Kent / Kent 11+
West Hill, Dartford, DA1 2HW
Dartford Grammar School
1
A selective boys grammar school in Dartford, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,543 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Dartford, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,543 pupils on roll. Based in Dartford, Kent, the school serves boys aged 11-18 and includes sixth-form study as part of the offer. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,543 pupils on roll and 180 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 180 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 Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 1.11 and Attainment 8 at 78.4. 98.4% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 83% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library, Theatre. The wider offer currently includes Drama, Duke of Edinburgh. 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 Dartford Grammar School belongs on a serious shortlist.
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.
Year 7 entry is through Kent PESE. There are 130 priority-area places and 50 all-address places, with pupil-premium sub-priorities within both categories.
There are 130 Priority Area places and 50 places for applicants regardless of address. Both groups are ranked by Kent Test score, with pupil-premium sub-priorities in each category.
Priority Area places
130 places are offered to children living in the school's defined Priority Area.
Priority Area pupil premium places
Within the Priority Area places, up to 13 places are reserved for pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium who are at least 20 points above the Kent threshold score.
Priority Area remaining places by Kent score
The remaining Priority Area places are ranked by Kent test score among eligible children.
Open Category 2 places
50 places are available regardless of address.
Category 2 pupil premium places
Within Category 2, up to 5 places are reserved for pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium who are at least 20 points above the Kent threshold score.
Category 2 remaining places by Kent score
The remaining open places are ranked by the child's Kent test score.
Admissions policy
Admissions policy 2026
2026 entry
Information booklet
Year 7 admissions FAQs 2026
2026 entry
Score cut-off
Cut-off scores March 2026
2026 entry
2026
403
Initial offer score
Year 7 entry is through Kent PESE. Candidates sit mathematics, English and reasoning papers with age-standardised scoring, and they also complete a writing task that can be considered during head teacher assessment.
This school uses the shared Kent Test consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Kent Test guidePaper 1
English, Maths, VR, NVR
Kent PESE papers
Kent PESE includes mathematics, English and reasoning papers, with the overall score age-standardised before results are issued.
Paper 2
Creative Writing
Writing task
Candidates also complete a writing task under test conditions. It is not routinely marked, but may be used if a head teacher requests an assessment review.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Creative writing are included in the published format.
Science is not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Kent PESE includes mathematics, English and reasoning papers, with the overall score age-standardised before results are issued.
Non-verbal reasoning
Kent PESE includes mathematics, English and reasoning papers, with the overall score age-standardised before results are issued.
Creative writing
Included within the published English paper.
Science
Kent Test registration opens
2 June 2025
Kent Test registration closes
1 July 2025
Secondary transfer opens
1 September 2025
Kent primary pupils test day
11 September 2025
Non-Kent pupils test window
13 to 14 September 2025
Kent Test results
16 October 2025
Secondary application deadline
31 October 2025
National Offer Day
2 March 2026
Waiting-list offers begin
23 April 2026
Register for the Kent Test
Apply through Kent County Council during the published June to July registration window.
Open Year 7 admissionsSit the Kent PESE assessment
Kent primary pupils sit the test in school and non-Kent pupils are allocated one of the later September test sessions.
Check test datesSubmit your secondary application
List Dartford Grammar School through the local authority secondary application process by the published closing date.
Read admissions policySend the supplementary form if you are applying under pupil premium
A supplementary information form is available for the pupil-premium criterion.
Open supplementary formLatest 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 | 79.7 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 78.2 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 78.4 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 79.9 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This school does not have a published A-level trend in the local GOV.UK files, so we have shown the share of pupils getting grade 5 or above in English and maths instead.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 97.7% | 66.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 97.7% | 61.8% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 97.8% | 61.5% |
| 2024/25 | 100% | 97.6% | 61.2% |
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 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 7 December 2022
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective route
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective route
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective route
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective 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 Kent
Compare the best grammar schools in Kent for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Kent sits within the Kent Test route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys 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 Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
Best Grammar Schools in Kent
Compare the best grammar schools in Kent for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Kent sits within the Kent Test route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys 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 Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Dartford Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the Kent Test: Apply through Kent County Council during the published June to July registration window. 2. Sit the Kent PESE assessment: Kent primary pupils sit the test in school and non-Kent pupils are allocated one of the later September test sessions. 3. Submit your secondary application: List Dartford Grammar School through the local authority secondary application process by the published closing date. 4. Send the supplementary form if you are applying under pupil premium: A supplementary information form is available for the pupil-premium criterion.
Kent Test registration opens: 2 June 2025. Kent Test registration closes: 1 July 2025. Secondary transfer opens: 1 September 2025. Kent primary pupils test day: 11 September 2025. Non-Kent pupils test window: 13 to 14 September 2025. Kent Test results: 16 October 2025. Secondary application deadline: 31 October 2025. National Offer Day: 2 March 2026. Waiting-list offers begin: 23 April 2026
Dartford Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 7 December 2022.