Best secondary schools in Kent (2026)
Kent has 116 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Dartford Grammar School, in the top 1% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 48.2, against 46.1 for England. 38 are in England's top 10%, and 11 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 38 grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 1% in England |
Dartford Grammar School Dartford · Grammar · Boys |
78.8 | 79.9 | 99% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 2% in England |
Tonbridge Grammar School Tonbridge · Grammar · Girls |
78.0 | 77.2 | 98% | Outstanding | |
3 Top 2% in England |
The Judd School Tonbridge · Grammar · Boys |
77.7 | 78.4 | 98% | Not judged | |
4 Top 2% in England |
Dartford Grammar School for Girls Dartford · Grammar · Girls |
75.3 | 75.5 | 95% | Report card | |
5 Top 3% in England |
The Skinners' School Royal Tunbridge Wells · Grammar · Boys |
72.5 | 70.8 | 93% | Report card | |
6 Top 3% in England |
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School Royal Tunbridge Wells · Grammar · Girls |
72.2 | 73.4 | 98% | Outstanding | |
7 Top 4% in England |
The Rochester Grammar School Rochester · Grammar · Girls |
70.5 | 68.4 | 92% | Good | |
8 Top 4% in England |
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Rochester · Grammar · Boys |
70.1 | 69.5 | 94% | Outstanding | |
9 Top 4% in England |
Weald of Kent Grammar School Tonbridge · Grammar · Girls |
70.2 | 70.0 | 94% | Not judged | |
10 Top 4% in England |
Highworth Grammar School Ashford · Grammar · Girls |
69.8 | 70.8 | 95% | Not judged | |
11 Top 4% in England |
Invicta Grammar School Maidstone · Grammar · Girls |
69.3 | 70.8 | 93% | Outstanding | |
12 Top 4% in England |
Wilmington Grammar School for Girls Dartford · Grammar · Girls |
68.2 | 66.7 | 89% | Good | |
13 Top 4% in England |
Dane Court Grammar School Broadstairs · Grammar |
67.7 | 65.3 | 93% | Good | |
14 Top 4% in England |
Oakwood Park Grammar School Maidstone · Grammar · Boys |
66.8 | 68.9 | 93% | No rating | |
15 Top 4% in England |
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys Canterbury · Grammar · Boys |
67.1 | 66.8 | 89% | Not judged | |
16 Top 5% in England |
Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School Canterbury · Grammar · Girls |
66.8 | 67.7 | 90% | No rating | |
17 Top 5% in England |
Cranbrook School Cranbrook (Tunbridge Wells) · Grammar · Christian |
67.3 | 66.9 | 86% | Report card | |
18 Top 5% in England |
Wilmington Grammar School for Boys Dartford · Grammar · Boys |
66.1 | 64.6 | 90% | No rating | |
19 Top 5% in England |
Maidstone Grammar School Maidstone · Grammar · Boys |
66.6 | 68.4 | 92% | No rating | |
20 Top 5% in England |
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls Maidstone · Grammar · Girls |
65.4 | 66.4 | 88% | Outstanding | |
21 Top 5% in England |
Gravesend Grammar School Gravesend · Grammar · Boys |
64.6 | 65.3 | 92% | Not judged | |
22 Top 5% in England |
Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend Gravesend · Grammar · Girls |
64.7 | 64.3 | 85% | Outstanding | |
23 Top 5% in England |
The Norton Knatchbull School Ashford · Grammar · Boys |
64.9 | 67.3 | 91% | Good | |
24 Top 5% in England |
Fort Pitt Grammar School Chatham · Grammar · Girls |
65.2 | 65.9 | 85% | Outstanding | |
25 Top 5% in England |
Barton Court Grammar School Canterbury · Grammar |
65.3 | 66.4 | 85% | Good | |
26 Top 5% in England |
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Faversham · Grammar |
63.7 | 65.1 | 87% | Good | |
27 Top 5% in England |
Rainham Mark Grammar School Gillingham (Medway) · Grammar |
62.9 | 62.7 | 87% | Good | |
28 Top 6% in England |
Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys Royal Tunbridge Wells · Grammar · Boys |
62.9 | 63.7 | 91% | Report card | |
29 Top 6% in England |
Borden Grammar School Sittingbourne · Grammar · Boys |
63.0 | 63.2 | 83% | Report card | |
30 Top 6% in England |
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School Ramsgate · Grammar |
63.2 | 64.0 | 85% | Not judged | |
31 Top 6% in England |
The Harvey Grammar School Folkestone · Grammar · Boys |
