Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
103%
Capacity
1,274
Pupils
5.0x
Demand
About Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls achieves a Progress 8 score of 0.57, which is significantly above the Kent local authority average of -0.13 for state secondary schools. This places the school firmly in the 'well above average' banding nationally, and it ranks 3rd out of 10 schools in the Maidstone area for this key measure of pupil progress. In the wider South East region, it sits in the top 15% of all schools, and nationally it is in the top 13%. The school is also heavily oversubscribed: for 131 places in the 2025/26 academic year, it received 648 applications, an oversubscription ratio of nearly 5 to 1. Of those, 142 families put it as their first preference, and 117 first-preference offers were made, underscoring its strong local reputation.
Academically, the school’s results are consistently strong. At Key Stage 4, the Attainment 8 score is 66.3, and 98.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 6.37, with 93.4% of pupils entered for the EBacc combination of subjects. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Outstanding across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a repeat of its Outstanding rating from the previous inspection in 2009. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.06, which is rated as Average, and the average grade per entry is B-, with a points-per-entry score of 36.07. The best three A-levels average out to a B- grade, and 13.6% of entries achieved at least AAB.
The school is a girls’ grammar school for ages 11 to 18, with a sixth form and no nursery provision. It is non-denominational and has a capacity of 1,240 pupils, currently housing 1,274. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of sports from netball and hockey to martial arts, and clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, Young Enterprise, and coding. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs. With a percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals at 9.8%, it is a selective school that draws families from across Maidstone and beyond, particularly those seeking a high-achieving, structured academic environment with strong pastoral and extracurricular breadth.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Buckland Road, Maidstone, Maidstone, ME16 0SF |
| Headteacher | Deborah Stanley |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 1,274 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 9.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,274 / 1,240 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Mar 2023Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 9 May 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.57)
404th of 3,141
Nationally
70th of 461
In South East
3rd of 10
In Maidstone
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
42.8
'22/23
35.7
'23/24
36.1
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2385%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 174 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)85%
- FE college11%
- Not sustained2%
- Apprenticeship1%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2370%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 155 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
22%
Russell Group
25%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)70%
- Employment21%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology58
- Biology43
- Business Studies:Single37
- Sociology34
- Geography31
- Mathematics24
- Media/Film/Tv Studies24
- Chemistry23
- English Language and Literature16
- Physical Education / Sports Studies15
- Art and Design14
- Logic / Philosophy14
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
21Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed131
648
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
142 families put this school as their 1st choice (22% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British70.8%
- Asian7.4%
- Mixed5.8%
- White (other)4.9%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
14
Total schools
12
Oversubscribed
9
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Buckland Road, Maidstone
Maidstone, ME16 0SF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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