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School profile Record updated 27 October 2026

Kent Kent 11+

Highsted Grammar School

Highsted Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 4PT

A selective girls grammar school in Sittingbourne, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 832 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Girls Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form Kent Test · Highsted Assessment Procedure
2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #150
Year 7 places
150
Competition ?
Moderate (estimated)
Ofsted ?
Good
11+ route
Kent Test · Highsted Assessment Procedure
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On this page

At a glance

Key facts

2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #150
Sector
Grammar school
Admissions
Girls only
Assessment
Kent Test · Highsted Assessment Procedure
Places in Year 7
150
Competition ?
Moderate (estimated)
Catchment
You can apply from any area. There is no defined catchment or local-priority area, although distance may still affect allocation or a tie-break.
Ofsted ?
Good

Overview

Highsted Grammar School is a selective 11-18 girls' grammar school in Sittingbourne with about 832 pupils and a compact, community-minded profile. The school's motto-like public message, "To seek, to learn, today ... to shape, to lead, tomorrow", is matched by its own description of Highsted as a happy and cohesive community where young women are encouraged to take risks, meet challenge and prepare for future leadership.

The academic offer is framed through curriculum, super-curriculum and a broad programme of personal development. Highsted's Compassion Curriculum focus days cover PSHE, careers, online safety, enterprise, university finance, leadership and health topics across year groups. That gives the school a more explicit pastoral and civic thread than a simple subject list would suggest.

Enrichment is a visible part of the Highsted identity. The school describes music, drama, sport, dozens of lunchtime and after-school clubs, trips in the UK and abroad, exchange links, theatre visits, residentials, careers events, STEM work, citizenship and enterprise. It also records Sportsmark and National Healthy School awards, with participation presented as part of the ordinary pupil experience rather than reserved for elite performers.

For Year 7, Highsted has 150 places. Girls can qualify through Kent PESE or the optional Highsted Test, which combines a computer-based verbal ability, numeracy and non-verbal reasoning test with an English paper covering reading and writing; both routes have equal status before oversubscription criteria are applied. Published measures include Ofsted Good, -0.04 Progress 8, 93% grade 5+ in English and maths and 9.6% AAB or better at A level.

Illustrative creative writing prompt and feedback on ideas, word choice and structure
Inside Creative Writing
11+ Creative Writing Creative writing is part of this school's current 11+ assessment.

Practise 11+ creative writing

Upload a photo, PDF or typed practice piece to get personalised feedback, specific improvements and the next skill to practise.

Open Creative Writing

Key points
Assessment route
Kent Test · Highsted Assessment Procedure covering English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Writing task.
Places and demand
150 places in Year 7 and Moderate (estimated)
Catchment
You can apply from any area. There is no defined catchment or local-priority area, although distance may still affect allocation or a tie-break.
Results
83.2% grade 5+ in English and maths and 61.9 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 9.6% AAB or better and 80.5% in higher education.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2025/26 KS4 measures compared with Kent and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Highsted Grammar School, Kent, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M
Attainment 8
61.9
Grade 5+ English and maths
83.2%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Kent and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Highsted Grammar School, Kent, and England. 70 60 50 40 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25 25/26

Destinations

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

Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown
Destinations stacked bar comparison Year 11 destinations for Highsted Grammar School, Kent, and England across education, apprenticeships, employment, and other or unknown destinations. 0 50 100 School Local auth. England

School details
Sector
Grammar school
School type
Academy converter
Application
Local authority CAF
Gender
Girls only
Age range
11-18
Headteacher
Ms Anne Kelly
Pupil roll
793 pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Trust
Highsted Academy Trust
FSM ?
12.5%
EAL ?
7.9%
EHCP ?
0.5%

Extracurriculars

Drama

School statistics

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 793 pupils; 790 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 73% Asian 5.2% Mixed 7.3% Black 13.4% Other 0.9% Unclassified 0.4%

Location and contact

Address

Address
Highsted Road, Sittingbourne, Kent
Postcode
ME10 4PT
Area
Kent
Exam area
Kent 11+

School leadership

Headteacher
Ms Anne Kelly

School contact

School email
admin@highsted.kent.sch.uk
School phone
01795424223

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions
Admissions email
HighstedTestApplicants@highsted.kent.sch.uk
Admissions phone
01795424223
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Year 7 places
150 places
Applications listed
336 applications (2026 entry)
First preferences
139 first preferences (2026 entry)
Competition ?
Moderate (estimated)
Catchment
You can apply from any area. There is no defined catchment or local-priority area, although distance may still affect allocation or a tie-break.
Pass mark note
For the 2026 Kent Test (2027 entry), grammar-school assessment requires an aggregate score of at least 345, with no individual score below 111. Qualification does not guarantee a place. School-specific alternative tests have their own standards.

