A selective boys grammar school in Folkestone, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,015 pupils on roll.
The Harvey Grammar School
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At a glance
The Harvey Grammar School is a boys' selective grammar in Folkestone with a history that reaches back to 1674, when it was founded by the family of Dr William Harvey. The school website is unusually direct about its founding purpose: it began for boys in Folkestone with limited means, and the modern school says it continues to serve able young men from all backgrounds in the Shepway area. It now educates ages 11 to 18 on the Cheriton Road site, with around 1,015 pupils and a sixth form.
The curriculum is described as broad, balanced, challenging, engaging and personalised. Pupils follow a three-year Key Stage 3 that exceeds National Curriculum expectations, most Key Stage 4 pupils take a core curriculum delivering the English Baccalaureate, and the sixth form offers a wide range of A Levels and equivalent vocational courses. PSHE, SMSC, citizenship and careers education are all presented as part of the curriculum rather than peripheral provision.
Harvey's school life is closely tied to its site and history. The main building at Cheriton Road dates from 1913, and more recent additions include the Wright Building, a 12-classroom teaching block opened in 2015. The school also signposts extra-curricular activities, facilities, pastoral care, exam results and Old Harveians, giving the profile a strong local and alumni thread. Music, drama, sport, student leadership and house activity add to that picture, while the strongest school-site evidence is for curriculum breadth and modern facilities.
Year 7 has 150 places. Eligibility can come through either the Kent Test or Harvey's own Shepway selective route, and the school asks applicants to register for both routes. Harvey's route covers verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and Key Stage 2 English and mathematics; there is no single final offer score because eligibility is set through satisfactory test outcomes or Kent Test selection before oversubscription is applied. The priority order includes looked-after and previously looked-after children, Pupil Premium boys living in Folkestone and Hythe, other boys in Folkestone and Hythe, and other successful applicants by distance. Public measures show Ofsted Outstanding from the 2022 inspection, +0.24 Progress 8, 94.5% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 13.2% AAB or better at A level.
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 1,015 pupils; 998 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 77.1% | White | 783 |
| Any other Asian background | 6.2% | Asian | 63 |
| Any other White background | 4.1% | White | 42 |
| White and Asian | 2.1% | Mixed | 21 |
| Unclassified | 1.7% | Unclassified | 17 |
| African | 1.4% | Black | 14 |
| Any other mixed background | 1.2% | Mixed | 12 |
| Indian | 1.2% | Asian | 12 |
| White and Black African | 1.2% | Mixed | 12 |
| Chinese | 1.1% | Asian | 11 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 1% | Mixed | 10 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.7% | Asian | 7 |
| Pakistani | 0.5% | Asian | 5 |
| Irish | 0.4% | White | 4 |
| Any other ethnic group | 0.1% | Other | 1 |
| Caribbean | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
After looked-after children, Harvey prioritises successful boys in Folkestone and Hythe, with a separate pupil premium priority within the district. Straight-line distance is then used within those groups and for other successful boys.
Looked-after and previously looked-after children
Priority goes first to looked-after and previously looked-after children who meet the selective standard.
Pupil Premium boys living in Folkestone and Hythe
Next come boys eligible for Pupil Premium who live in the district of Folkestone and Hythe and return the supplementary form by 31 October.
Other boys living in Folkestone and Hythe
Then come other successful boys living in the district, with straight-line distance used to separate oversubscription within the district.
Other successful boys by distance
All remaining boys who meet the selective standard are ranked by straight-line distance from home to school, with random allocation only if applicants remain tied.
Year 7 eligibility can come through either the Kent Test or the Shepway Test; families are asked to register for both routes.
Shared exam route
Harvey 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
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Maths, English
Harvey selective route
Harvey's own selective route uses verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and Key Stage 2 English and mathematics papers. Boys can also qualify through the Kent Test.
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
Harvey's own selective route uses verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and Key Stage 2 English and mathematics papers. Boys can also qualify through the Kent Test.
Non-verbal reasoning
Harvey's own selective route uses verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and Key Stage 2 English and mathematics papers. Boys can also qualify through the Kent Test.
Science
Kent Test registration opens
1 June 2026
PastKent Test registration closes
1 July 2026
Kent primary school test date
10 September 2026
Shepway Test
September 2026
Non-Kent primary test window
Weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026
Kent Test results day
15 October 2026
Secondary application deadline
2 November 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Read the 2027 admissions policy
Check the selective routes, the Folkestone and Hythe priority rules, and the pupil premium paperwork before you apply.
Open admissions policyRegister for the Kent Test and Harvey's Shepway Test
Year 7 applicants can become eligible through either the Kent Test or the Shepway Test, so register for both entrance-test routes where needed.
Open admissions pageSubmit the pupil premium supplementary form if it applies
If you want Harvey to consider the district pupil premium priority, return the supplementary form and evidence to the school by 31 October in the year of application.
Review the form deadlineName Harvey on the secondary application form
Passing Kent or Shepway does not count as a school application, so Harvey must still be named on the Secondary Common Application Form.
Check how to applyLatest 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 | 66.3 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 62.4 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 62.9 | 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 | B- average (36.3 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | C+ average (33.6 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | C+ average (34.9 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | C+ average (33.2 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 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 98% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 100% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 94% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 4% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 14 December 2022
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective route
Same Kent area with a comparable local commute
Same Kent area with a comparable local commute
Same Kent area with a comparable local commute
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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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
Harvey Grammar School currently uses Individual.
1. Read the 2027 admissions policy: Check the selective routes, the Folkestone and Hythe priority rules, and the pupil premium paperwork before you apply. 2. Register for the Kent Test and Harvey's Shepway Test: Year 7 applicants can become eligible through either the Kent Test or the Shepway Test, so register for both entrance-test routes where needed. 3. Submit the pupil premium supplementary form if it applies: If you want Harvey to consider the district pupil premium priority, return the supplementary form and evidence to the school by 31 October in the year of application. 4. Name Harvey on the secondary application form: Passing Kent or Shepway does not count as a school application, so Harvey must still be named on the Secondary Common Application Form.
Kent Test registration opens: 1 June 2026. Kent Test registration closes: 1 July 2026. Kent primary school test date: 10 September 2026. Shepway Test: September 2026. Non-Kent primary test window: Weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026. Kent Test results day: 15 October 2026. Secondary application deadline: 2 November 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Harvey Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 14 December 2022.