A selective girls grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,164 pupils on roll.
Tonbridge Grammar School
1
On this page
At a glance
Tonbridge Grammar School is a selective academy in Kent, educating girls from 11 to 16 and girls and boys in the sixth form. It opened in 1905 and now occupies a five-acre site at Deakin Leas, with about 1,164 pupils and a school identity built around the International Baccalaureate.
That IB identity is not confined to the sixth form. The school says it blends a traditional curriculum with IB principles, aiming for breadth, depth, active learning and students who want to make a difference. GCSEs lead into the IB Diploma rather than A levels, so families comparing Tonbridge with other Kent grammars need to understand that the post-16 route is deliberately different.
The sixth form is especially prominent on the website, with world-class results, weekly 21st Century Skills sessions and a Sixth Form Promise that can help with costs such as travel, clothing, laptops, international trips and university visits. Wider school life includes student leadership, Duke of Edinburgh, service and a library-based academic culture.
Year 7 entry has 180 places and uses the Kent Test. Tonbridge then divides places into Area, Trustee and Pupil Premium allocations, each ranked by Kent Test combined score, with distance used to separate ties. Published measures include Outstanding Ofsted, +0.75 Progress 8 and 99.4% grade 5+ in English and maths; the school's own sixth-form pages also publish high IB-equivalent grade outcomes.
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.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,164 pupils; 1,137 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 48.2% | White | 561 |
| Indian | 17.2% | Asian | 200 |
| Any other White background | 10.2% | White | 119 |
| Any other mixed background | 7.4% | Mixed | 86 |
| White and Asian | 3.9% | Mixed | 45 |
| Chinese | 2.5% | Asian | 29 |
| Unclassified | 2.3% | Unclassified | 27 |
| African | 2% | Black | 23 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.4% | Other | 16 |
| Any other Asian background | 1.3% | Asian | 15 |
| Pakistani | 0.9% | Asian | 11 |
| Irish | 0.7% | White | 8 |
| White and Black African | 0.7% | Mixed | 8 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.7% | Mixed | 8 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.6% | Asian | 7 |
| Any other Black background | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
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.
Tonbridge Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment. The published format currently lists 1 paper. Scores are published as age-standardised.
Shared exam route
Tonbridge Grammar School uses the shared Kent Test route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all Kent Test practice papersPaper 1
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning
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 is 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
Kent Test registration opens
1 June 2026
PastKent 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.
Check test detailsSubmit the secondary application
Name Tonbridge Grammar on the secondary application by 2 November 2026.
Check application detailsLatest 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% | 61.3% |
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 | 100% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 100% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 17 October 2019
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
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 32 Kent grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Kent Test route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
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 schools by route and journey.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.
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 comparing schools by route and journey.
Best Grammar Schools in Kent
Compare 32 Kent grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Kent Test route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
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 schools by route and journey.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.
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 comparing schools by route and journey.
Guide
Kent Grammar Schools Guide
A practical guide to Kent grammar school clusters, from Dartford and Wilmington to Tonbridge, Maidstone, Canterbury and East Kent.
Article
What to Check Before the Kent Test Registration Deadline
A practical Kent Test registration checklist for parents before the 1 July 2026 deadline for September 2027 entry.
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.