How the Medway score works
Medway’s marking guidance describes two separate operations: raw marks are standardised for age, then the subject scores are weighted. The arithmetic is (English × 2) + (maths × 2) + reasoning. Use the standardised figures from the result, not marks from a practice test.
- English × 2
- 40%
- Maths × 2
- 40%
- Reasoning × 1
- 20%
The council sets a minimum annually. These published figures describe past admission years:
- 2024 admissions
- 492
- 2025 admissions
- 482
- 2026 admissions
- 481
They show why a previous minimum should stay labelled with its year. They do not establish the minimum for September 2027 entry. The results communication gives the assessment outcome as well as the reported scores.
What the result does and does not say
The grammar assessment
The result confirms whether the child has been assessed as grammar or non-grammar for this cycle.
The named school’s decision
A grammar assessment does not reserve a place. Oversubscription rules apply when eligible applications exceed places.
For families outside Medway, the council’s specific guidance highlights distance. Look up how the chosen school measures it and where your child sits in its priority order. Compare Medway schools by school policy and journey, not just by the test result.
Example
The examples below explain the arithmetic using fictional standardised scores. None predicts grammar suitability or an offer.
Worked examples
What changes the weighted total?
Equal subject scores, unequal weighting
English 100 and maths 100 each contribute 200. Reasoning 100 contributes 100, giving 500 overall.
Read the result distinctionFormula examples only. The current assessment threshold and school policy are separate.
What parents should check
- The assessment wording and entry year
Save the result email. Use the current outcome, rather than testing this year’s score against the 481 minimum for last year’s admissions.
- The school’s category and distance rule
For each intended preference, record the admissions category, any address evidence and the tie-break. Test the school-day journey if you live outside Medway.
- The CAF by 31 October
Apply through the authority where you live. Test registration did not make a school application. The Medway dates guide keeps the two timetables together.
- Options after a non-grammar result
Medway allows grammar preferences to be named, but says they cannot be offered in the normal offer-day allocation after a non-grammar assessment. Include non-grammar alternatives and read the result and appeals guide before deciding whether to appeal a refusal.
About raw marks: Medway does not provide raw scores, percentages or the standardisation calculation. The weighted examples above explain the published formula; they cannot reverse-engineer the test.
Common questions
A few more answers
How is the Medway Test score calculated?
The weighted total is twice the age-standardised English score plus twice maths plus reasoning once. This is not a formula for converting raw marks or practice percentages.
Is 481 the pass mark for 2027 entry?
481 was the published minimum for 2026 admissions. Medway sets the minimum each year; use the result and threshold for the 2026 test when applying for September 2027.
Does grammar suitability guarantee a Medway school place?
No. The school’s oversubscription criteria decide which eligible applicants receive places. Check the specific category and distance rules for each school.
Is there a separate qualifying mark for children outside Medway?
The council says children at non-Medway schools and Medway independent schools are assessed as grammar if they reach the same minimum weighted score. Qualification still leaves the school’s allocation rules to apply.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026