Head: Anne Kelly
An accessible girls' grammar school in Kent with a Good Ofsted rating.
0
Year 7 Places
0.0:1
Applicants/Place
Pass Mark
0
Pupils
Max Score
423
Qualifying Score
332
78% of max
Cutoff Score
332
78% of max
Applications
326
Offers Made
111
Catchment, then Score
Catchment area students get priority. Within catchment, places by test score.
Admissions through the Kent selection procedure (Kent Test) or the optional Highsted Test. Priority given to pupils within the Kent local authority area.
Local Authorities
Postcode Areas
Max distance: 5 miles
Sibling Priority
Pupil Premium
Out-of-Area
Appeals Deadline
2026-03-30
Process
Appeals should be addressed to the Clerk to the Governors at the school and will be heard by an Independent Appeal Panel as set out in the School Admissions Appeal Code 2022.
Waiting List
A waiting list will be held for at least the first term of the academic year in oversubscription criteria order and will be re-ranked each time a child is added or before an offer is made.
1. Register
1 Jun 2026
2. Take Test
Kent Test
3. Results
15 Oct 2026
4. Offer Day
1 Mar 2027
A shared 11+ entrance exam used by 32 grammar schools, administered by GL Assessment, testing English, Mathematics, Reasoning. Three multiple-choice papers administered by GL Assessment. Each paper is 50 minutes. School offers both Kent Test and optional Highsted Test routes for Year 7 admission with equal status. The Highsted Test comprises a computer-based test assessing verbal ability, numeracy and non-verbal reasoning, plus an English paper. Pupils must register for Kent Test to take the Highsted Test. School holds Sportsmark Award from Sport England and National Healthy School Award.
Max
423
Qualifying Score
332
78% of max
Registration Opens
Registration opens for the 11+ exam
1 Jun 2026
Registration Deadline
Final day to register for the 11+ exam
1 Jul 2026
Exam Date
11+ entrance exam
10 Sep 2026
9:00am
Results Released
11+ results released to parents
15 Oct 2026
CAF Deadline
National Common Application Form deadline (set by each local authority — usually 31 October).
31 Oct 2026
National Offer Day
National Offer Day. All secondary school offers are released today.
1 Mar 2027
61.0
Attainment 8
82.4%
Grade 5+ Eng & Maths
The school's 2025 results at a glance — GCSE (Key Stage 4) and A-Level (sixth form) shown separately. Each tile shows the latest figure and how it moved on the year before.
61.0
Attainment 8
Average achievement across 8 qualifications
82%
English + Maths 5+
Grade 5 or above in both
94%
English + Maths 4+
Grade 4 or above in both
97%
EBacc Entry
Entered the English Baccalaureate suite
5.87
EBacc APS
Average points across EBacc subjects
C+
Avg A-Level Grade
Average grade achieved across all A-Level entries
33.8
A-Level avg points
Average point score per entry (A* = 60, A = 50, B = 40)
9.6%
AAB+ at A-Level
Achieved AAB or better in their best three A-Levels — a key benchmark for Russell Group entry
The same numbers in context — against the England state-funded average, the typical grammar school, and grammars with a similar intake.
Bar shows this school. Ticks mark the England state-funded average (grey) and the typical grammar-school average (indigo).
Grammar median computed from up to 163 grammars.
Strong averages can hide gaps. These tiles split the same cohort by disadvantage and by sex — a small gap means the school delivers for everyone, not just the strongest intake.
| Metric | Disadv. | Non-dis. | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 | 56.9 | 61.5 | +4.6 |
| E+M grade 5+ | 87% | 82% | -5pp |
| EBacc entry | 100% | 97% | -3pp |
Disadvantaged = pupils eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years, looked-after, or adopted from care. A small or zero gap is the goal — it means the school helps every pupil reach the same outcomes.
Whether pupils choose to stay on after GCSEs, and which way the headline results have been moving over recent years.
94%
continued to sixth form
% of pupils who stayed on after GCSEs
High retention is a positive sign — pupils choose to stay and the sixth form supports them through. Low retention can indicate weaker post-16 provision or curriculum mismatch.
The end of the journey — what leavers do after sixth form, and how this school's university record compares.
74%
Continued in education
HE + FE + other
73%
Higher Education
+5pp vs grammar avg
Cohort destination breakdown
Destinations trend
Zooming in from whole-school figures to individual subjects — where entries concentrate, and which departments stand out in either direction.
Bar = entries · chip = grade 4+ pass rate
Bar = entries · chip = A*–E pass rate
Strongest at
Chemistry
53 entries
100%
+5.6pp vs school
Physics
53 entries
100%
+5.6pp vs school
Drama
17 entries
100%
+5.6pp vs school
Watch list
German
74 entries
66%
-28.2pp vs school
French
66 entries
77%
-17.1pp vs school
Strongest at
History
27 entries
100%
+3.3pp vs school
English literature
23 entries
100%
+3.3pp vs school
Photography
15 entries
100%
+3.3pp vs school
Watch list
Government and Politics
7 entries
86%
-11.0pp vs school
Maths
22 entries
91%
-5.8pp vs school
Entry Requirements
minimum of six GCSE passes at grade 5 or above including Mathematics and English and grade 6 or above in their preferred A-level subjects
Subjects Offered
Largest group: White British (68.8%)
Pupils of White British heritage
Black Caribbean, Black African and other Black heritage
More than one heritage — e.g. White & Asian, White & Black Caribbean
Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese and other Asian heritage
A single heritage outside the groups above — e.g. Arab, White non-British
England avg ≈ 24%
≈ 12 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose family qualifies for free school meals (a measure of catchment affluence).
