Maidstone Grammar School
Maidstone, Kent · Boys · 11-18 (girls admitted in sixth form only)
Reviewed against the school’s own admissions policy · September 2026
Maidstone Grammar School — a selective boys' grammar school founded 1549, girls admitted in sixth form. Kent Test admissions and its parish-based priority system.
Key facts
| Gender intake | Boys |
| Age range | 11-18 (girls admitted in sixth form only) |
| Admissions test | Kent Test |
| Year 7 places (PAN) | 205 |
| Official website | mgs.kent.sch.uk/ |
The entrance test
Every applicant sits the first stage; each step below narrows to the last.
Sit the Kent Test
Name the school on the Kent Common Application Form
Reach the selective standard
Ranked — parish residents scoring 360+ first
Places offered
205
Founded in 1549. Boys must sit the Kent Test and name the school on the Kent Secondary Common Application Form. When oversubscribed, boys resident in a defined list of parishes scoring 360 or above are prioritised first; within every priority group the tie-break order is free school meals, then siblings, then staff children, then distance from the school.
How places are decided
Priority order when the school is oversubscribed. The small categories are settled first.
- 1Looked-after & previously looked-after boys
- 2Priority parishes, score 360+ — FSM → siblings → staff → distance
- 3Priority parishes, other qualifiers — same order
- 4Any other qualifying boy — same ordermost places
Catchment & priority area
Area-based priority
Not catchment-free — there IS a defined list of priority parishes (covering most of Maidstone borough and several surrounding villages), and boys living in them get priority over boys who don't. Always check the school's current published list, since it's revised each admissions cycle.
Key dates
The same timetable for every Kent grammar school. Confirm the current year with KCC.
1 June – 1 July
Register for the Kent Test with KCC
Early September
Test sat, in Year 6
15 October
Results released
1 March
National offer day
Always verify against the school’s own current admissions policy — criteria, catchment boundaries and places-available can all change between admissions cycles, and Maidstone Grammar School’s own website is the authoritative source, not this page.
All Kent grammar schools use the same county-wide test — see the format, timeline and registration process. For the wider picture of grammar schools across England, see UK Grammar Schools: List, Competition & Results.
Common questions about Maidstone Grammar School
Does Maidstone Grammar School have a catchment area?
It is not fully catchment-free. There is a defined list of priority parishes covering most of Maidstone borough and nearby villages, and boys living in them are prioritised — check the school's current published list.
What score do you need for Maidstone Grammar School?
When oversubscribed, boys resident in the priority parishes scoring 360 or above are prioritised first. Within every group, the tie-break order is free school meals, siblings, staff children, then distance.
How old is Maidstone Grammar School?
It was founded by Royal Charter in 1549, making it one of the oldest schools in England.
Does Maidstone Grammar School take girls?
Girls are admitted to the sixth form only. Years 7 to 11 are boys.
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