School profile Verified 11 September 2026

Gravesend Grammar School

Church Walk, Gravesend, DA12 2PR

A selective boys grammar school in Gravesend, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,493 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Boys Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form GL Assessment

UK rank: UK Rank #133
Year 7 places: 210
Competition ?: Moderate
Ofsted ?: Outstanding
11+ route: GL Assessment

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Gravesend Grammar School school building exterior

At a glance

Key facts

GCSE rank: UK Rank #133
Sector: Grammar school
Admissions: Boys only
Assessment: GL Assessment
Places in Year 7: 210
Competition ?: Moderate
Catchment: You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Ofsted ?: Outstanding

Overview

Gravesend Grammar School is a selective boys' grammar school on Church Walk in Gravesend, with a co-educational sixth form and about 1,493 pupils on roll. The school dates its foundation to 1893 and is now part of Aletheia Academies Trust. Its own welcome is rooted in traditional academic values, but the tone is not purely nostalgic: the headteacher talks about maintaining those values in a modern context.

Academically, GGS describes an ambitious curriculum that is rigorous, challenging and built by specialist teachers. Computer science and physics are visible strengths in the school's 2025 GCSE results commentary, while the sixth form is presented as a bridge to university, apprenticeships and future study. The school repeatedly returns to high expectations, hard work, respect and belonging.

The wider school offer has real scale. The website points to an enriching extracurricular programme, leadership opportunities, the house system, music, drama, sport, Duke of Edinburgh and Combined Cadet Force. GGS presents this as part of a community grammar-school education, and the school explicitly says it values the whole student, not just exam grades.

Admission to Year 7 is through the Kent Test, with a published admission number of 210. Applicants normally sit the Kent English and mathematics paper, the reasoning paper and the writing exercise used for assessment panels where needed. The policy gives priority to looked-after and previously looked-after children, then medical or access needs, siblings, staff children and defined local priority areas before distance is used. Published measures show Ofsted Outstanding, +0.18 Progress 8, 96.8% grade 5+ in English and maths and 26.9% AAB or better at A level; the school-published 2025 GCSE summary reports 44% of grades at 7 to 9.

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Key points

Assessment route: GL Assessment across a 3-stage process, covering English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Writing task.
Places and demand: 210 places in Year 7 and Moderate
Catchment: You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Results: 96.8% grade 5+ in English and maths and 65.3 Attainment 8
Sixth form: Sixth form available with 26.9% AAB or better and 68% in higher education.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Kent and England.

School Local authority England

Attainment 8: 65.3
Grade 5+ English and maths: 96.8%
EBacc APS: 6.36
EBacc entry: 89.6%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Kent and England.

School Local authority England

Destinations

Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Kent and England.

Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown

School details

Sector: Grammar school
School type: Academy converter
Application: Local authority CAF
Gender: Boys only
Age range: 11-18
Headteacher: Mr Malcolm Moaby
Pupil roll: 1,493 pupils
Sixth form: Yes
Trust: Aletheia Academies Trust
FSM ?: 9.7%
EAL ?: 19.2%
EHCP ?: 0.3%

Facilities

Library

Extracurriculars

Choir Drama Duke of Edinburgh Combined Cadet Force Sport

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,493 pupils; 1,469 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 45.1% Asian 21.9% Mixed 11.9% Black 17.9% Other 1.7% Unclassified 1.6%

Recorded group	Share	Category	Pupils
White British	38.1%	White	569
African	16.7%	Black	249
Indian	16%	Asian	239
Any other mixed background	7.2%	Mixed	107
Any other White background	6.9%	White	103
White and Asian	2.5%	Mixed	37
Any other Asian background	2.4%	Asian	36
Pakistani	1.8%	Asian	27
Any other ethnic group	1.7%	Other	26
Unclassified	1.6%	Unclassified	24
White and Black African	1.5%	Mixed	22
Bangladeshi	1.4%	Asian	21
Any other Black background	0.7%	Black	10
White and Black Caribbean	0.7%	Mixed	10
Caribbean	0.5%	Black	8
Chinese	0.3%	Asian	4
Gypsy/Roma	0.1%	White	1

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Location and contact

Address

Address: Church Walk, Gravesend, Kent
Postcode: DA12 2PR
Area: Kent
Exam area: Kent 11+

School leadership

Headteacher: Mr Malcolm Moaby

School contact

School email: enquiries@gravesendgrammar.com
School phone: 01474331893

Admissions contact

Admissions team: Admissions Officer
Admissions email: admissions@gravesendgrammar.com
Admissions phone: 01474 331893

Open in Map Open school website

Admissions

Year 7 places: 210 places (2027 entry)
Applications listed: 681 applications (2025 entry)
First preferences: 247 first preferences (2025 entry)
Competition ?: Moderate
Who can apply: You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Pass mark note: Kent Test scores are age-standardised. For the 2026 test round, the grammar-school threshold is set after marking; the 2025 threshold was 332 overall with no single score below 108. The writing exercise is not marked for the Kent Test score but can support headteacher assessment.