England avg ≈ 18%
≈ 10 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose first language is not English.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form
Good
Scale: Inadequate → Requires Improvement → Good → Outstanding
Per-pupil funding
2025/26≈ £393 (-6%) below the English average
Share of total spend going on staff
Typical English secondary: 75–80% on staff.
Spend per pupil per year
Most English state secondaries spend 75–80% of their budget on staff. Higher figures usually mean smaller class sizes; lower figures mean more spent on premises, supplies, or capital projects.
£3,935
Teaching Staff / pupil
£290
Educational Supplies / pupil
£341
Premises / pupil
Revenue reserve / pupil
£3,415
The school holds a surplus per pupil — money set aside that can absorb unexpected costs or fund future projects without affecting day-to-day teaching.
Total grant: £4,522,674 · 677 pupils funded
How the 2025/26 allocation broke down. Each stream is a signal about the school's intake — bigger deprivation / EAL / SEN top-ups indicate a school serving a more challenging cohort.
Basic entitlement
£3,797,904
The school's core allocation — pupil numbers × the basic per-pupil rate — before any top-ups.
Pupil Premium
£86,000
Targeted funding for 80 disadvantaged pupils.
Deprivation top-up
£327,095
Aggregates FSM, FSM6 and IDACI deprivation bands.
EAL top-up
£10,941
English-as-additional-language premium — paid for pupils whose first language isn't English.
Prior attainment top-up
£24,731
Funding for pupils arriving below age-related expectations.
Notional SEN
£431,255
Earmarked SEN budget inside the schools block.
Lump sum
£142,484
Fixed per-school grant — size-independent.
Schools budget support grant
£43,357
Government pay-and-pension support grant.
National Insurance grant
£55,903
Compensation for the increase in employer NI contributions.
832 / 830(100%)
Subjects Offered
Entry Requirements
minimum of six GCSE passes at grade 5 or above including Mathematics and English and grade 6 or above in their preferred A-level subjects
1:17.1
Staff:Pupil Ratio
100%
Qualified Teachers
3.73%
Absence Rate
7.48%
Persistent Absence
The school features modern teaching facilities including science laboratories, ICT suites, library, sports hall, gymnasium, drama studio, music rooms, art studios, and extensive outdoor sports facilities including playing fields and courts.
Sports
{"playing_fields":1,"pool":null,"gym":null,"courts":2,"astroturf":null}
STEM
{"science labs":4,"IT suites":3,"technology workshops":2}
Arts
{"drama theatre":1,"music rooms":2,"art studios":null}
Library
Learning Resource Centre
Capital Projects
Recent developments include refurbishment of science laboratories and ICT facilities. The school continues to invest in maintaining and upgrading facilities.
music, drama, sports, and a wealth of other interests, including dozens of lunch-time and after-school clubs; as well as trips, visits and off-site opportunities both within the UK and abroad
Sports
basketball, curling
Music & Performing Arts
drama productions, musicals, and concerts performed every term and all girls are given the opportunity to learn a musical instrument
Clubs & Societies
dozens of lunch-time and after-school clubs
Duke of Edinburgh
Offered
Trips & Exchanges
history trips to Belgium and Poland, work experience in Brussels, study visits to France, exchange partnerships in France and Germany, residential visits, theatre visits, ski trips, German Exchange Programme
Community Service
Lights for Love charity events with Friends of the Wisdom Hospice, British Heart Foundation CPR training program
Uniform
Highsted Grammar School uniform consists of a navy blue blazer, white shirt, and grey trousers. Suppliers: Schoolwear Solutions, Uniform Direct.
School Meals
Hot meals available daily, menu changes weekly
Homework Policy
homework is an integral part of our curriculum for all students. It is designed to support their learning in class, encourage personal research and creativity, as well as develop independent study skills
Behaviour Policy
The school has a comprehensive behaviour policy based on high expectations, mutual respect, and personal responsibility. The policy includes a system of rewards and sanctions, with emphasis on positive reinforcement and restorative approaches.
Mobile Phone Policy
Mobile phones allowed in designated areas only
SEND Provision
Children with Statement of Special Educational Need or Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school will be admitted before oversubscription criteria applied
Priority area: within 5 miles of Highsted, straight-line. Always confirm exact boundaries with the school — distance is measured by each admissions authority's own method.
Enter your postcode to see directions to Highsted
Route 96 from Gravesend, Route 428 from Bexleyheath
Nearest Station: Dartford
Transport Info
The school is located on Swanton Road, Sittingbourne and is accessible by local bus services. Students travel from across Kent including Medway, Canterbury, Faversham, and surrounding areas. Public transport links include Southeastern rail services to Sittingbourne station.
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