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School profile Record updated 27 October 2026

Kent Kent 11+

Highworth Grammar School

Maidstone Road, Ashford, TN24 8UD

A selective girls grammar school in Ashford, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,543 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Girls Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form Kent Test
2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #106
Year 7 places
210
Competition ?
Moderate (estimated)
Ofsted ?
Outstanding
11+ route
Kent Test
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On this page

At a glance

Key facts

2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #106
Sector
Grammar school
Admissions
Girls only
Assessment
Kent Test
Places in Year 7
210
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 ?
Outstanding

Overview

Highworth Grammar School is a selective girls' grammar school in Ashford, with a sixth form and around 1,543 pupils. Its motto, Ad Caelestia Sequere - Reach for the Stars - is translated into the school's REACH ethos: reflective, eager for lifelong learning, aiming high, considerate and confident, and happy in a caring community.

The curriculum is broad and balanced, with visible attention to enrichment, creativity, modern languages, cultural knowledge and personal development. Highworth's subject pages are unusually clear about the kind of learner it wants to develop: confident, curious, independent and able to connect school knowledge with the wider world. The sixth form builds on that, asking students to develop independent approaches to learning while remaining closely supported.

Co-curricular life is a real part of the school offer rather than a bolt-on. Sport, Duke of Edinburgh, music, drama, student leadership, international programmes and the named learning communities give pupils several ways to belong and take responsibility. Published outcomes show Outstanding Ofsted, +0.65 Progress 8 and 99.5% grade 5+ in English and maths.

Year 7 entry is through the Kent Test, with 210 places. Girls need a Kent grammar assessment before Highworth can consider them, and the admissions rules then include looked-after priority, pupil-premium/free-school-meal priority, sibling priority and distance. The test itself has English and mathematics, reasoning and a writing exercise, with the writing used to support assessment rather than as part of the computer-marked score.

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: 3 papers, covering English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Writing task.
Places and demand
210 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
92.7% grade 5+ in English and maths and 69.2 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 18.1% AAB or better and 74.2% 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 Highworth Grammar School, Kent, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M
Attainment 8
69.2
Grade 5+ English and maths
92.7%

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 Highworth Grammar School, Kent, and England. 80 66.7 53.3 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 Highworth 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
Mr Duncan Beer
Pupil roll
1,553 pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Trust
Highworth Grammar School Trust
FSM ?
9.1%
EAL ?
28.5%
EHCP ?
0.3%

Extracurriculars

Sport

School statistics

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,553 pupils; 1,537 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 61.6% Asian 19.6% Mixed 8.8% Black 7.8% Other 1.2% Unclassified 1%

Location and contact

Address

Address
Maidstone Road, Ashford, Kent
Postcode
TN24 8UD
Area
Kent
Exam area
Kent 11+

School leadership

Headteacher
Mr Duncan Beer

School contact

School email
office@highworth.kent.sch.uk
School phone
01233624910

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions
Admissions contact
Mrs J Kemp
Admissions email
admissions@highworth.kent.sch.uk
Admissions phone
01233624910
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Year 7 places
210 places
Applications listed
446 applications (2026 entry)
First preferences
267 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 entry is through Kent PESE. The published admission number is 210 and only girls with a Kent grammar assessment are considered.

There is no fixed catchment area. Distance from school is the fifth admissions criterion, so addresses farther from the school rank lower when that criterion is reached.

Oversubscription and eligibility

  1. 1

    Looked after and previously looked after children

    Children in local authority care, previously looked after children, and children previously in state care outside England.

  2. 2

    Children in receipt of pupil premium

    Parents must return the supplementary pupil premium form and also name the school on the SCAF.

  3. 3

    Current family association

    A sibling attending the school when the child starts.

  4. 4

    Health and special access reasons

    Supported medical, health, social or special access reasons with a demonstrable and significant need to attend Highworth.

  5. 5

    Nearness of children's homes to school

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

Admissions policy

Admissions Policy for Entry from September 2026

2026 entry

Exam and test format
September 2027 entry

Two multiple-choice papers and a separate writing exercise.

