Dartford Grammar School vs Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend
Both are grammar schools in Kent, 6.7 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Dartford Grammar School | Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Boys | Girls |
| Pupils on roll | 1,576 | 1,398 |
| Free school meals | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 78.9 | 62.2 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) |
| Places offered — 202627 | 179 | 210 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 3.18 | 1.13 |
Qualifying scores
Dartford Grammar School
332 out of 423 (2026 entry)
Aggregate ≥332 with no single paper below 108. County-wide Kent Test threshold: reaching it earns a 'suitable for grammar school' assessment, NOT a place — each school then applies its own oversubscription criteria, and super-selective schools (The Judd School, Skinners', Tonbridge, Dartford) fill in score order well above the threshold.
Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend
332 out of 423 (2026 entry)
Aggregate ≥332 with no single paper below 108. County-wide Kent Test threshold: reaching it earns a 'suitable for grammar school' assessment, NOT a place — each school then applies its own oversubscription criteria, and super-selective schools (The Judd School, Skinners', Tonbridge, Dartford) fill in score order well above the threshold.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Dartford Grammar School
- Looked after and previously looked after boys — in the priority area first, then in the open places
- Up to 13 priority-area places for Pupil Premium boys scoring at least 20 above the Kent Test threshold
- Priority area (130 places): boys living in the Dartford wards or the parishes of Ash-cum-Ridley, Crockenhill, Eynsford, Farningham, Fawkham, Hartley, Hextable, Horton Kirby and South Darenth, Swanley…
- Open places (50): up to 5 for Pupil Premium boys scoring at least 20 above the threshold
- All other selective boys, wherever they live — highest score first
Source: school admissions policy.
Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend
- Looked after and previously looked after children
- A sister attending the school at the time of entry
- Girls living in DA2 6, DA2 8, DA3, DA4, DA9, DA10, DA11, DA12, DA13, ME3 or parts of TN15 — free school meals girls first, then by Kent Test score
- Girls living in DA1 or the rest of DA2 — by Kent Test score
- Other eligible girls — by Kent Test score
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Dartford Grammar School is a boys school and Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend is a girls school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.
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