62.4 | 61.8 | 86% | No rating | |
32 Top 6% in England |
Dover Grammar School for Boys Dover · Grammar · Boys |
61.6 | 65.4 | 93% | Not judged | |
33 Top 6% in England |
Sir Roger Manwood's School Sandwich · Grammar |
62.0 | 62.7 | 81% | Good | |
34 Top 7% in England |
Holcombe Grammar School Chatham · Grammar · Boys |
60.1 | 62.4 | 85% | No rating | |
35 Top 7% in England |
Chatham Grammar Chatham · Grammar |
60.5 | 61.8 | 76% | No rating | |
36 Top 8% in England |
The Folkestone School for Girls Folkestone · Grammar · Girls |
61.2 | 57.9 | 67% | Good | |
37 Top 8% in England |
Dover Grammar School for Girls Dover · Grammar · Girls |
59.6 | 59.9 | 75% | Not judged | |
38 Top 8% in England |
Highsted Grammar School Sittingbourne · Grammar · Girls |
59.8 | 61.1 | 82% | Good | |
39 Top 14% in England |
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School Royal Tunbridge Wells · Church of England |
56.1 | 54.0 | 58% | Outstanding | |
40 Top 20% in England |
Duke of York's Royal Military School Guston |
53.4 | 55.0 | 61% | Good | |
41 Top 37% in England |
Hillview School for Girls Tonbridge · Girls |
48.7 | 48.0 | 52% | No rating | |
42 Top 39% in England |
Trinity School Sevenoaks · Christian |
48.4 | 46.7 | 45% | No rating | |
43 Top 41% in England |
School of Science and Technology Maidstone Maidstone |
48.0 | 48.0 | 47% | Outstanding | |
44 Top 47% in England |
Wye School Wye |
46.9 | 46.6 | 40% | No rating | |
45 Top 50% in England |
Dartford Science & Technology College Dartford · Girls |
45.4 | 49.1 | 54% | Report card | |
46 Top 50% in England |
St Gregory's Catholic School Tunbridge Wells · Roman Catholic |
45.8 | 43.8 | 42% | Not judged | |
47 Bottom 48% in England |
St Simon Stock Catholic School Maidstone · Roman Catholic |
46.1 | 46.6 | 46% | Report card | |
48 Bottom 47% in England |
Leigh Academy Wilmington Dartford |
45.1 | 45.4 | 45% | Outstanding | |
49 Bottom 41% in England |
Leigh Academy Tonbridge Tonbridge |
44.2 | 43.1 | 30% | Good | |
50 Bottom 39% in England |
Knole Academy Sevenoaks |
43.3 | 44.3 | 44% | No rating | |
51 Bottom 39% in England |
Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy Dartford |
44.0 | 42.9 | 35% | No rating | |
52 Bottom 37% in England |
Rainham School for Girls Gillingham (Medway) · Girls |
44.6 | 44.3 | 30% | Report card | |
53 Bottom 34% in England |
Northfleet School for Girls Northfleet · Girls |
42.9 | 43.0 | 37% | Report card | |
54 Bottom 34% in England |
St John's Catholic Comprehensive Gravesend · Roman Catholic |
43.2 | 42.1 | 31% | No rating | |
55 Bottom 32% in England |
The Howard School Gillingham (Medway) · Boys |
43.4 | 45.2 | 33% | Report card | |
56 Bottom 31% in England |
Meopham School Meopham |
40.9 | 39.9 | 44% | Good | |
57 Bottom 30% in England |
Westlands School Sittingbourne |
41.7 | 40.6 | 36% | No rating | |
58 Bottom 30% in England |
Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet Swanscombe |
42.6 | 42.5 | 32% | Good | |
59 Bottom 28% in England |
The North School Ashford |
41.1 | 41.1 | 40% | No rating | |
60 Bottom 28% in England |
The Thomas Aveling School Rochester |
42.7 | 41.3 | 26% | No rating | |
61 Bottom 27% in England |
Saint George's Church of England School Gravesend · Church of England |
41.9 | 41.3 | 29% | Good | |
62 Bottom 27% in England |
Leigh Academy Hundred of Hoo Hoo St Werburgh |
42.0 | 43.2 | 39% | No rating | |
63 Bottom 27% in England |
The Charles Dickens School Broadstairs |
42.7 | 42.5 | 29% | Good | |
64 Bottom 25% in England |
Skinners' Kent Academy Royal Tunbridge Wells |
40.9 | 38.4 | 25% | Good | |
65 Bottom 25% in England |
Stone Lodge School Dartford |
41.2 | 37.6 | 23% | Good | |
66 Bottom 24% in England |
Leigh Academy Mascalls Paddock Wood |
41.3 | 40.4 | 35% | Report card | |
67 Bottom 24% in England |
The Malling School Larkfield |
41.4 | 41.0 | 26% | Good | |
68 Bottom 23% in England |
St Anselm's Catholic School, Canterbury Canterbury · Roman Catholic |
41.5 | 39.4 | 21% | Good | |
69 Bottom 22% in England |
Orchards Academy Swanley |
41.2 | 41.3 | 33% | Not judged | |
70 Bottom 22% in England |
Wrotham School Tonbridge and Malling |
