Head: Edward Wesson
An accessible boys' grammar school in Kent with a Good Ofsted rating.
0
Year 7 Places
0.0:1
Applicants/Place
Pass Mark
0
Pupils
Max Score
423
Qualifying Score
332
78% of max
Cutoff Score
384
91% of max
Distance Cutoff
5.47 mi
Applications
747
Offers Made
160
Catchment, then Score
Catchment area students get priority. Within catchment, places by test score.
There are two areas from which pupils at Skinners' now come from: A West Kent Area from which we fill 140 places and an Outer Area from which we fill 20 places.
Local Authorities
Postcode Areas
Sibling Priority
Pupil Premium
16 places
Appeals Deadline
2026-04-02
Process
All parents have the statutory right to appeal against any decision refusing them a school place. All appeals will be heard online by an Independent Appeal Panel that is completely independent of the school and the Local Authority.
Waiting List
KCC will operate a waiting list for pupils who are not offered places in the first round of allocations. After the reallocation process is completed, the ownership of waiting lists will return to schools in April 2026 and should vacancies arise, schools will offer places to children on their waiting lists according to the School's over-subscription criteria.
1. Register
1 Jun 2026
2. Take Test
Kent Test
3. Results
15 Oct 2026
4. Offer Day
1 Mar 2027
A shared 11+ entrance exam used by 32 grammar schools, administered by GL Assessment, testing English, Mathematics, Reasoning. Three multiple-choice papers administered by GL Assessment. Each paper is 50 minutes. The school uses the Kent PESE (11+) test with a pass mark of 332. The school sets a qualifying score of 40 points higher than the Kent Test threshold score. For 2026, the minimum entry requirement was 372. 16 Governors' places are offered to children living in the West Kent area who scored highest in the PESE test. Boys will be divided into five forms of 32 pupils. There is a 95%+ stay on rate between Year 11 and Year 12. The school will be accepting applications from girls to join the 2026 Year 12 cohort. For in-year admissions, students take CAT4 assessment and need a minimum mean score of 120.
Max
423
Qualifying Score
332
78% of max
Registration Opens
Registration opens for the 11+ exam
1 Jun 2026
Registration Deadline
Final day to register for the 11+ exam
1 Jul 2026
Exam Date
11+ entrance exam
10 Sep 2026
9:00am
Open Evening
Open Evening for 2027 Entry
23 Sep 2026
Results Released
11+ results released to parents
15 Oct 2026
CAF Deadline
National Common Application Form deadline (set by each local authority — usually 31 October).
31 Oct 2026
National Offer Day
National Offer Day. All secondary school offers are released today.
1 Mar 2027
70.7
Attainment 8
Average achievement across 8 qualifications
93%
English + Maths 5+
Grade 5 or above in both
96%
English + Maths 4+
Grade 4 or above in both
73%
EBacc Entry
Entered the English Baccalaureate suite
6.75
EBacc APS
Average points across EBacc subjects
B+
Avg A-Level Grade
Average grade achieved across all A-Level entries
Bar shows this school. Ticks mark the England state-funded average (grey) and the typical grammar-school average (indigo).
Grammar median computed from up to 163 grammars.
| Metric | Disadvantaged | Non-Disadvantaged | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 | 60.8 | 71.7 | +11 |
| E+M grade 5+ | 81% | 95% | +13pp |
| EBacc entry | 56% | 74% | +18pp |
Disadvantaged = pupils eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years, looked-after, or adopted from care. A small or zero gap is the goal — it means the school helps every pupil reach the same outcomes.
100%
continued to sixth form
% of pupils who stayed on after GCSEs
High retention is a positive sign — pupils choose to stay and the sixth form supports them through. Low retention can indicate weaker post-16 provision or curriculum mismatch.
Eng+Maths 9-5
EBacc entry
42.7avg points / entry
Average grade: B+
DfE doesn't publish the % at each grade band at school level — this is the school-wide average instead.
76%
Continued in education
HE + FE + other
76%
Higher Education
+8pp vs grammar avg
44%
Russell Group
Cohort destination breakdown
Destinations trend
Strongest at
Religious Studies
27 entries
100%
+3.0pp vs school
Music
20 entries
100%
+3.0pp vs school
Drama
15 entries
100%
+3.0pp vs school
Watch list
Computer Science
53 entries
91%
-6.4pp vs school
Art and Design
14 entries
93%
-4.1pp vs school
Strongest at
Economics
53 entries
100%
+5.5pp vs school
Physics
46 entries
100%
+5.5pp vs school
Chemistry
41 entries
100%
+5.5pp vs school
Watch list
Music
5 entries
0%
-94.5pp vs school
Computer Science
12 entries
92%
-2.9pp vs school
Entry Requirements
The Admissions Policy for September 2026 requires a total of 50 GCSE points over a pupil's best eight subjects (with the GCSE grade 9-1 counting as the number). Places are dependent upon subject and timetable constraints.