Most Year 7 applicants use the Kent Test and Kent County Council secondary application route. A supplementary form is only needed for pupil premium applicants.

Gravesend Grammar prioritises boys living in the Borough of Gravesham, then the named surrounding parish groups, before all other eligible children. Within each criterion, pupil premium applicants are ranked first and then distance from home to school is used.

Oversubscription and eligibility

1

Looked after and previously looked after children

Looked after and previously looked after eligible children are ranked first.
2

Medical, health, social, or special access need

Priority then goes to eligible children whose significant needs require Gravesend Grammar specifically, with supporting professional evidence.
3

Siblings

Eligible children with a sibling who will still be attending the school when they join are ranked next.
4

Children of staff

Priority is then given where a parent has worked at the school for at least two years or was recruited to fill a demonstrable skill-shortage post.
5

Borough of Gravesham

Eligible children living within the Borough of Gravesham are ranked next.
6

Named priority parishes

The next group covers the named civil parishes including Ash-cum-Ridley, Bean, Fawkham, Hartley, Longfield and New Barn, Southfleet, Swanscombe and Greenhithe, Stansted, and the unparished area of Ebbsfleet.

Admissions policy

Admission Arrangements 2027

2027 entry

Exam and test format

The GL Assessment 11+ entrance test format

The Kent Test has an English and mathematics paper, a reasoning paper and a writing exercise. The writing task is not part of the computer-marked score but can support headteacher assessment.

Assessment route: GL Assessment
Papers and stages: 3 papers
Format: Mixed format
Age standardisation: Published as age-standardised

Official exam resources

Past papers and practice materials

No released past entrance-test papers are currently verified here. The resources below are labelled by type.

Kent Test test guide

Familiarisation GL Assessment English familiarisation pack English General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Maths familiarisation pack Maths General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths familiarisation pack Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning familiarisation pack Non-Verbal Reasoning General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning familiarisation pack Verbal Reasoning General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Verbal Skills familiarisation pack Verbal Skills General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ.

View all 9 resources

Practice paper Bond Assessment Sample Practice paper CGP Sample Test Guidance GL Assessment official guidance and downloads General provider familiarisation. Use only the subjects in this school’s test; question counts and timings may differ.

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Papers and rounds

Paper 1

English, Maths

Kent Test English and mathematics paper

Multiple-choice English and mathematics sections.
Paper 2

Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning

Kent Test reasoning paper

Multiple-choice verbal and non-verbal reasoning sections.
Paper 3

Writing task

Kent Test writing exercise

Writing exercise not marked for the Kent Test score but available for headteacher assessment.

What the test includes

English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.

Science is not listed in the current published format.

Included

English
Maths
Verbal reasoning

Multiple-choice verbal and non-verbal reasoning sections.
Non-verbal reasoning

Multiple-choice verbal and non-verbal reasoning sections.

Not listed

Science

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders

Find open days and plan a visit

Kent Test registration opens

1 June 2026
Past
Kent Test registration closes

1 July 2026
Past
Kent primary school test date

10 September 2026
Past
Non-Kent primary test window

Weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026
Assessment decision sent

15 October 2026
Pupil premium supplementary form deadline

31 October 2026
Secondary application deadline

2 November 2026
National Offer Day

1 March 2027, Emails sent after 4pm
KCC reallocation stage ends

27 April 2027
Open day

15 October 2026

Year 5 pupils are encouraged to attend this session; booking opens in early October.
Open day

16 October 2026

Year 6 pupils are encouraged to attend this session; booking opens in early October.

How to apply

1
Read the 2027 admission arrangements

Start with the school's 2027 arrangements for the priority-area map, oversubscription order, and waiting-list process.
Open admission arrangements
2
Register for the Kent Test

Kent opens registration on 1 June 2026 and closes it on 1 July 2026 for September 2027 entry.
Open Year 7 guidance
3
Take the Kent Test

Kent primary pupils test on 10 September 2026; children not in Kent primary schools test from the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026.
Open familiarisation page
4
Submit your secondary application

Kent sends assessment decisions on 15 October 2026 and closes the secondary application round on 2 November 2026.
Open application guidance
5
Send the pupil premium supplementary form if relevant

Only pupil premium applicants need the supplementary form, which must be returned by 31 October 2026.
Open pupil premium guidance

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Admission Arrangements 2027

2027 entry

Key dates

Year 7 Admissions

2027 entry

Results

Attainment snapshot

Progress 8 ?: +0.18 Progress 8
Attainment 8 ?: 65.3 Attainment 8
GCSE results: 98.2% grade 4+ in English and maths
Grade 5+ English and maths ?: 96.8% grade 5+ in English and maths
EBacc average point score ?: 6.36 EBacc APS
A-level results: 26.9% AAB or better
A-level average points: 38.38 points per entry

Where students go next

Higher education progression: 68% in higher education
Apprenticeships: 8% in apprenticeships
Employment: 11% in sustained employment

Latest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.

