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Gravesend Grammar School vs Maidstone Grammar School

Both are grammar schools in Kent, 13.5 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.

Side by side

Gravesend Grammar School Maidstone Grammar School
Phase Secondary Secondary
Gender Boys Boys
Pupils on roll 1,495 1,443
Free school meals 10.8% 8.7%
Ofsted rating Not judged Good
Attainment 8 — 2025/26 67.9 67
11+ test board GL Assessment GL Assessment
Admission system pass/fail + catchment (passing the test is a gate; living in the catchment area determines priority over score) pass/fail + catchment (passing the test is a gate; living in the catchment area determines priority over score)
Places offered — 202627 209 205
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place 1.22 1.15

Qualifying scores

Gravesend 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 ↗

Maidstone 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 ↗

Who gets priority

Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.

Gravesend Grammar School

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children
  2. Health and special access reasons
  3. A brother or sister at the school when the child joins
  4. Children of staff (two years' service, or a skill-shortage post)
  5. Boys living in the Borough of Gravesham
  6. Boys living in Ash-cum-Ridley, Bean, Fawkham, Hartley, Longfield and New Barn, Southfleet, Swanscombe and Greenhithe, Stansted or Ebbsfleet

Source: school admissions policy.

Maidstone Grammar School

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children
  2. Boys living in the listed parishes (Maidstone and surrounding parishes, including Aylesford, Bearsted, Coxheath, Headcorn, Kings Hill, Marden, Snodland, Staplehurst and West Malling) who score 360 or…
  3. Other qualifying boys in the listed parishes — targeted free school meals first, then siblings, children of staff, nearest first
  4. All other qualifying boys — targeted free school meals first, then siblings, children of staff, nearest first

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: Gravesend Grammar School · Maidstone Grammar School
Or see all secondary schools in Kent ranked.

Other Kent comparisons

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