A selective girls grammar school in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,095 pupils on roll.
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School
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At a glance
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School is a selective girls' grammar school on Southfield Road, serving Year 7 through to the upper sixth. The school's public identity balances traditional grammar-school values with a forward-looking tone. Its homepage uses the language of growth, exploration, learning and expression, while the headteacher's welcome says pupils come first and describes a caring environment with a full and balanced education for life.
The academic character is high-attaining and carefully pastoral. TWGGS says pupils engage with challenging subject content across the curriculum and flourish as rounded individuals, a phrase echoed in its Outstanding 2023 Ofsted material. The ethos page gives the school's long-standing motto as Give your best and names Community, Challenge and Character as the values that structure school life. Public outcomes are correspondingly strong: +0.77 Progress 8, 98.6% grade 5+ in English and maths and 28.9% AAB or better at A level.
The wider offer is visible across the school's official pages. Drama, Duke of Edinburgh, Combined Cadet Force, sport and a library sit alongside pupil voice, PSHE, British values work and artistic, cultural and community pursuits. The site news gives a flavour of that range, from assemblies and creative competitions to equestrian updates and year-group events, without making the school feel solely results-driven.
Year 7 admission is through the Kent PESE 11-plus test; applicants must be assessed suitable for selective education before TWGGS can consider them. Kent Test scores are age-standardised, and a grammar assessment does not itself guarantee a place because the school's admissions policy and oversubscription criteria apply after eligibility.
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 1,095 pupils; 1,076 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 64% | White | 701 |
| Any other White background | 7.6% | White | 83 |
| Indian | 7.4% | Asian | 81 |
| Any other mixed background | 4.4% | Mixed | 48 |
| Chinese | 3.3% | Asian | 36 |
| White and Asian | 3.1% | Mixed | 34 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.9% | Other | 21 |
| Unclassified | 1.7% | Unclassified | 19 |
| Any other Asian background | 1.2% | Asian | 13 |
| Bangladeshi | 1.2% | Asian | 13 |
| White and Black African | 1.2% | Mixed | 13 |
| African | 1% | Black | 11 |
| Pakistani | 0.8% | Asian | 9 |
| Irish | 0.5% | White | 6 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.5% | Mixed | 6 |
| Any other Black background | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
Eligibility is through the Kent Test. Oversubscription combines Pupil Premium, family, staff, area, distance and Governors’ Places criteria, with a Pupil Premium supplementary form due by 31 October 2026 where relevant.
Priority includes girls living in named parishes or within a 4-mile radius, followed by distance ranking. Up to 17 Governors’ Places are for eligible girls in that area who are ranked by aggregate Kent Test score.
Looked-after and previously looked-after girls
Eligible applicants in this category are prioritised first.
Pupil Premium
Eligible Pupil Premium applicants must meet the grammar threshold, live within the criterion 6 area and submit the supplementary form by 31 October.
Current Family Association
Eligible girls with a qualifying sibling or family association are prioritised if they live within the defined area.
Health and Special Access Reasons
Applicants with accepted health or special access reasons are prioritised next.
Daughters of staff
Eligible daughters of staff are prioritised after health and special access reasons.
Named parishes and 4-mile radius
Eligible girls living in the named parishes or within a 4-mile radius are considered under the area criterion.
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment. The published format currently lists 1 paper. Scores are published as age-standardised.
Shared exam route
Tunbridge Wells Girls' 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 detailsReturn any Pupil Premium SIF
Return the supplementary form by 31 October 2026 if applying for Pupil Premium priority.
Check school admissionsSubmit the secondary application
Name the school 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 | 75.6 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 73.1 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 70.1 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 73.4 | 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 | A average (48.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B+ average (42.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B+ average (44.4 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B+ average (42.3 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 | 99% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 99% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 20 September 2023
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
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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 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 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
Tunbridge Wells Girls' 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. Return any Pupil Premium SIF: Return the supplementary form by 31 October 2026 if applying for Pupil Premium priority. 4. Submit the secondary application: Name the school 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
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 20 September 2023.