Subjects Offered
Largest group: White British (63.3%)
England avg ≈ 24%
≈ 19 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose family qualifies for free school meals (a measure of catchment affluence).
England avg ≈ 18%
In line with the England state-secondary average.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form
Outstanding
Per-pupil funding
2025/26≈ £393 (-6%) below the English average
Most English state secondaries spend 75–80% of their budget on staff. Higher figures usually mean smaller class sizes; lower figures mean more spent on premises, supplies, or capital projects.
£4,147
Teaching Staff / pupil
£905
Educational Supplies / pupil
£535
Premises / pupil
Revenue reserve / pupil
£394
The school holds a surplus per pupil — money set aside that can absorb unexpected costs or fund future projects without affecting day-to-day teaching.
Total grant: £5,344,626 · 809 pupils funded
How the 2025/26 allocation broke down. Each stream is a signal about the school's intake — bigger deprivation / EAL / SEN top-ups indicate a school serving a more challenging cohort.
Basic entitlement
£4,529,207
Core per-pupil funding before any top-ups.
Pupil Premium
£49,450
Targeted funding for 46 disadvantaged pupils.
Deprivation top-up
£113,234
Aggregates FSM, FSM6 and IDACI deprivation bands.
EAL top-up
£34,600
English-as-additional-language premium — paid for pupils whose first language isn't English.
Prior attainment top-up
£21,127
Funding for pupils arriving below age-related expectations.
Notional SEN
£458,883
Earmarked SEN budget inside the schools block.
Lump sum
£142,484
Fixed per-school grant — size-independent.
Schools budget support grant
£48,901
Government pay-and-pension support grant.
National Insurance grant
£63,162
Compensation for the increase in employer NI contributions.
1,141 / 945(121%)
Subjects Offered
Entry Requirements
The Admissions Policy for September 2026 requires a total of 50 GCSE points over a pupil's best eight subjects (with the GCSE grade 9-1 counting as the number). Places are dependent upon subject and timetable constraints.
1:17.8
Staff:Pupil Ratio
94.13%
Qualified Teachers
3.24%
Absence Rate
4.81%
Persistent Absence
The school occupies a 55-acre site with historic and modern buildings including science laboratories, ICT suites, library, sports hall, swimming pool, drama studio, music department, dining hall, and extensive playing fields.
Sports
{"playing_fields":2,"pool":true,"gym":true}
STEM
{"science labs":5,"IT suites":3,"technology workshops":2}
Arts
{"drama theatre":true,"music rooms":2,"art studios":1}
Library
Well-equipped library with extensive book collection, study spaces, computers for research, and quiet study areas. Open before school, during breaks, lunchtimes and after school.
Capital Projects
Recent investments include refurbishment of science laboratories, ICT suite upgrades, sports facility improvements, and ongoing maintenance of the historic buildings.
Strong focus on co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, with drama productions including Year 13 performances.
Sports
Music & Performing Arts
Clubs & Societies
Duke of Edinburgh
true
Trips & Exchanges
{"school trips":["London","Paris","Rome"],"foreign exchanges":["Germany","France"]}
Community Service
Students participate in various community service activities including local charity fundraising, visits to care homes, environmental projects, and volunteering at local events.
Uniform
{"description":"The school uniform consists of a navy blue blazer, white shirt, tie, and grey trousers or skirt.","suppliers":["Trutex","Tudor"]}
School Meals
Innovate provides catering with a huge selection of 'grab and go' items including baguettes, paninis, burritos and salads, a variety of healthy main meals prepared fresh every day, Street Vibes range of global street food, salad bar, and theme days. Free school meal allowances include hot main meal offer and 'Blue Dot Deal' where 4 items can be purchased for the free school meal price.
Homework Policy
Homework is set regularly across all subjects with clear expectations for completion. Students are expected to spend approximately 1-2 hours per night on homework in Years 7-9, increasing to 2-3 hours in Years 10-11. A homework timetable is provided to help students manage their workload effectively.
Behaviour Policy
The school operates a positive behaviour policy based on mutual respect, high expectations, and clear boundaries. The house system supports pastoral care and positive competition. Sanctions include detentions, reports, and in serious cases, suspension or exclusion.
Mobile Phone Policy
Mobile phones are allowed in designated areas during breaks.
SEND Provision
We are conscious that visiting the school during one of our busy Open Events can be overwhelming for children with SEND. Please contact our SENCo sally.benson@skinners-school.org.uk to arrange a smaller group or 1-2-1 tour.
Enter your postcode to see directions to Skinners'
Route 171 from Lewisham, Route 436 from Bexleyheath
Nearest Station: London Bridge
Transport Info
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells. Accessible by train to Tunbridge Wells station. Local bus services available. School coaches operate from various locations.
Ask AI Advisor
About Skinners'
