Head: Mark Lester
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
359
Offers Made
174
Distance (after pass)
All who pass qualify. Places then by distance.
Sibling Priority
Pupil Premium
Out-of-Area
Appeals Deadline
2026-03-30
Process
Appeals must be made in writing to the Clerk to the Appeals Panel. Appeals will be heard within forty school days of the deadline.
Waiting List
Schools must operate a waiting list for at least the first term of each school year of admission (until 31st December). Children who are on the waiting list are ranked by how closely they match the school's oversubscription criteria, not how long they have been on the list.
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. The school runs the 'Shepway Test' alongside The Harvey Grammar School as a second chance for students to show selective ability. This is in addition to the Kent Test. Students only have to achieve the required standard in either the Kent Test or the Shepway test to be deemed selective. In-year admissions require testing in English, Maths and NVR.
Max
423
Qualifying Score
332
78% of max
Open Evening
Y5 parents and students
26 Apr 2026
Open Evening
Y5 parents and students
27 Apr 2026
Open Evening
Y5 parents and students
28 Apr 2026
Open Evening
Y5 parents and students
29 Apr 2026
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
57.9
Attainment 8
67.3%
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.
57.9
Attainment 8
Average achievement across 8 qualifications
67%
English + Maths 5+
Grade 5 or above in both
89%
English + Maths 4+
Grade 4 or above in both
44%
EBacc Entry
Entered the English Baccalaureate suite
5.08
EBacc APS
Average points across EBacc subjects
B-
Avg A-Level Grade
Average grade achieved across all A-Level entries
37.0
A-Level avg points
Average point score per entry (A* = 60, A = 50, B = 40)
17.4%
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 | 52.5 | 59.0 | +7 |
| E+M grade 5+ | 56% | 70% | +14pp |
| EBacc entry | 37% | 45% | +8pp |
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.
96%
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.
57%
Continued in education
HE + FE + other
57%
Higher Education
−11pp vs grammar avg
80%
Russell Group
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
Art and Design
62 entries
100%
+5.7pp vs school
Biology
58 entries
100%
+5.7pp vs school
Physics
57 entries
100%
+5.7pp vs school
Watch list
Religious Studies
158 entries
85%
-9.5pp vs school
History
110 entries
85%
-8.8pp vs school
Strongest at
History
32 entries
100%
+0.9pp vs school
Sociology
29 entries
100%
+0.9pp vs school
Geography
27 entries
100%
+0.9pp vs school
Watch list
Government and Politics
10 entries
90%
-9.1pp vs school
Biology
40 entries
95%
-4.1pp vs school
Entry Requirements
A minimum of 6 separately identifiable GCSE subjects at grade 5.5 or above and at least a grade 5 in English Language or English Literature and a grade 4 in Mathematics. A grade 6 or above in the chosen course of study or a related subject. To study Mathematics or a Science subject, a 7+ grade at GCSE is strongly recommended. To study 2 or more Sciences or Mathematics and Science, 2 Grade 7's are required in these subjects.
Subjects Offered
Largest group: White British (76.3%)
Pupils of White British heritage
Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese and other Asian heritage
More than one heritage — e.g. White & Asian, White & Black Caribbean
A single heritage outside the groups above — e.g. Arab, White non-British
Black Caribbean, Black African and other Black heritage
England avg ≈ 24%
≈ 10 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose family qualifies for free school meals (a measure of catchment affluence).
England avg ≈ 18%
≈ 7 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose first language is not English.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form
Outstanding
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.
£4,370
Teaching Staff / pupil
£512
Educational Supplies / pupil
£389
Premises / pupil
Revenue reserve / pupil
£2,355
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: £6,054,746 · 901 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
£5,031,936
The school's core allocation — pupil numbers × the basic per-pupil rate — before any top-ups.
Pupil Premium
£148,350
Targeted funding for 138 disadvantaged pupils.
Deprivation top-up
£430,596
Aggregates FSM, FSM6 and IDACI deprivation bands.
EAL top-up
£14,098
English-as-additional-language premium — paid for pupils whose first language isn't English.
Prior attainment top-up
£19,629
Funding for pupils arriving below age-related expectations.
Notional SEN
£587,880
Earmarked SEN budget inside the schools block.
Lump sum
£142,484
Fixed per-school grant — size-independent.
Schools budget support grant
£58,618
Government pay-and-pension support grant.
National Insurance grant
£75,238
Compensation for the increase in employer NI contributions.
1,159 / 1,053(110%)
Subjects Offered
Entry Requirements
A minimum of 6 separately identifiable GCSE subjects at grade 5.5 or above and at least a grade 5 in English Language or English Literature and a grade 4 in Mathematics. A grade 6 or above in the chosen course of study or a related subject. To study Mathematics or a Science subject, a 7+ grade at GCSE is strongly recommended. To study 2 or more Sciences or Mathematics and Science, 2 Grade 7's are required in these subjects.
1:17.7
Staff:Pupil Ratio
100%
Qualified Teachers
3.69%
Absence Rate
4.98%
Persistent Absence
Beautiful grounds with climbing walls, bike trails, archery, paint balling, radio station and recording studio, escape room, video conferencing suite.
Sports
Climbing walls, bike trails, archery, paint balling facilities mentioned.
STEM
Radio station and recording studio, video conferencing suite.
Arts
Radio station and recording studio.
Over 140 trips per year with over 80% of students participating. CCF, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, climbing walls, bike trails, archery, paint balling, radio station and recording studio, escape room, overnight camps with outdoor cinema nights.
Sports
Netball, Rounders
Music & Performing Arts
Music lessons available with instrumental teachers. The Folkestone School for Girls Music Trust provides grants for instrumental/vocal tuition. Various music funding opportunities through Kent Music and Trinity Music and Drama Access Fund.
Clubs & Societies
Extensive array of clubs and trips - typically over 140 trips a year.
Duke of Edinburgh
Offered
Trips & Exchanges
Extensive programme including trips to Iceland, America, Germany, Cuba, WWI battlefields around Ypres, Christmas Markets in Bruges, two-week safari in Eswatini, Southern Africa.
Community Service
Volunteering opportunities available through the SEA programme. Bridging the Gap project with local care homes.
Uniform
Students expected to wear school uniform when cycling to and from school. Sixth Form has a dress code.
School Meals
The school offers a hot meal service with a choice of menu options.
Homework Policy
Regular homework set across all subjects, increasing with year group
Behaviour Policy
Staff have clear expectations of pupils' conduct and effort. Pupils behave exceptionally well and feel well cared for by nurturing staff.
Mobile Phone Policy
Mobile phones are not allowed in lessons unless specifically permitted by the teacher.
SEND Provision
SENCO support available, reasonable adjustments made for students with additional needs
Priority area: within 3 miles of Folkestone (Girls), 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 Folkestone (Girls)
Route 96 from Folkestone, Route 428 from Hythe
Nearest Station: Folkestone Central
Transport Info
KCC Travel Saver bus passes available offering up to 50% savings. Students may cycle to school but the school accepts no liability. Cars should not come onto the site or block entrances at drop-off/pick-up.
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