Parents in Kent are spending thousands on tutors for the 11+ and even moving house to be closer to grammar schools, but which postcode in Kent increases the chance of getting that coveted place?
Kent remains one of the few areas in England which has a selective system where children sit the 11+ which they must pass in order to get a place at a grammar school.
And there are large discrepancies across the county when it comes to which towns see the most places offered.
The data below from Kent County show Tunbridge and Canterbury have the most Grammar schools, and Dartford, Canterbury and Tunbridge all have the highest offer rates across all the districts in Kent, all above 33%.
| Post Code Area | Number of Grammar Schools | Offer rate (%) |
| TUNBRIDGE (TN) | 9 | 33.61 |
| MEDWAY (ME) | 7 | 31.71 |
| DARTFORD (DA) | 6 | 33.68 |
| CANTERBURY (CT) | 10 | 33.68 |
| BROMLEY (BR) | 2 | 33.11 |
Whereas Medway has the lowest offer rate at 31.71% despite having seven grammar schools in its region.
This graph shows that DA13 has a significantly higher total preference in comparison to the other postcodes.
Despite all the districts having eligibility to apply for Bexley and Kent schools, pupils for example residing in the Isle of Sheppey have a disadvantage due to their distance from most grammar schools outside of the ME postcode.
The data reflects that moving to areas such as Tunbridge or Dartford increases your chances of being accepted into a grammar school, over another pupil with similar results.
Zara, an 11+ tutor, has been working with pupils for 6 years, stating that the demand for tutoring has become “more and more intense”.
She said: “I have parents willing to pay in the thousands just to get their child that extra tuition.
“Parents are going to great lengths- before school learning, after school learning – it is a lot on the kids.
“The competition to get into these schools is high and the pressure on these kids is real.”
Zara believes the postcode divide is heightened by tuition.
Areas with more affluent families can afford tuition, some starting as early as year 3, naturally producing stronger 11+ scores.
“Most of my students are from the Bromley, Orpington, Swanley and Sevenoaks areas where grammar school culture is normal.
“Kids from other parts of Kent are just not getting that same push.”
Grammar schools are often seen as the “middle ground” between state and private education, especially for families who can’t afford independent school fees.
The academic future of a student can be influenced by their secondary school education and can impact their quality of learning and options for university.
Although private school students are significantly more likely to attend Russell group universities, grammar school students have comparable entry rates in comparison to comprehensive students.
In the data below, it details information for Kent Grammar School 2025 applications, their postcode and region and the number of grammar school places received from each.
There are areas with a higher acceptance rate, with numbers from Dartford as high as 1,017 acceptances.
In order to be eligible to apply for some of these selective schools, students must not only pass the 11+ exam, they must live within a certain catchment area, which is set at the discretion of each individual school.
Schools like St Olave’s Grammar School for Boys in Orpington Kent do not have a catchment area, meaning that students can travel from anywhere in the country to attend school.
Judd Grammar School for Boys uses a priority system; 157 places are allocated to students resident in the Inner Area, which covers specific postcodes.
Just 23 places are allocated to students resident in the Outer Area which is defined as being outside the Inner Area and within the mainland of the United Kingdom.
Only 12.8% places are available to candidates who happen to not reside in the accepted postcodes.
Although not all schools have a strict catchment area, using 11+ scores as the primary indicator, they will use proximity to the school as a tie breaker, where closer applicants are prioritised.
Meaning two students with exact same test scores have their future dependable based on a factor which is not necessarily in their control.
The concentration of grammar schools in certain areas in Kent influences a student’s eligibility long before they have had the chance to prove themselves through their results.
With many having to rely on living within a good distance and high test scores, there is added pressure on parents and the year 5 pupils.
Zara’s experience echoes a big argument against grammar schools; success for grammar school reflects income, socioeconomic background and preparation, not just ability.
Zitha, mum of four, relocated from Tottenham, North London, to Bromley Kent, to have better access to Grammar school, just before her first born turned two.
She said: “We moved mainly for the schools, it was a major factor into our choice.
“I wanted all of my children to have access to better schools.
“The area we moved to has access to the Kent, Bexley and even Tunbridge Wells grammar schools.
“We definitely can’t afford private schools and grammar schools, which means they can get into better universities and if we have the chance to do that, why not take it?”
Her experience reflects what the data suggests, living near the Kent border dramatically increases your options.
Families like hers are able to access multiple selective school catchments at once.
Meanwhile, families in areas like Thanet or Sheerness may only realistically access one or none.
With many being against Grammar Schools for how they divide pupils so early in their learning development, the postcode lottery adds another layer of inequality to the system.
A map, showing areas in Kent, and the Grammar School places offered.
Featured image by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu/ Unsplash
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