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School profile Record updated 27 October 2026

Kent Kent 11+

Oakwood Park Grammar School

Oakwood Park, Maidstone, ME16 8AH

A selective boys grammar school in Maidstone, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,088 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Boys Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form Kent Test
2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #121
Year 7 places
160
Competition ?
Moderate (estimated)
Ofsted ?
Good
11+ route
Kent Test
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On this page

At a glance

Key facts

2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
UK Rank #121
Sector
Grammar school
Admissions
Boys only
Assessment
Kent Test
Places in Year 7
160
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

Oakwood Park Grammar School is a selective boys' grammar in Maidstone with about 1,088 pupils across Years 7 to 13. The school describes itself, echoing its 2024 Ofsted report, as aspirational for its learners; its motto, "Strive and Serve", gives the profile a practical, service-minded edge rather than a purely results-led tone.

The curriculum is built for academically able pupils and is supported by specialist teaching, personal development, PSHE, character education, careers, wider opportunities and a sixth form with tutor, enrichment and leadership programmes. School life includes sport, student leadership, library provision, newsletters, trips and an increasingly visible destinations focus.

Year 7 admission is through the Kent Test. Oakwood Park's published admission number is 160, with the Kent Test's English and mathematics, reasoning and writing components sitting behind the grammar suitability decision. Once eligible, looked-after children, Pupil Premium applicants and distance are among the key allocation factors.

The school has a strong current profile for a Maidstone boys' grammar: Ofsted Good in 2024, positive Progress 8, high English and maths GCSE outcomes and a sixth form that continues the selective pathway without feeling detached from the main school.

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.

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Key points
Assessment route
Kent Test: 3 papers, covering English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Writing task.
Places and demand
160 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
93.6% grade 5+ in English and maths and 66.1 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 20% AAB or better and 69.5% 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 Oakwood Park Grammar School, Kent, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M
Attainment 8
66.1
Grade 5+ English and maths
93.6%

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 Oakwood Park 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 Oakwood Park 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
Boys only
Age range
11-18
Headteacher
Mrs Sarah Craig
Pupil roll
1,100 pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Trust
Oakwood Park Grammar School
FSM ?
8.1%
EAL ?
13.9%
EHCP ?
0.5%

Facilities

Library

Extracurriculars

Sport

School statistics

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,100 pupils; 1,090 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 74.7% Asian 8.5% Mixed 7% Black 7.5% Other 1.4% Unclassified 0.9%

Location and contact

Address

Address
Oakwood Park, Maidstone, Kent
Postcode
ME16 8AH
Area
Kent
Exam area
Kent 11+

School leadership

Headteacher
Mrs Sarah Craig

School contact

School email
office@opgs.org
School phone
01622726683

Admissions contact

Admissions email
admissions@opgs.org
Admissions phone
01622726683
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Year 7 places
160 places
Applications listed
607 applications (2026 entry)
First preferences
163 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.

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

Oversubscription and eligibility

  1. 1

    EHCP naming the school

    Candidates with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted before oversubscription criteria are applied, provided the grammar-school suitability requirement is met.

  2. 2

    Looked-after and previously looked-after children

    Eligible looked-after and previously looked-after children, including qualifying children previously in state care outside England, receive priority.

  3. 3

    Current family association

    Priority applies where the policy's current family association definition is met.

  4. 4

    Health or special access reasons

    Supported health or special access reasons are considered under the policy's evidence requirements.

  5. 5

    Student or Pupil Premium

    Eligible candidates in receipt of Student Premium or Pupil Premium receive priority where the required evidence is supplied.

  6. 6

    Distance from home to school

    Remaining eligible applicants are ordered by straight-line distance from the permanent home address to the school using the NLPG address point.

Admissions policy

Admissions Policy 2027

2027 entry

Information booklet

Admissions

2027 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

    Access-arrangements requests must be discussed with the primary school before registration closes.