Year 7 applicants can qualify through Kent PESE or the optional Highsted Test. Both routes have equal status before oversubscription criteria are applied.

There is no fixed catchment boundary. After priority categories, straight-line distance from the permanent home address to the school is measured using NLPG address point data.

Oversubscription and eligibility

  1. 1

    Looked after and previously looked after children

    Includes previously looked after children and children previously in state care outside England.

  2. 2

    Children in receipt of pupil premium in ME9 to ME12 postcodes

    Parents must return the supplementary information form and also name the school on the Secondary Common Application Form.

  3. 3

    Current family association

    A sister attending the school, or a brother attending the sixth form, at the time of entry.

  4. 4

    Nearness of children's homes to school

    Distance is measured in a straight line using National Land and Property Gazetteer address point data.

Admissions policy

Admissions Policy 2027-28

2027 entry

Exam and test format
September 2027 entry

Kent Test

Two multiple-choice papers and a separate writing exercise.

Test provider
GL Assessment
Format
Multiple choice and written answers

Papers and timings

  • English and mathematics English · Maths Multiple choice
    60 min Includes two 5-minute practice exercises.
  • Reasoning Verbal reasoning · Non-verbal reasoning Multiple choice
    Approx. 60 min Includes practice sections.
  • Writing exercise Written answers
    40 min Includes 10 minutes for planning.

What the test includes

  • EnglishComprehension and literacy skills.
  • Maths
  • Verbal reasoning
  • Non-verbal reasoning
  • Writing taskUsed for headteacher assessment; outside the standardised score.
Official test guidance
Changes for 2028 entry
2028 entry · Quest Assessments

Quest Assessments will provide the Kent Test from the September 2027 tests for 2028 entry.

Kent County Council says the test’s purpose, structure and timing will remain unchanged.

Official 2028 guidance ↗
September 2027 entry Optional additional test

Highsted Assessment Procedure

An alternative assessment route for Highsted Grammar School.

Optional additional assessment alongside the Kent PESE tests.

Papers and timings

  • Computer-based tests Verbal reasoning · Maths · Non-verbal reasoning Verbal ability, numerical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
  • English reading and writing English · Writing task Written answers

What the test includes

  • English
  • Maths
  • Verbal reasoning
  • Non-verbal reasoning
  • Writing task
Official test guidance

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

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders
Find open days and plan a visit

  1. Kent Test registration opens

    1 June 2026

    Past

  2. Highsted Test registration opens

    1 June 2026, 9:00 am

    Past

  3. Highsted Test registration closes

    4:00 pm Wednesday 1 July 2026

    Past

  4. Kent Test registration closes

    1 July 2026

    Past

  5. Exceptional late Highsted registration deadline

    22 July 2026

    Past

    Only for evidenced exceptional circumstances.

  6. Kent primary school test date

    10 September 2026

    Past

  7. Highsted Test

    12 September 2026

    Past

  8. Non-Kent primary test window

    Weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026

  9. Kent Test results day

    15 October 2026

    Past

  10. Kent secondary application deadline

    2 November 2026, Kent residents

    Kent residents apply through Kent County Council. Families outside Kent must meet their home local authority deadline.

  11. National Offer Day

    1 March 2027

  12. Kent application changes deadline

    7 December 2026

    Deadline for on-time changes to Kent applications to be considered on National Offer Day.

  13. Kent offer acceptance deadline

    15 March 2027

    Kent residents must accept or refuse the offered school place by this date.

  14. Kent on-time appeal deadline

    13 April 2027

    For schools named on the original Kent application; check the school appeal instructions.

  15. Kent reallocation offer day

    27 April 2027

    Kent County Council reallocates places from waiting lists.

