Kent / Kent 11+
St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PG
The Skinners' School
1
A selective boys grammar school in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,141 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,141 pupils on roll. Families looking at Tunbridge Wells, Kent will usually see The Skinners' School as a selective option for boys aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,141 pupils on roll and 150 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 150 places available in Year 7 and roughly 1.1 applicants per place in the latest stored admissions picture. 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.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.99 and Attainment 8 at 74.1. 98.7% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 31% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 77% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library. The wider offer currently includes Choir, Drama, 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. The Skinners' School is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
Creative writing is tested in this school's current 11+ assessment.
A weak creative writing piece can leave a child short of qualification. 11 Plus Writing Coach helps families build steadier practice and clearer feedback.
From our 11 Plus Writing Coach site
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.
Entry is through the Kent Test. The 2027 criteria reserve most places for the defined West Kent Area, with pupil premium, governors' and Outer Area routes.
Most places are tied to the West Kent Area, defined as within three miles plus named parishes. Outer Area places remain available after the West Kent criteria.
Looked after and previously looked after children
Boys assessed suitable through Kent PESE who meet the statutory looked-after or previously-looked-after definition.
West Kent Area pupil premium places
Up to 16 West Kent Area pupil premium applicants, ranked by aggregate Kent Test score if oversubscribed.
Other West Kent Area places
Up to 108 other West Kent Area applicants, with high-scoring applicants prioritised before sibling/staff/distance ordering.
Governors' places
Up to 16 additional West Kent parish applicants who would not otherwise be offered, ranked by Kent Test score.
Outer Area places
Up to 20 applicants outside the West Kent Area but within mainland UK, with high-scoring applicants prioritised.
Distance and random tie-break
Distance is used within listed subcriteria; random allocation applies where needed for the final place.
STAGE 1 hearing .
This school uses the shared Kent Test consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Kent Test guidePaper 1
English, Maths
Kent Test Paper 1
Multiple-choice English and maths paper.
Paper 2
VR, NVR
Kent Test Paper 2
Multiple-choice reasoning paper covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Paper 3
Creative Writing
Writing exercise
Writing task is not marked for the Kent Test score but may be used in headteacher assessment.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Creative writing are included in the published format.
Science is not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Multiple-choice reasoning paper covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Non-verbal reasoning
Multiple-choice reasoning paper covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Creative writing
Included within the published English paper.
Science
Kent Test registration opens
1 June 2026
Kent Test registration closes
1 July 2026
Kent Test for pupils in Kent primary schools
10 September 2026
Kent Test for pupils not in Kent primary schools
Weekend of 12/13 September 2026
Kent assessment decision sent to parents
15 October 2026
Kent secondary application deadline
2 November 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Check the school's 2027 admissions criteria
Use the school criteria for the PAN, local priority area, supplementary information, and tie-break rules.
Read criteriaRegister for the Kent Test
Kent Test registration opens on 1 June 2026 and closes on 1 July 2026.
View Kent schemeSit the Kent Test
Kent primary-school pupils test on 10 September 2026; non-Kent primary-school pupils test over the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026.
View Kent datesSubmit the secondary application
Kent residents submit the SCAF by 2 November 2026; non-Kent families use their home authority form.
View application schemeLatest 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 | 72.5 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 72.7 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 74.1 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 70.8 | 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 | A- average (47.1 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B+ average (43.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A- average (46.0 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B+ average (42.7 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 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 17 November 2021
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective route
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective route
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective route
Same Kent area and similar boys' selective 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 Kent
Compare the best grammar schools in Kent for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Kent sits within the Kent 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.
Best Grammar Schools in Kent
Compare the best grammar schools in Kent for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Kent sits within the Kent 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.
FAQ
Skinners' School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Check the school's 2027 admissions criteria: Use the school criteria for the PAN, local priority area, supplementary information, and tie-break rules. 2. Register for the Kent Test: Kent Test registration opens on 1 June 2026 and closes on 1 July 2026. 3. Sit the Kent Test: Kent primary-school pupils test on 10 September 2026; non-Kent primary-school pupils test over the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026. 4. Submit the secondary application: Kent residents submit the SCAF by 2 November 2026; non-Kent families use their home authority form.
Kent Test registration opens: 1 June 2026. Kent Test registration closes: 1 July 2026. Kent Test for pupils in Kent primary schools: 10 September 2026. Kent Test for pupils not in Kent primary schools: Weekend of 12/13 September 2026. Kent assessment decision sent to parents: 15 October 2026. Kent secondary application deadline: 2 November 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Skinners' School is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 17 November 2021.