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Best secondary schools in Kent

94 of 112 secondary schools ranked by Progress 8 · all Kent schools · primary schools

Ranked on Progress 8, 2023/24 — the most recent year each school has published. Official data, not our opinion — but the ranking is only as good as the measure, and a single number never describes a school. We hold real catchment boundaries for 4 of them.

# School Progress 8 Ofsted Places Catchment
1 Dartford Grammar School Dartford grammar 1.11 Outstanding oversubscribed 3.18 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
2 The Skinners' School Tunbridge Wells grammar 0.99 Good oversubscribed 1.45 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
3 The Judd School Tonbridge grammar 0.85 Not judged oversubscribed 2.23 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
4 Dartford Grammar School for Girls Dartford grammar 0.82 Outstanding oversubscribed 2.4 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
5 Invicta Grammar School Maidstone grammar 0.79 Outstanding about even 1.14 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
6 Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School Tunbridge Wells grammar 0.77 Outstanding improving oversubscribed 1.31 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
7 Weald of Kent Grammar School Tonbridge grammar 0.77 Not judged undersubscribed 0.78 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
8 Wilmington Grammar School for Girls Dartford grammar 0.76 Good about even 1.07 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
9 Tonbridge Grammar School Tonbridge grammar 0.75 Outstanding oversubscribed 1.96 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
10 Bennett Memorial Diocesan School Tunbridge Wells 0.73 Outstanding oversubscribed 1.31 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
11 Dane Court Grammar School Broadstairs grammar 0.69 Good oversubscribed 1.39 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
12 Duke of York's Royal Military School Dover 0.67 Good about even 1.04 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
13 Highworth Grammar School Ashford grammar 0.65 Not judged oversubscribed 1.25 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
14 Wilmington Grammar School for Boys Dartford grammar 0.65 Good about even 0.99 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
15 Oakwood Park Grammar School Maidstone grammar 0.62 Good declining about even 1.02 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
16 Maidstone Grammar School for Girls Maidstone grammar 0.57 Outstanding improving about even 0.99 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
17 Dover Grammar School for Boys Dover grammar 0.54 Not judged oversubscribed 1.17 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
18 Maidstone Grammar School Maidstone grammar 0.5 Good declining about even 1.15 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
19 Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys Tunbridge Wells grammar 0.46 Good about even 0.99 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
20 Cranbrook School Cranbrook grammar 0.43 Good oversubscribed 1.62 first prefs per place, 2026/27 mapped
21 Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School Canterbury grammar 0.43 Good declining oversubscribed 1.2 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
22 Barton Court Grammar School Canterbury grammar 0.38 Good declining oversubscribed 1.16 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
23 Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend Gravesend grammar 0.38 Outstanding about even 1.13 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
24 Hillview School for Girls Tonbridge 0.37 Good about even 0.94 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
25 Wye School Wye 0.35 Good about even 1.01 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
26 The Norton Knatchbull School Ashford grammar 0.32 Good oversubscribed 1.17 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
27 Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School Ramsgate grammar 0.3 Not judged declining about even 0.91 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
28 The Folkestone School for Girls Folkestone grammar 0.29 Good declining oversubscribed 1.29 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
29 Borden Grammar School Sittingbourne grammar 0.26 Good about even 1.12 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
30 Trinity School Sevenoaks 0.26 Good oversubscribed 1.46 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
31 Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys Canterbury grammar 0.25 Not judged improving oversubscribed 1.34 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
32 The Harvey Grammar School Folkestone grammar 0.24 Outstanding oversubscribed 1.29 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
33 Leigh Academy Wilmington Wilmington 0.23 Outstanding improving oversubscribed 1.47 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
34 The Charles Dickens School Broadstairs 0.22 Good improving oversubscribed 1.27 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
35 Sir Roger Manwood's School Sandwich grammar 0.21 Good declining oversubscribed 1.23 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
36 St Simon Stock Catholic School Maidstone 0.21 Good about even 0.87 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
37 Gravesend Grammar School Gravesend grammar 0.18 Not judged improving oversubscribed 1.22 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
38 Dover Grammar School for Girls Dover grammar 0.17 Not judged oversubscribed 1.27 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
39 St Gregory's Catholic School Tunbridge Wells 0.17 Not judged undersubscribed 0.77 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
40 Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Faversham grammar 0.15 Good declining oversubscribed 1.22 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
41 Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy Dartford hidden gem 0.14 Good declining undersubscribed 0.64 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
42 St John's Catholic Comprehensive Gravesend 0.11 Good improving oversubscribed 1.77 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
43 Leigh Academy Tonbridge Tonbridge 0.07 Good undersubscribed 0.77 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
44 Orchards Academy Swanley 0.03 Not judged undersubscribed 0.68 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