How to apply

  1. 1

    Read the 2027 admissions policy

    Check the 2027-28 policy for the Kent PESE route, optional Highsted route, and oversubscription rules.

    Open admissions policy
  2. 2

    Register for the Kent Test

    Kent Test registration for September 2027 entry opens on 1 June 2026 and closes on 1 July 2026.

    Open Kent Test registration
  3. 3

    Register for the optional Highsted Test if needed

    Highsted Test registration runs from 9:00 am on 1 June 2026 to 4:00 pm on 30 June 2026; applicants must also register for the Kent Test.

    Check Highsted route
  4. 4

    Submit the Secondary Common Application Form

    Name Highsted on the coordinated secondary application by the Kent deadline for September 2027 entry.

    Open Kent school places
  5. 5

    Send pupil premium evidence if relevant

    Families applying under the pupil premium criterion should follow the supplementary-information instructions in the 2027 policy.

    Review pupil premium rule

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Admissions Policy 2027-28

2027 entry

Key dates

Admissions

2027 entry

Results

Inspection
View report
Good

Latest inspection: 18 January 2023

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

Quick summary

  • Overall effectiveness: The 2023 inspection judged Highsted Good in all areas. The report describes pupils who flourish through academic rigour, pastoral support, careers guidance and enrichment, while leaders were still tackling some inconsistency in teaching and SEND provision after staff turnover.
  • Quality of education: The curriculum is ambitious, broad and language-rich, with high triple-science uptake and sixth-form students typically taking four A levels plus an EPQ. Teaching is strong in the best lessons, but provision was not equally consistent in every subject.
  • Behaviour and attitudes: Pupils are courteous, polite and welcoming, and rare bullying is resolved quickly. Careers guidance and high expectations help them prepare for future choices, while many stay into the sixth form and progress to universities of their choice.
  • Personal development: Enrichment includes subject clubs, sport, music competitions, careers conventions, museums, theatres, galleries, Bavaria exchanges and expeditions abroad. Well-being is supported through Friendship Day, residentials, house drama, choir, peer mentoring and the Education for Life programme.
  • Leadership and management: Leaders set high expectations through the 'cognitive and compassion' curriculum and were addressing weaker consistency with determination. Safeguarding was rigorous, but the report noted some pupils remained anxious about mental health and well-being.
  • Sixth form provision: Sixth-form provision was Good. Students choose from a wide subject range, often take four A levels and an extended project qualification, and receive careers support that helps many move on to chosen universities.

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Related pages and guides

Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Which entrance tests does Highsted Grammar School use?

For September 2027 entry, Highsted Grammar School uses Kent Test · Highsted Assessment Procedure. Check the named test and any alternative or later-stage requirements in the admissions policy.

How do I apply to Highsted Grammar School?

1. Read the 2027 admissions policy: Check the 2027-28 policy for the Kent PESE route, optional Highsted route, and oversubscription rules. 2. Register for the Kent Test: Kent Test registration for September 2027 entry opens on 1 June 2026 and closes on 1 July 2026. 3. Register for the optional Highsted Test if needed: Highsted Test registration runs from 9:00 am on 1 June 2026 to 4:00 pm on 30 June 2026; applicants must also register for the Kent Test. 4. Submit the Secondary Common Application Form: Name Highsted on the coordinated secondary application by the Kent deadline for September 2027 entry. 5. Send pupil premium evidence if relevant: Families applying under the pupil premium criterion should follow the supplementary-information instructions in the 2027 policy.

When are the key dates for Highsted Grammar School?

Kent Test registration opens: 1 June 2026. Highsted Test registration opens: 1 June 2026, 9:00 am. Highsted Test registration closes: 4:00 pm Wednesday 1 July 2026. Kent Test registration closes: 1 July 2026. Exceptional late Highsted registration deadline: 22 July 2026. Kent primary school test date: 10 September 2026. Highsted Test: 12 September 2026. Non-Kent primary test window: Weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026. Kent Test results day: 15 October 2026. Kent secondary application deadline: 2 November 2026, Kent residents. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027. Kent application changes deadline: 7 December 2026. Kent offer acceptance deadline: 15 March 2027. Kent on-time appeal deadline: 13 April 2027. Kent reallocation offer day: 27 April 2027

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

Highsted Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 18 January 2023.