Schools by area › Medway › Holcombe Grammar School
Holcombe Grammar School
Secondary · Boys · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Holcombe, Maidstone Road, Chatham ME4 6JB · holcombegrammar.org.uk · 033 3360 2130
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Mar 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 62.4
- average Attainment 8 score. Medway 46, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,060
- 60 over 1,000 places · 106%
- Local authority
- Medway
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Selective
- Free school meals
- 12.7%
- First language not English
- 12.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 137 families put the school first and 179 places were offered; 64% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 179 | 137 | 0.8 | 64% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 179 | 137 | 0.8 | 59% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 150 | 110 | 0.7 | 65% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 150 | 134 | 0.9 | 57% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 148 | 119 | 0.8 | 57% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 62.4, and 84.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Medway it was 46, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (33.6 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲62.4 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲84.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲96.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲96.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲5.97 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 82.5 | +0.3 |
| Sixth form college | 6.6 | — |
| Further education | 8 | −0.9 |
| Other education | 0.7 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.5 | −1.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 0.7 | −0.7 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 124 students | C+ (33.6) | Average +0.07 | |
| 124 students | C+ (33.6) | Average +0.07 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 164 | C (31.2) | -0.24 |
| 2022/23 | 165 | C+ (34.3) | — |
| 2021/22 | 152 | B- (35.9) | — |
| 2018/19 | 100 | C (31) | -0.22 |
| 2017/18 | 103 | B- (35.1) | +0.14 |
| 2016/17 | 125 | C (30.2) | -0.11 |
| 2015/16 | 130 | C (29.8) | -0.01 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 64.5 | +7.4 |
| Further and other education | 1.8 | +0.5 |
| Further education | 1.2 | — |
| Other education | 0.6 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 6.6 | −3.8 |
| Employment | 16.3 | −9.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.4 | +2.2 |
| Activity not captured | 5.4 | +3.5 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 13 March 2024, Ofsted’s outcome for Holcombe Grammar School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 12 Mar 2024
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Oct 2014
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Apr 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Oct 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Jun 2013Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate
What parents said
82% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (176 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 82%
- Replies
- 176
- 17% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 84% who raised concerns
based on the 34% who had a child bullied
based on 30 parents (17%) with SEND