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Maidstone Grammar School

School typeGrammar

AddressBarton Road, Maidstone, Kent, England, ME15 7BT

Maidstone Grammar School is a selective boys' grammar school in Kent, taking boys at 11 through the GL Kent Test. There is no interview stage, and candidates should aim for 75%+ in practice tests. Girls join the school in the sixth form at 16.

If your child is a capable boy who is ready to work hard and take charge of his own learning, Maidstone Grammar School is one to look at. It is a selective boys' grammar in Kent, fully state-funded with no fees, taking boys at 11 through the Kent Test, with girls joining alongside them in the sixth form at 16. It is also one of Kent's oldest schools. The roots reach back to a friars' school in 1348, with a formal founding in 1549 when the people of Maidstone bought Corpus Christi Hall and a royal charter set up a grammar school; it settled on its current Barton Road site in 1930. That long history gives the place a strong sense of belonging, the kind that stays with old boys for life.

The Good Schools Guide calls it a traditional grammar that induces "great loyalty and pride", with a modern streak and a clear stance on inclusivity. It describes the school as best suited to "self-motivated pupils, prepared to put the hard graft in and take responsibility for their learning". The boys it met came across as bright and confident with "no pretentions", with a few "cheeky chappies" happy to put their hands up and own their mistakes. The picture is of a busy, grounded school rather than a pressured one.

Maidstone Grammar suits a boy who is ready to put the work in and grow up somewhere with deep roots and real pride in itself. It has been led since 2012 by headteacher Mark Tomkins, himself a former pupil of Pate's Grammar. For a son who wants a school that will both stretch him and stand behind him, this is a steady, long-established choice.

Key facts

Gender

Boys

Year 7 places

205

Annual fees

None

Website

Visit school website

Admissions

Open day

Oct

Registration opens

June

Registration closes

July

CAF deadline

Oct

Admissions contact

school@mgs.kent.sch.uk

Admissions phone

01622) 752101

Registration form

View registration details

Sibling policy

Yes

What this school tests

Kent Test

English16 question types

PunctuationReading Comprehension - ComparisonReading Comprehension - EvaluationReading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuationReading Comprehension - Inference and DeductionReading Comprehension - Information RetrievalReading Comprehension - Language Techniques and ImageryReading Comprehension - Sentence-level ComprehensionReading Comprehension - SequencingReading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and ToneReading Comprehension - SummarisingReading Comprehension - Text Classification and PurposeReading Comprehension - Types of Words and PhrasesReading Comprehension - Word Meaning / ChoiceSentence CompletionSpelling

Maths23 question types

AlgebraAngles and DegreesBIDMASCoordinate GridsEstimation and RoundingFactors and MultiplesFractions, Decimals and PercentagesMagic squaresMeasurementMoneyNumber and Place ValueNumber WallsOperationsPerimeter, Area and VolumePosition and DirectionProperties of ShapesRatio and ProportionReflection, Rotation and SymmetrySequencesSpecial NumbersSpeed, Distance and TimeStatisticsTime

Non-verbal Reasoning14 question types

Extended Figure SeriesFigure AnalogiesFigure MatricesFigure OperationsFigure SeriesGrid MatricesHorizontal CodesMost Like Three FiguresMost Like Two FiguresOdd Figure OutStar MatricesTriangle MatricesTriangle SeriesVertical Codes

Verbal Reasoning26 question types

AnagramsCompound WordsEmbedded WordsForm a WordInsert a LetterLetter AnalogiesLetter CalculationsLetter CodesLetter GridsLetter SequencesMove 1 / 2 LettersNumber AnalogiesNumber CalculationsNumber SequencesRelated WordsRhyming SynonymsShuffled SentencesSynonymsWord / Logic PuzzlesWord AnalogiesWord CompletionWord MatchWord OppositesWord PairsWord RelationshipsWords and Codes

Spatial Reasoning8 question types

2D RotationsBlock CountingCombining ShapesFold and PunchFolding CubesHidden ShapesMissing Face of CubeShape Completion

Catchment area

Does Maidstone Grammar School have a catchment area?

No, MGS does not operate a strict catchment area, but boys who pass the Kent Test and live in its listed parishes around Maidstone are given priority for places over those living further away.

Previous exam results

GCSE results

In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 68.4 across their GCSEs. 92% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 66% achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

A-level results

In 2025 students achieved a B average grade per A-Level entry. 22.7% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

Frequently asked questions

What exam board does Maidstone Grammar School use for the 11+?

Maidstone Grammar School uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entrance test, which is part of the Kent Test.

What is the 11+ pass mark for Maidstone Grammar School?

Candidates for Maidstone Grammar School's 11+ should aim for 75%+ in practice tests to be competitive.

Does Maidstone Grammar School interview as part of the 11+?

No, Maidstone Grammar School does not include an interview stage as part of its 11+ admissions process.

Is Maidstone Grammar School co-educational or single-sex?

Maidstone Grammar School is a single-sex boys' school for Year 7 entry. Girls join the school for the sixth form at 16.

Does Maidstone Grammar School have a catchment area?

Maidstone Grammar School does not operate a strict catchment area. However, boys who pass the Kent Test and live in listed parishes around Maidstone are given priority for places.

What is Maidstone Grammar School's website?

The official website for Maidstone Grammar School is https://mgs.kent.sch.uk/.

How do you get a place at Maidstone Grammar School?

Your son first needs to reach the required standard in the Kent Test, the county's age 11 assessment run by Kent County Council. Places are then offered in priority order: looked-after and previously looked-after children first, then qualifying boys living in the listed parishes, then other parish boys, then other qualifying boys. Within each group, children receiving Free School Meals come first, then siblings, then children of staff, then those living nearest the school. A child with an EHCP naming the school is admitted first. There's no fixed pass mark for getting a place; it depends on demand each year.

What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Maidstone Grammar School?

Entry is through the Kent Test, which is run by Kent County Council rather than by Maidstone itself, and the school's own admissions policy doesn't set out a reserve test or reasonable-adjustment arrangements for the main test. If your son is ill on the test day, or needs adjustments such as extra time, contact Kent County Council's admissions team and the school as early as you can to ask what can be arranged.

Location

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