Subject performance

Maths: 94.6% grade 5+ in EBacc maths
English: 94.6% grade 5+ in EBacc English
Sciences: 95.5% grade 5+ in EBacc sciences
Languages: 76.4% grade 5+ in EBacc languages

Performance trends

Recent trend

Overall GCSE performance

This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.

Gravesend Grammar School Grammar schools England

Year	This school	Grammar schools	England
2021/22	67.5	74.2	49.4
2022/23	65.4	71.8	47.0
2023/24	63.2	72.1	46.7
2024/25	65.3	72.3	46.8

Recent trend

Average A-level result

This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.

Gravesend Grammar School Grammar schools England

Year	This school	Grammar schools	England
2021/22	B- average (38.1 points)	44.0 points	37.5 points
2022/23	C+ average (33.3 points)	40.5 points	33.7 points
2023/24	B- average (35.1 points)	41.3 points	34.5 points
2024/25	B average (38.4 points)	41.8 points	35.0 points

Recent trend

Where pupils go after Year 11

This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.

Gravesend Grammar School Grammar schools England

Year	This school	Grammar schools	England
2021/22	100%	99.1%	94.1%
2022/23	99%	98.9%	93.9%
2023/24	98%	99.0%	93.3%
2024/25	98%	98.7%	91.8%

Latest year breakdown

In education	96%
In apprenticeships	1%
In employment	1%

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Inspection

View report

Outstanding

Latest inspection: 26 June 2015

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
Personal development: Outstanding
Leadership and management: Good
Sixth form provision: Good

Quick summary

Overall effectiveness: The 2025 report keeps the previous Outstanding overall grade visible, but current judgements are Good for education, leadership and sixth form, and Outstanding for behaviour and personal development. The detail points to a strong school with work underway on deeper learning and sharper self-evaluation.
Quality of education: The curriculum is broad, balanced and well sequenced, with skilled teachers checking understanding and revisiting knowledge. The report's main caveat is that strategies for deepening learning, including in the sixth form, were not yet consistently embedded.
Behaviour and attitudes: Behaviour and attitudes were a clear strength. Lessons are calm and purposeful, attendance is excellent, relationships are very positive and pupils show self-control, courtesy and maturity in how they support one another.
Personal development: Personal development was described as a major strength. Pupils build confidence through character education, careful PSHE, careers work, university visits, employer contact and leadership opportunities, including pupil-designed lessons on issues such as misogyny and feminism.
Leadership and management: Governors provide effective oversight and staff feel well supported, but the report says self-evaluation and improvement plans were not always as sharply focused as they could be. The Aletheia Trust was already helping refine systems.
Sixth form provision: The sixth form offers a wide academic curriculum and personalised university support, with many students moving on successfully. Students value teachers' individual help, although the report says approaches to deepening learning needed more consistent embedding.

Similar schools and comparisons

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Nearby schools with similar results

Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.

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Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8

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Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys

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Shortlist comparisons

Compare Gravesend Grammar School with Wilmington Grammar School for Boys Compare Gravesend Grammar School with Maidstone Grammar School Compare Gravesend Grammar School with Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys

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Related pages and guides

Area and ranking pages

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 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 schools by route and journey.

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.

Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What assessment types does Gravesend Grammar School use?

Gravesend Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.

How do I apply to Gravesend Grammar School?

1. Read the 2027 admission arrangements: Start with the school's 2027 arrangements for the priority-area map, oversubscription order, and waiting-list process. 2. Register for the Kent Test: Kent opens registration on 1 June 2026 and closes it on 1 July 2026 for September 2027 entry. 3. Take the Kent Test: Kent primary pupils test on 10 September 2026; children not in Kent primary schools test from the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026. 4. Submit your secondary application: Kent sends assessment decisions on 15 October 2026 and closes the secondary application round on 2 November 2026. 5. Send the pupil premium supplementary form if relevant: Only pupil premium applicants need the supplementary form, which must be returned by 31 October 2026.

When are the key dates for Gravesend Grammar School?

Kent Test registration opens: 1 June 2026. Kent Test registration closes: 1 July 2026. Kent primary school test date: 10 September 2026. Non-Kent primary test window: Weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026. Assessment decision sent: 15 October 2026. Pupil premium supplementary form deadline: 31 October 2026. Secondary application deadline: 2 November 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027, Emails sent after 4pm. KCC reallocation stage ends: 27 April 2027. Open day: 15 October 2026. Open day: 16 October 2026

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Gravesend Grammar School?

Gravesend Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 26 June 2015.