Maidstone Grammar School
102%
Capacity
1,415
Pupils
2.9x
Demand
About Maidstone Grammar School
Maidstone Grammar School sits within the Kent local authority, a county with 106 state secondary schools, 16 of which hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The school itself is currently rated Good, following an ungraded inspection in October 2024 where standards were found to be maintained. Its Progress 8 score of 0.5 places it 4th among the 10 schools in the Maidstone district, and 17th across the whole of Kent. The top-performing peers in the local authority are Dartford Grammar School, The Judd School, and Dartford Grammar School for Girls, all of which have higher ranking scores. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Invicta Grammar School, just 1.1 km away. This is a boys' grammar school with a co-educational sixth form, and it is significantly oversubscribed: for 203 places in 2025/26, it received 587 applications, with 204 listing it as first preference. Only 7.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average.
Academically, the school delivers strong results. Its Progress 8 score of 0.5 is classified as 'Well above average' and far exceeds the Kent local authority average of -0.13. The Attainment 8 score stands at 66.6, and 88.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is very high at 93.1%, with 54.2% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the average points per entry is 36.52, equivalent to a B- grade, and the best three A-levels average out at B- as well. The value-added score for sixth form is -0.16, which is rated 'Below average', suggesting that while students leave with solid grades, their progress from GCSE is slightly less strong than the national average. The school's most recent graded inspection in 2019 gave it Good across the board, with leadership and management and sixth form provision both rated Good.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, sixth form centre, astro turf, science labs, music rooms, and a gymnasium. Sports on offer include rowing, hockey, athletics, and badminton, while clubs range from Eco Club and Model UN to Young Enterprise and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND provisions cover a broad spectrum, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent views are overwhelmingly positive: 92% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 90% would recommend the school. Oversubscription is fierce, with 2.89 applications per place, so families will need to be prepared for a competitive admissions process. This school is best suited to academically able boys who are comfortable in a selective, single-sex environment and who want strong GCSE outcomes and a wide choice of extracurricular activities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Barton Road, Maidstone, Maidstone, ME15 7BT |
| Headteacher | Mark Tomkins |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 1,415 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 7.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,415 / 1,393 (102% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Oct 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 Oct 2024): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 10 Feb 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.50)
493rd of 3,141
Nationally
87th of 461
In South East
4th 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
41.1
'22/23
38.0
'23/24
36.5
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
2022/2392%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 183 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)92%
- FE college7%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Not sustained1%
99% 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
2022/2371%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 187 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
29%
Russell Group
36%
Top-third HE
3%
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)71%
- Employment16%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- 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- Mathematics73
- Biology51
- Physics51
- Psychology48
- Economics46
- Business Studies:Single40
- Media/Film/Tv Studies40
- English Literature39
- History34
- Chemistry33
- Geography33
- Physical Education / Sports Studies29
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.
Ofsted Parent View
253 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed203
587
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
204 families put this school as their 1st choice (35% 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 British64.9%
- Asian10.4%
- Mixed8.8%
- White (other)7.6%
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.
75% 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.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
6
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Maidstone Grammar School
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
Barton Road, Maidstone
Maidstone, ME15 7BT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Maidstone Grammar School!
Write a Review