41.3 | 39.5 | 26% | No rating | |
71 Bottom 20% in England |
Towers School and Sixth Form Centre Ashford |
40.5 | 40.6 | 29% | Not judged | |
72 Bottom 20% in England |
Leigh Academy Hugh Christie Tonbridge |
40.5 | 40.5 | 30% | Requires improvement | |
73 Bottom 18% in England |
Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre Tenterden |
39.8 | 39.7 | 27% | Good | |
74 Bottom 17% in England |
The Whitstable School Whitstable |
39.2 | 39.3 | 29% | Good | |
75 Bottom 16% in England |
Leigh Academy Longfield Longfield, New Ash Green and Hartley |
39.4 | 40.2 | 26% | Good | |
76 Bottom 16% in England |
The Canterbury Academy Canterbury |
38.6 | 39.0 | 34% | Report card | |
77 Bottom 16% in England |
Cornwallis Academy Loose |
38.4 | 38.6 | 36% | No rating | |
78 Bottom 15% in England |
St Edmund's Catholic School Dover · Roman Catholic |
38.1 | 39.0 | 34% | Good | |
79 Bottom 15% in England |
The Holmesdale School Snodland |
38.6 | 41.6 | 35% | Not judged | |
80 Bottom 14% in England |
St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School Chatham · Roman Catholic |
38.1 | 40.0 | 32% | Not judged | |
81 Bottom 14% in England |
Leigh Academy Strood Rochester |
39.8 | 41.2 | 23% | Report card | |
82 Bottom 13% in England |
Herne Bay High School Greenhill |
38.6 | 36.8 | 22% | Good | |
83 Bottom 13% in England |
Valley Park School Maidstone |
38.6 | 37.6 | 25% | Not judged | |
84 Bottom 11% in England |
King Ethelbert School Margate |
38.2 | 36.8 | 22% | Good | |
85 Bottom 11% in England |
Northfleet Technology College Northfleet · Boys |
37.0 | 35.7 | 28% | Good | |
86 Bottom 11% in England |
The Abbey School Faversham |
36.4 | 35.5 | 32% | Report card | |
87 Bottom 10% in England |
Fulston Manor School Sittingbourne |
37.3 | 35.3 | 20% | Requires improvement | |
88 Bottom 10% in England |
Aylesford School Larkfield |
37.5 | 37.6 | 20% | Not judged | |
89 Bottom 10% in England |
The Maplesden Noakes School Maidstone |
38.1 | 39.6 | 28% | Good | |
90 Bottom 9% in England |
The Lenham School Lenham |
38.0 | 37.0 | 16% | Good | |
91 Bottom 9% in England |
The Marsh Academy New Romney |
37.3 | 37.7 | 25% | Good | |
92 Bottom 9% in England |
The Archbishop's School Canterbury · Church of England |
36.5 | 35.2 | 21% | Good | |
93 Bottom 9% in England |
The Victory Academy Chatham |
36.4 | 35.5 | 22% | Good | |
94 Bottom 8% in England |
Ursuline College Margate · Roman Catholic |
37.4 | 36.1 | 20% | Good | |
95 Bottom 8% in England |
Hadlow Rural Community School Hadlow |
35.8 | 36.3 | 30% | Requires improvement | |
96 Bottom 8% in England |
St George's Church of England Foundation School Broadstairs · Church of England |
37.5 | 37.7 | 17% | No rating | |
97 Bottom 8% in England |
St Augustine Academy Maidstone · Church of England |
36.2 | 35.1 | 20% | Report card | |
98 Bottom 8% in England |
Turner Free School Folkestone |
36.8 | 37.6 | 25% | Good | |
99 Bottom 7% in England |
Brockhill Park Performing Arts College Saltwood |
36.4 | 37.4 | 24% | Report card | |
100 Bottom 6% in England |
Brompton Academy Gillingham (Medway) |
36.2 | 38.1 | 25% | Not judged |
Showing the top 100 of 116. See all 116 and filter them.
Best secondary school in each town
- Dartford · best: Dartford Grammar School
- Tonbridge · best: Tonbridge Grammar School
- Royal Tunbridge Wells · best: The Skinners' School
- Rochester · best: The Rochester Grammar School
- Ashford · best: Highworth Grammar School
- Maidstone · best: Invicta Grammar School
- Broadstairs · best: Dane Court Grammar School
- Canterbury · best: Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
- Gravesend · best: Gravesend Grammar School
- Chatham · best: Fort Pitt Grammar School
- Gillingham (Medway) · best: Rainham Mark Grammar School
- Sittingbourne · best: Borden Grammar School
- Folkestone · best: The Harvey Grammar School
- Dover · best: Dover Grammar School for Boys
- Margate · best: King Ethelbert School
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Kent?
On exam results over the last three years, Dartford Grammar School is the top-ranked secondary school in Kent, in the top 1% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.