Medway / Medway 11+
Holcombe, Maidstone Road, ME4 6JB
Holcombe Grammar School
1
A selective boys grammar school in Chatham, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,036 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Chatham, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,036 pupils on roll. Holcombe Grammar School serves boys aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,036 pupils on roll and 150 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 150 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.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.15 and Attainment 8 at 59.9. 86.1% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 9.6% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 68% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Science labs. The wider offer currently includes 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. Taken together, those features make Holcombe Grammar School the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Medway and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Medway and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Medway and England.
Year 7 entry becomes co-educational from September 2026, with a published admission number of 180. Applicants must be deemed selective through the Medway testing arrangements.
There is no fixed catchment boundary in the 2026/27 arrangements. Selective applicants are ranked by the oversubscription criteria, with distance used within oversubscribed criteria and as the final criterion.
Looked after and previously looked after children
Includes children previously in state care outside England who now meet the admissions code definition.
Sibling link at Holcombe
A sibling attending Holcombe Grammar School at the time of admission.
Thinking Schools' Academy Trust Medway primary schools
Children attending The Gordon Children's Academy, New Horizons Children's Academy, All Faiths Children's Academy, or Cedar Children's Academy.
Children of staff
Children of eligible staff employed by the academy for two or more years, or recruited to fill a demonstrable skill-shortage post.
Child's health reasons
Supported medical evidence must show a specific health reason requiring attendance at Holcombe Grammar School.
Children living closest to the school
Distance is measured under the Medway coordinated admissions scheme.
Year 7 applicants must be deemed selective through the Medway Test before the oversubscription criteria are applied.
This school uses the shared Medway Test consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Medway Test guideMedway Test registration opens
19 May 2025
Medway Test registration closes
13 June 2025
Secondary applications open
1 September 2025
Medway primary test days
16 and 17 September 2025
Non-Medway test weekend
20 or 21 September 2025
Medway Test results
15 October 2025
Secondary application deadline
31 October 2025
Offers sent
2 March 2026
Admissions process ends
31 August 2026
Read the 2026/27 admission arrangements
Start with the current Year 7 admissions arrangements for the first co-educational intake from September 2026.
Open admission arrangementsUse the Medway Test guidance
Check the Medway Test familiarisation materials before sitting the selective test.
Open familiarisation materialsSubmit your secondary application on time
Medway says secondary applications open at 9am on 1 September 2025 and close at 5pm on 31 October 2025.
View Medway key datesName Holcombe on your application
Apply through Medway or your home local authority and include Holcombe Grammar School in your ranked preferences.
Apply for Year 7Latest 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 | 62.6 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 57.9 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 59.9 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 62.4 | 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 (35.9 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | C+ average (34.3 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | C average (31.2 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | C+ average (33.4 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 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 98% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 97% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 97% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 93% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 3% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 13 March 2024
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Medway area and similar boys' selective route
Nearby South East option with a similar admissions route
Nearby South East option with a similar admissions route
Nearby South East option with a similar admissions 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 Medway
Compare the best grammar schools in Medway for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Medway sits within the Medway Test route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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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 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.
Best Grammar Schools in Medway
Compare the best grammar schools in Medway for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Medway sits within the Medway 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 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
Holcombe Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Read the 2026/27 admission arrangements: Start with the current Year 7 admissions arrangements for the first co-educational intake from September 2026. 2. Use the Medway Test guidance: Check the Medway Test familiarisation materials before sitting the selective test. 3. Submit your secondary application on time: Medway says secondary applications open at 9am on 1 September 2025 and close at 5pm on 31 October 2025. 4. Name Holcombe on your application: Apply through Medway or your home local authority and include Holcombe Grammar School in your ranked preferences.
Medway Test registration opens: 19 May 2025. Medway Test registration closes: 13 June 2025. Secondary applications open: 1 September 2025. Medway primary test days: 16 and 17 September 2025. Non-Medway test weekend: 20 or 21 September 2025. Medway Test results: 15 October 2025. Secondary application deadline: 31 October 2025. Offers sent: 2 March 2026. Admissions process ends: 31 August 2026
Holcombe Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 13 March 2024.