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Dartford Grammar School vs Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys

Both are grammar schools in Kent, 20.5 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.

Side by side

Dartford Grammar School Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys
Phase Secondary Secondary
Gender Boys Boys
Pupils on roll 1,576 1,875
Free school meals 9.5% 5.5%
Ofsted rating Outstanding Not published
Attainment 8 — 2025/26 78.9 64.5
11+ test board GL Assessment GL Assessment
Admission system qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) pass/fail then criteria order (score doesn't give priority after passing)
Places offered — 202627 179 300
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place 3.18 0.99

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.

Council source ↗

Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys

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.

Council source ↗

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

  1. Looked after and previously looked after boys — in the priority area first, then in the open places
  2. Up to 13 priority-area places for Pupil Premium boys scoring at least 20 above the Kent Test threshold
  3. 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…
  4. Open places (50): up to 5 for Pupil Premium boys scoring at least 20 above the threshold
  5. All other selective boys, wherever they live — highest score first

Source: school admissions policy.

Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children
  2. A brother attending the school when the child starts
  3. Health and special access reasons
  4. Boys living within 3 miles of the school — nearest first
  5. Boys living in the named parishes (including Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Southborough, Pembury, Edenbridge, Hildenborough and others) — nearest first
  6. All other boys — nearest first (straight line)

Source: school admissions policy.

Choosing between them

Both schools admit boys, so the decision usually comes down to the admission criteria above and how far each one reaches. 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.

Full detail for each school: Dartford Grammar School · Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys
Or see all secondary schools in Kent ranked.

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