  3. Kent Test for Kent primary pupils

    10 September 2026

    Past

  4. Kent Test for pupils outside Kent primary schools

    12 and 13 September 2026

  5. Kent Test results

    15 October 2026

    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. Supplementary evidence deadline

    31 October 2026

    Past

    Supplementary evidence for Pupil Premium, children in care or previously in care follows the school supplementary information route.

  8. National Offer Day

    1 March 2027

  9. Open morning

    3 October 2026

    Past

    9am-1pm; last tour at 12.15pm. No booking required.

  10. Open morning

    6 October 2026

    Past

    9.15am-10.50am; booking required.

  11. Open morning

    8 October 2026

    Past

    9.15am-10.50am; booking required.

  12. Open morning

    16 October 2026

    Past

    9.15am-10.50am; booking required.

  13. Kent application changes deadline

    7 December 2026

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

  14. Kent offer acceptance deadline

    15 March 2027

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

  15. Kent on-time appeal deadline

    13 April 2027

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

  16. Kent reallocation offer day

    27 April 2027

    Kent County Council reallocates places from waiting lists.

How to apply

  1. 1

    Register for the Kent Test

    Use the Kent Test registration route when Kent County Council opens registration for the 2027 entry cycle.

    Kent Test registration
  2. 2

    Sit the Kent Test

    Candidates need a grammar assessment through the Kent Test before they can be considered for a Year 7 place.

    Kent Test guidance
  3. 3

    Submit supplementary evidence if needed

    Use the supplementary information route for Student/Pupil Premium or previously-in-care-outside-England priority where relevant.

    Admissions
  4. 4

    Submit the Common Application Form

    Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 31 October 2026 for September 2027 entry.

    Admissions

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Admissions Policy 2027

2027 entry

Information booklet

Admissions

2027 entry

Results

Inspection
View report
Good

Latest inspection: 2 May 2024

Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

Quick summary

  • Overall effectiveness: Oakwood Park was judged Good overall, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes. Pupils achieve very highly, feel proud of the school and benefit from enrichment, though teaching tasks and checks for understanding are not always as precise as the curriculum aims.
  • Quality of education: The curriculum is broad and deep, with examples such as science moving from states of matter to crystal formation. Teachers often go beyond exam specifications, but some activities and checks do not yet match the curriculum's ambition closely enough.
  • Behaviour and attitudes: Pupils understand the school's behaviour curriculum and are courteous and respectful. Attendance has improved through careful analysis of absence, sixth-form students act as role models, and most pupils are strongly committed to learning.
  • Personal development: Enrichment days, clubs, trips and speakers broaden pupils' perspectives, including for disadvantaged pupils. Form-time discussions cover ethical issues and current affairs, while careers work draws on parents, alumni and local networks to explain future options.
  • Leadership and management: Leaders and governors pay close attention to staff workload, and staff describe feeling empowered by training and support. Improvement work now needs to make sure classroom tasks consistently enable pupils to meet the curriculum's aims.

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.

Shortlist comparisons

Compare Oakwood Park Grammar School with Borden Grammar School Compare Oakwood Park Grammar School with Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys Compare Oakwood Park Grammar School with The Norton Knatchbull School

Explore this school in context

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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 Oakwood Park Grammar School use?

For September 2027 entry, Oakwood Park 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 Oakwood Park Grammar School?

1. Register for the Kent Test: Use the Kent Test registration route when Kent County Council opens registration for the 2027 entry cycle. 2. Sit the Kent Test: Candidates need a grammar assessment through the Kent Test before they can be considered for a Year 7 place. 3. Submit supplementary evidence if needed: Use the supplementary information route for Student/Pupil Premium or previously-in-care-outside-England priority where relevant. 4. Submit the Common Application Form: Name the school on the local-authority CAF by 31 October 2026 for September 2027 entry.

When are the key dates for Oakwood Park 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 and 13 September 2026. Kent Test results: 15 October 2026. Kent secondary application deadline: 2 November 2026, Kent residents. Supplementary evidence deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027. Open morning: 3 October 2026. Open morning: 6 October 2026. Open morning: 8 October 2026. Open morning: 16 October 2026. 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 Oakwood Park Grammar School?

Oakwood Park Grammar School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 2 May 2024.