Classpot

Holcombe Grammar School

Medway, ME4 6JBSecondaryAges 11–18BoysState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Mar 2024
Progress 8
+0.15
Above average
−20+2
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
137 1st-choice / 179 places
Ranking
#1,192
of 3,141 nationally

About Holcombe Grammar School

Holcombe Grammar School is clearly a popular choice among Medway families. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 733 applications for just 179 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 4.09. Of those applicants, 137 put Holcombe as their first preference, and 81 of those were offered a place. While the school does not publish a parent recommendation percentage, the sheer volume of applications — more than four times the number of places — signals strong local demand. The school is a boys' secondary with a mixed sixth form, rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent ungraded inspection in March 2024, which confirmed it 'remains Good'. This is a significant improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2014, when it was rated Inadequate overall. The leadership and management, as well as sixth-form provision, were both rated Good in that 2014 inspection.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderBoys
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressHolcombe, Chatham, Medway, ME4 6JB
HeadteacherLee Preston
Local AuthorityMedway
Number of Pupils1,036
Free School Meals (FSM)12.9%
School Capacity1,036 / 1,000 (104% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

13 Mar 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (13 Mar 2024): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 22 Oct 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Astro TurfSixth Form CentreSports HallGymnasiumSwimming PoolTennis CourtsLibraryScience LabsPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

DanceHockeyGymnasticsNetballTennisAthletics

Clubs & Activities

CodingDramaGardeningBook ClubDebateFilm ClubDuke of EdinburghChoirScience ClubOrchestraModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:10

Source: holcombegrammar.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Holcombe Grammar School

Holcombe Grammar School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.