In fact, is very difficult to win an appeal at any of the four Dartford grammar schools in spite of the very high numbers of appellants; a total of 18 upheld out of 426 in 2019.
The new Ebbsfleet Garden City continues to expand, planned to provide 15,000 homes at a rapid pace, with a number of new schools being included as explained here. However, government legislation forbids the provision of new grammar schools so, at present the four Wilmington and Gravesend grammars are expanding to meet the need. The Kent Schools Commissioning Plan (KSCP) identifies the additional one form of entry at Gravesend Grammar School which has been provided to meet the need this year. Two more forms of entry for the Gravesend grammars are planned in 2021-22. In Dartford, there are to be two more forms of entry in 2021-22, which presumably match the much needed two additional forms of entry provided at the two Wilmington grammar schools one year early for 2020, with another two in the District in three years time, unspecified. With the two Dartford grammars determined to keep their exclusive character, and the Wilmingtons’ on a limited size site, it is difficult to see where these places will be provided. Unfortunately, Kent County Council has decided its KSCP (Page 5) will not consider the effect of further provision for planned housing developments and does not mention Ebbsfleet, so we can expect further capacity problems ahead.
The knock-on effect of all this pressure follows right along the Thames coast to Chatham, where Holcombe Grammar offered 42 places to Kent and London families, and Rochester Grammar 83.
Wilmington Grammar Boys has given priority to local boys for several years, but is often placed second to Dartford Grammar which partly explains why 106 of the 180 places went to lower choices and only 74 of 134 first choices were offered places. The school also gives a priority to siblings and siblings of pupils at Wilmington Girls, partly explaining why 18 ooc boys are still being offered places at the school, although the number continues to fall.
Gravesend Grammar has increased its PAN in two stages to 210 boys up from the 150 of 2017 to meet the pressure from Ebbsfleet. The school markets itself as a local grammar, so it is not surprising that 175 of the 185 first choices were offered places. 8 of the 12 occ places went to boys from Thurrock, just a short distance from the school across the Thames by ferry. Apart from siblings, Thurrock boys would be unlikely to gain places in 2021 as the school has changed its oversubscription criteria to prioritise Ebbsfleet boys after those who live locally.
The pattern for the girls’ grammars is similar but far less severe, Dartford Girls having started chasing London pupils more recently. Required aggregate scores have risen again, with local girls (from a wider area than the boys' school) being required to score at least 372 (up from 359 in 2019), with outers 393 (up from 385).There were 404 first choices of which 158 were offered places, second only to Dartford Grammar in terms of rejected first choices. In the last four years there have been just five successful appeals, a record low for any school, and including none in 2019.
Wilmington Girls changed four years ago to give main priority to local girls, but the number from London has not gone down so fast as the boys; school and is still 46. There were 133 first choices for 180 places (down from 148 in 2019), of which 97 were offered places.
Mayfield Grammar in Gravesend admits girls through its own Test, as well as through the Kent Test, with 13 being offered places who did not pass the Kent Test, down from the 33 of 2019 (see Table below). Further details here. 173 first choices for its 180 places, of which 165 were offered places. Few than five offered from out of county.
