Kent / Kent 11+
Deakin Leas, Tonbridge, TN9 2JR
Tonbridge Grammar School
1
A selective girls grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,164 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective girls grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,164 pupils on roll. Based in Tonbridge, Kent, the school serves girls aged 11-18 and includes sixth-form study as part of the offer. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,164 pupils on roll and 180 Year 7 places.
Admissions are central to understanding whether this school is the right fit and realistic shortlist option. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 180 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks very 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.
Academically, the published picture is strong and easier to judge than reputation alone. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.75 and Attainment 8 at 79.4. 100% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 69% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library. 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. That mix of selective entry, published outcomes, and school life is what will matter most to families deciding whether Tonbridge Grammar School belongs on a serious shortlist.
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.
Eligibility is through the Kent Test. Places are divided into Area, Trustee and Pupil Premium allocations, each ranked by Kent Test combined score.
Area places cover Tonbridge and Malling Borough, Tunbridge Wells Borough and Sevenoaks District. Trustee places are for applicants outside those districts, and all main allocations are ranked by Kent Test combined score.
Area places
Up to 135 places for girls resident for Council Tax purposes in Tonbridge and Malling Borough, Tunbridge Wells Borough or Sevenoaks District, ranked by Kent Test combined score.
Trustee places
30 places for girls resident outside the Area places districts, ranked by Kent Test combined score.
Pupil Premium places
15 places for Pupil Premium girls resident in the Area places districts who have a selective assessment, ranked by Kent Test combined score.
Tie-break
Tied scores are resolved by straight-line distance, then random allocation if distance is identical.
Structured exam detail is still being reviewed.
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, VR, NVR
Kent Test
Kent grammar assessment covering English, mathematics and reasoning, with a writing task used only for headteacher assessment panels.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Kent grammar assessment covering English, mathematics and reasoning, with a writing task used only for headteacher assessment panels.
Non-verbal reasoning
Kent grammar assessment covering English, mathematics and reasoning, with a writing task used only for headteacher assessment panels.
Science
Creative writing
Kent Test registration opens
1 June 2026
Kent Test registration closes
1 July 2026
Kent primary school test day
10 September 2026
Out-of-Kent test weekend
Weekend of 12/13 September 2026
Kent assessment decision
15 October 2026
Secondary school application deadline
2 November 2026
National offer day
1 March 2027
Register for the Kent Test
Complete Kent Test registration by Wednesday 1 July 2026.
RegisterSit the Kent Test
Kent pupils test on 10 September 2026; out-of-Kent candidates test over the 12/13 September weekend.
Submit the secondary application
Name Tonbridge Grammar on the secondary application by 2 November 2026.
Latest 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 | 81.9 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 77.3 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 79.4 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 77.2 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This school does not have a published A-level trend in the local GOV.UK files, so we have shown the share of pupils getting grade 5 or above in English and maths instead.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 97.7% | 66.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 97.7% | 61.8% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 97.8% | 61.5% |
| 2024/25 | 99.4% | 97.6% | 61.2% |
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 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 94% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 94% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 17 October 2019
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Kent area and similar girls' selective route
Same Kent area and similar girls' selective route
Same Kent area and similar girls' selective route
Same Kent area and similar girls' 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 Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls 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 Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
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 Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls 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 Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
FAQ
Tonbridge Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the Kent Test: Complete Kent Test registration by Wednesday 1 July 2026. 2. Sit the Kent Test: Kent pupils test on 10 September 2026; out-of-Kent candidates test over the 12/13 September weekend. 3. Submit the secondary application: Name Tonbridge Grammar on the secondary application by 2 November 2026.
Kent Test registration opens: 1 June 2026. Kent Test registration closes: 1 July 2026. Kent primary school test day: 10 September 2026. Out-of-Kent test weekend: Weekend of 12/13 September 2026. Kent assessment decision: 15 October 2026. Secondary school application deadline: 2 November 2026. National offer day: 1 March 2027
Tonbridge Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 17 October 2019.