Holcombe Grammar School vs Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School

Side by side

	Holcombe Grammar School	Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Phase	Secondary	Secondary
Gender	Boys	Boys
Pupils on roll	1,036	1,528
Free school meals	12.9%	10.3%
Ofsted rating	Good	Outstanding
Attainment 8 — 2024/25	62.4	69.5
A-level average points — 2024/25	33.55	42.32
11+ test board	GL Assessment	GL Assessment
Admission system	pass/fail then criteria order	pass/fail then criteria order
Places offered — 202627	179	201
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place	0.77	1.67

Qualifying scores

Holcombe Grammar School

No fixed pass mark. The Medway Test aggregate score (max 700 — English and maths standardised scores double-weighted, plus reasoning) is compared to a threshold set fresh each year: the score level that includes roughly the top 25% of Medway Year 6 children. The threshold is published by Medway Council with results in October. Passing makes a child eligible; each school's oversubscription criteria then apply.

Council source ↗

Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School

No fixed pass mark. The Medway Test aggregate score (max 700 — English and maths standardised scores double-weighted, plus reasoning) is compared to a threshold set fresh each year: the score level that includes roughly the top 25% of Medway Year 6 children. The threshold is published by Medway Council with results in October. Passing makes a child eligible; each school's oversubscription criteria then apply.

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.

Holcombe Grammar School

Looked after children and previously looked after children
Children with exceptional medical/social needs
Siblings of children on roll at the school
Children living in Medway (LA area)

Source: school admissions policy.

Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School

Looked after children and previously looked after children
Children with exceptional medical/social needs
Siblings of children on roll at the school
Children living in Medway (LA area)

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.

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