Test provider
GL Assessment
Format
Multiple choice and written answers
Scores
Age-standardised

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 ↗

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. Kent Test registration closes

    1 July 2026

    Past

  3. Kent Test for Kent primary pupils

    10 September 2026

    Past

  4. Kent Test for pupils outside Kent primary schools

    12 or 13 September 2026

    For pupils who do not attend a Kent primary school; use the allocated test session.

  5. Kent Test assessment decision email

    15 October 2026, After 4pm

    Past

  6. 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.

  7. Secondary school offer day

    1 March 2027

  8. Offer acceptance deadline

    15 March 2027

  9. Appeal request deadline

    13 April 2027

  10. First reallocation round

    27 April 2027

  11. Kent application changes deadline

    7 December 2026

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

How to apply

  1. 1

    Read the Year 7 PESE guidance

    Check Highworth's PESE guidance and published admissions information before starting the Kent application process.

    Open PESE guidance
  2. 2

    Register for the Kent Test

    For 2027 entry, register for the Kent Test during the official window from 1 June to 1 July 2026.

    Check Kent dates
  3. 3

    Submit your secondary application

    Name Highworth on the Secondary Common Application Form by the 2 November 2026 Kent deadline.

    View application deadline
  4. 4

    Send the pupil premium form if relevant

    Only use the supplementary form if applying under Highworth's pupil premium priority.

    Open PESE guidance
  5. 5

    Watch for offer day

    Kent releases secondary school offers on 1 March 2027.

    View offer date

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Admissions Policy for Entry from September 2026

2026 entry

Supplementary form

Supplementary Form for Pupil Premium Information 2026/27

2026 entry

Results

Inspection
View report
Outstanding

Latest inspection: 14 June 2013

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

Quick summary

  • Overall effectiveness: The 2025 report judged every current area Outstanding, while the previous overall grade remains Outstanding under the changed inspection framework. The evidence shows academic excellence paired with nurturing care, strong pupil voice and an extensive global and careers offer.
  • Quality of education: The curriculum is meticulously designed to build complexity over time. Teachers use recall practice, probing questions and precise feedback, insist on ambitious vocabulary, and monitor support closely so pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils achieve very well.
  • Behaviour and attitudes: Behaviour was described as impeccable. Pupils arrive on time, take responsibility for their actions and are motivated to succeed, while staff use fair expectations and responsive support to improve attendance and remove barriers.
  • Personal development: Personal development is rich and outward-looking: international partnerships, pupil exchanges, Model United Nations, debate clubs, law societies, student governors, ambassadors, focus days and charity work all help pupils understand culture, heritage and global issues.
  • Leadership and management: Leaders, trustees and staff continually refine the school's work. The report highlights rigorous but supportive challenge, collaboration with local schools, an inclusive culture and careful monitoring of extra support for pupils who need it.
  • Sixth form provision: Sixth-form students receive a welcoming induction and mentoring for university applications. They join a thought-provoking seminar programme, support younger pupils academically and help sustain the respectful, mature culture described across the school.

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Shortlist comparisons

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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 Highworth Grammar School use?

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

How do I apply to Highworth Grammar School?

1. Read the Year 7 PESE guidance: Check Highworth's PESE guidance and published admissions information before starting the Kent application process. 2. Register for the Kent Test: For 2027 entry, register for the Kent Test during the official window from 1 June to 1 July 2026. 3. Submit your secondary application: Name Highworth on the Secondary Common Application Form by the 2 November 2026 Kent deadline. 4. Send the pupil premium form if relevant: Only use the supplementary form if applying under Highworth's pupil premium priority. 5. Watch for offer day: Kent releases secondary school offers on 1 March 2027.

When are the key dates for Highworth Grammar School?

Kent Test registration opens: 1 June 2026. Kent Test registration closes: 1 July 2026. Kent Test for Kent primary pupils: 10 September 2026. Kent Test for pupils outside Kent primary schools: 12 or 13 September 2026. Kent Test assessment decision email: 15 October 2026, After 4pm. Kent secondary application deadline: 2 November 2026, Kent residents. Secondary school offer day: 1 March 2027. Offer acceptance deadline: 15 March 2027. Appeal request deadline: 13 April 2027. First reallocation round: 27 April 2027. Kent application changes deadline: 7 December 2026

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

Highworth Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 14 June 2013.