Updated March 2019

You will find an initial article on 2019 allocations here, an article on 2019 oversubscription data for grammar schools here, and for non-selective schools here. For Grammar School Preferences, only grammar qualified are counted. The PAN is the Published Admission Number and refers to the number of places available in the year group for each school. If additional places were offered, I have recorded this under PAN.  

A Report on 2019 Appeals Outcomes here. For Attainment 8 and Progress 8 and further information on the performance of all Kent schools with 2019 GCSE scores go to here for explanation. 2019 GCSE performance data is currently provisional before final data is published in January.

Maidstone Grammar School.OFSTED January 2019: Good, down from Outstanding. Outstanding schools are not currently being inspected unless there are concerns. MGS Is a Foundation school so one of a small minority of secondary schools still under the aegis of Kent County Council.Has been significantly oversubscribed until 2017, when a major new building investment allowed the school to open a permanent additional form of entry, thus creating a surplus of selective boys’ places across Maidstone,

Its oversubscription criteria include residence in a named parish, with priority from 2019 entry to high scoring boys being clarified to read an aggregate Kent Test score of 360; then other local boys who are grammar qualified. As parents know Kent test scores before applications are made, it is clearly important that those scoring less than 360 should include Oakwood Park Grammar on their list, as some families living apparently close to the school can lose out.

Performance at GCSE was shocking with Progress 8 at -0.12 in 2018, the same as the struggling non-selective school, New Line Learning Academy,, also in Maidstone. 

For a school prioritising high scorers, the older GCSE scores reflected a weakness in English teaching; the newer Progress 8 scores were not flattering in 2017, coming in the bottom third of grammar schools in the list, although higher (15/32 in the Attainment 8 Table). However, for 2018 they declined further, in both  tables (to 29/32 in Progress 8, 26/32 for Attainment 8)), which must be very worrying for such a prestige school. At A Level Progress, second lowest grammar school performer in 2017, but improved to Average for 2018.

Maidstone Grammar School for Girls. Is a Foundation school so another of the small minority of secondary schools still under the aegis of Kent County Council. Regularly undersubscribed, struggling to compete with Invicta Grammar, although the two have see-sawed in popularity in previous years.  Its Outstanding OFSTED dates back as far as 2009, way beyond the normal span. It may be because of its good academic performance, although it has a reputation for putting girls under pressure, with a high fall out rate at the end of Year 11. An article I wrote last year highlighted its illegal and private selection system to try and recruit the highest performers to the Sixth Form, which was condemned by the Ombudsman, after the school was caught out lying about it. 

Popularity has plummeted in recent years, in spite of three changes of headteacher, most recently in 2015.  Very high rate of successful admission appeals up to and including 2017, probably to cover up for this. For 2019 allocation, the lowest number of first choices for many years. Something needs to change!  

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 The Malling School, Foundation School. OFSTED May 2015 Good for the second time. Has had a chequered history in the past but is now on the up, one of the most oversubscribed schools in Maidstone and district. Has the largest and most sought after SEN Unit in the County, the Tydeman Centre which is in great demand, taking in children with Speech and Language difficulties and ASD. Whilst this has a negative effect on academic performance it appears good for the school as a whole.

Was linked with Holmesdale School which provided Malling with support,  but roles are reversed and the Federation was dissolved as Malling has flourished and Holmesdale plunged into Special Measures and beyond.  

The school’s strong progress can be tracked by its increasing popularity year on year and it is currently heavily oversubscribed for 2018 . 

 The first for many years

 Maplesden Noakes School Maidstone.  OFSTED September 2013 - Good; December 18 - Good again. Increasingly heavily oversubscribed as popularity of schools in Maidstone polarises and population is rapidly increasing. Normally sound academic performance.

The Marsh Academy, New Romney. OFSTED February 2017: Good again. Struggled for some years under previous sponsors Tonbridge School, who clearly did not understand the issues of a very rural state school, the assumption being that rich independent schools catering for highly able and wealthy pupils have skills which transfer to the management of state schools. Tonbridge School has now withdrawn after discovering, as have other private schools at other academies, that it is somewhat of a challenge. Although it is still advertised on the school website, it has been replaced by The Skinners Company which has recently transformed the now highly successful Skinners Kent Academy. Loses a lot of able Marsh children to the Folkestone grammar schools, which select an additional high proportion of pupils through the Shepway Test. Popularity has picked up sharply since the closure of Pent Valley School in Folkestone causing pressure all round the Shepway District, especially at Brockhill in Park, previously a popular destination for Marsh children.  

Dip in first choices for 2019 will be due to opening of new Turner Free School in Folkestone

  No appeals heard 2014-18

 Mascalls School Paddock Wood. OFSTED Nov 16: - Good. Regularly oversubscribed, but considerable churning, so all applications pursued have been successful in recent years with no appeals needed. Significant rise in first choices 2019. 

No appeals heard 2014-18

Consistent strong academic performance for a non-selective school. 

The school attracts a considerable number of lower preference choices, including many from from London and Essex, which are mainly rejected on distance grounds.

  Furthest Distance offered on allocation in miles                                        

No appeals heard 2014-17 

For coverage of excellent GCSE results, 2018, see here. Meopham was second highest Kent non-selective school for Progress 8 'Well Above Average' and seventh highest for Attainment 8 in 2017. For 2018, third highest Progress 8 and again seventh for Attainment 8.