parent guides

Kent grammar schools: the complete list of all 32

Kent has more grammar schools than any other county in England - 32 of them, and every one selects using the same Kent Test. Here's the full list, grouped by area, with what makes each group different.

Reviewed 14 September 2026 against kent.gov.uk

The big picture

Around 18,000 children sit the Kent Test each year competing for roughly 4,500 Year 7 grammar places - so about one in four ends up with an offer. Passing the test makes your child eligible for all 32 schools; each school then applies its own oversubscription criteria (catchment, distance, siblings) to decide who actually gets a place. The Medway towns run their own separate test and schools, so they're not on this list.

One test, one result, 32 options: a child who passes can apply to any Kent grammar on the common application form (deadline 2 November 2026). That makes it worth knowing the whole list - not just your nearest school.

North Kent (6 schools) - Dartford and Gravesend

Popular with London commuters (Ebbsfleet is nearby). Dartford Grammar for boys is one of Kent's two true super-selectives - expect to need a score well above the 345 threshold.

West Kent (7 schools) - Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Cranbrook

The most competitive corner of the county. The Judd is Kent's other super-selective, and the west Kent grammars' priority areas are tightly drawn - check the named parishes and postcodes carefully before assuming you're in.

Mid Kent (7 schools) - Maidstone, Sittingbourne and Faversham

East Kent (12 schools) - Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Thanet

Passing the test vs getting a place

Every school above uses the same threshold: an aggregate of 345 with no subject below 111 (2026 cycle). But most schools are oversubscribed, so the threshold is only the entry ticket - how you rank schools on the application form matters just as much, which is covered in our SCAF application guide. Broadly there are two models:

Always read the admissions policy of the specific schools you'd consider - the criteria and the maps change, and the school (not KCC) is the final authority. Our pass mark guide explains what score to aim for depending on which of these groups you're targeting.

Common questions