sixth Form arrangements create a larger post-16 setting across the trust. The sixth-form admissions page sets out a broad 400-student provision, with academic entry requirements for courses and a substantial number of external places where capacity allows.
Pastoral and leadership language is central to Chatham Grammar's identity. The ethos page focuses on aspiration, self-belief and resilience, and the school explicitly introduces leadership development from Year 7. The wider life of the school includes Duke of Edinburgh, sport, student leadership and a house system, with recent public news showing productions and partnership sport routes alongside the academic timetable.
Year 7 admission has a published admission number of 150. For September 2027, applicants must be assessed as selective through the Medway Test or the Kent Test; the Medway route uses English, mathematics and reasoning papers, with English and mathematics weighted more heavily than reasoning after age standardisation. Once applicants are deemed selective, Chatham Grammar applies its oversubscription order: looked-after and previously looked-after children, current family association, children of staff, then distance. Published measures include Ofsted Good in October 2023, +0.36 Progress 8, 92.1% grade 5+ in English and maths and 5.1% AAB or better at A level.
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.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 950 pupils; 943 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| African | 37.7% | Black | 358 |
| White British | 34.8% | White | 331 |
| Any other White background | 6.8% | White | 65 |
| Indian | 4.6% | Asian | 44 |
| Any other mixed background | 3.5% | Mixed | 33 |
| Pakistani | 2% | Asian | 19 |
| Any other Asian background | 1.7% | Asian | 16 |
| White and Asian | 1.5% | Mixed | 14 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 1.5% | Mixed | 14 |
| White and Black African | 1.4% | Mixed | 13 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.2% | Other | 11 |
| Caribbean | 0.8% | Black | 8 |
| Unclassified | 0.7% | Unclassified | 7 |
| Any other Black background | 0.6% | Black | 6 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.6% | Asian | 6 |
| Irish | 0.3% | White | 3 |
| Chinese | 0.2% | Asian | 2 |
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.
Shared exam route
Chatham Grammar uses the shared Medway 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 Medway Test practice papersPaper 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
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning
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 is 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
Medway Test registration opens
Monday 18 May 2026
PastMedway Test registration closes
Friday 12 June 2026
First Medway Test date
Tuesday 15 September 2026
Additional Medway Test dates
Wednesday 16 September, Saturday 19 September, and Sunday 20 September 2026
Medway Test results issued
Wednesday 14 October 2026
Secondary application deadline
Saturday 31 October 2026
Applications close at 5pm.
National offer day
Monday 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 | 99% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 96% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
| In employment | 2% |
Latest inspection: 18 October 2023
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
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
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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: Monday 18 May 2026. Medway Test registration closes: Friday 12 June 2026. First Medway Test date: Tuesday 15 September 2026. Additional Medway Test dates: Wednesday 16 September, Saturday 19 September, and Sunday 20 September 2026. Medway Test results issued: Wednesday 14 October 2026. Secondary application deadline: Saturday 31 October 2026. National offer day: Monday 1 March 2027
Chatham Grammar is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 18 October 2023.