45 Skinners' Kent Academy Tunbridge Wells 0.0 Good about even 0.96 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
46 St Anselm's Catholic School, Canterbury Canterbury -0.02 Good oversubscribed 1.22 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
47 Dartford Science & Technology College Dartford -0.04 Good oversubscribed 1.16 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
48 Highsted Grammar School Sittingbourne grammar -0.04 Good oversubscribed 1.28 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
49 Wrotham School Sevenoaks hidden gem -0.04 Good undersubscribed 0.67 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
50 Hadlow Rural Community School Hadlow -0.08 Requires improvement declining oversubscribed 1.42 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
51 Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet Swanscombe -0.13 Good undersubscribed 0.75 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
52 St Edmund's Catholic School Dover -0.15 Good improving about even 0.99 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
53 Stone Lodge School Dartford hidden gem -0.15 Good undersubscribed 0.68 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
54 Leigh Academy Mascalls Tonbridge hidden gem -0.17 Good undersubscribed 0.71 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
55 Northfleet School for Girls Gravesend -0.17 Good about even 0.92 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
56 Ursuline College Westgate-on-Sea -0.19 Good undersubscribed 0.72 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
57 The Malling School West Malling -0.21 Good oversubscribed 1.65 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
58 The Marsh Academy New Romney -0.25 Good about even 0.85 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
59 The North School Ashford -0.26 Good about even 0.96 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
60 Towers School and Sixth Form Centre Ashford -0.29 Not judged improving about even 1.01 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
61 The Lenham School Maidstone -0.32 Good about even 0.94 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
62 Cornwallis Academy Maidstone -0.33 Good oversubscribed 1.41 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
63 Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre Tenterden -0.35 Good about even 0.86 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
64 Leigh UTC Dartford Dartford -0.35 Good undersubscribed 0.76 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
65 Leigh Academy Longfield Longfield -0.38 Good undersubscribed 0.79 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
66 Westlands School Sittingbourne -0.38 Good declining about even 1.04 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
67 Hartsdown Academy Margate -0.39 Good undersubscribed 0.72 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
68 Meopham School Gravesend hidden gem -0.4 Good undersubscribed 0.65 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
69 King Ethelbert School Birchington -0.43 Good improving about even 0.96 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
70 Knole Academy Sevenoaks -0.49 Good undersubscribed 0.84 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
71 Northfleet Technology College Gravesend hidden gem -0.49 Good undersubscribed 0.63 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
72 The Holmesdale School Snodland -0.52 Not judged undersubscribed 0.69 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
73 The Whitstable School Whitstable -0.52 Good about even 0.86 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
74 The Maplesden Noakes School Maidstone -0.55 Good about even 0.93 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
75 Turner Free School Folkestone -0.55 Good about even 1.04 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
76 The Abbey School Faversham -0.56 Inadequate undersubscribed 0.71 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
77 Valley Park School Maidstone -0.6 Not judged declining about even 0.94 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
78 The Canterbury Academy Canterbury -0.67 Requires improvement oversubscribed 1.22 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
79 Fulston Manor School Sittingbourne -0.7 Requires improvement declining about even 0.96 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
80 The Sittingbourne School Sittingbourne hidden gem -0.7 Good undersubscribed 0.68 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
81 Thamesview School Gravesend hidden gem -0.72 Good undersubscribed 0.63 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
82 New Line Learning Academy Maidstone -0.79 Not judged improving undersubscribed 0.44 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
83 The Archbishop's School Canterbury hidden gem -0.79 Good declining undersubscribed 0.48 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
84 Goodwin Academy Deal -0.8 Not judged about even 0.86 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
85 St Augustine Academy Maidstone -0.8 Requires improvement undersubscribed 0.35 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
86 Aylesford School Aylesford -0.84 Not judged undersubscribed 0.53 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
87 Sandwich Technology School Sandwich -0.85 Inadequate undersubscribed 0.47 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
88 Brockhill Park Performing Arts College Hythe -1.0 Good about even 0.93 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
89 Herne Bay High School Herne Bay -1.02 Good about even 0.91 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
90 The Royal Harbour Academy Ramsgate -1.02 Requires improvement about even 1.1 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
91 Astor Secondary School Dover -1.04 Requires improvement undersubscribed 0.56 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
92 Folkestone Academy Folkestone hidden gem -1.11 Good undersubscribed 0.68 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
93 Orion Spires Canterbury -1.12 Good improving undersubscribed 0.72 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate
94 Dover Christ Church Academy Dover -1.13 Requires improvement about even 1.05 first prefs per place, 2026/27 approximate

Also in Kent

18 further secondary schools with no published Progress 8 for the latest year — usually too small a cohort to report, newly opened, or a special school. Listed because leaving them out would make this a misleading picture of Kent, not a fairer one.

Applying in Kent

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