School profile

Holcombe Grammar School

Secondary · Academy converter · Chatham, ME4 6JB

Good

Map showing Holcombe Grammar School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#267 of 3,312

Better than 91% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,305 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Holcombe Grammar School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 30 Sept 2014

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,060 of 1,116 places
GenderBoys
Admissions policySelective
Head teacherMr Lee Preston
TrustTHE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityMedway
Opened01 Apr 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136594.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolMedwayEngland
Attainment 8 score59.845.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and maths95%62%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and maths81.6%42.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and maths27.7%12.6%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths91.5%58.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4141--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolMedwayEngland
Average points per A-level entry33.5532.6835
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels33.4434.3935.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better9.7%13.3%17.5%
A-level progress score0.07--
A-level progressAverage--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study133--
Average applied general gradec--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils1,060
Girls115
Boys945
Eligible for free school meals12.1%
First language not English12.8%
SEN support24
EHC plan4
Average class size23.1

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Pupils ethnicity

White British
39%
African
33.4%
Other White
4.2%
Indian
4.1%
Other mixed
3.7%
Other Black
3.4%
Other Asian
2.5%
White and Black African
1.6%
White and Asian
1.6%
White and Black Caribbean
1.4%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed. Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means missing 50% or more.

MeasureThis schoolMedwayEngland
Overall absence4.8%7.3%8%
Persistent absence10.1%20.1%21.6%
Severe absence0.5%3.1%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)179
Applications (Year 7)968
First preference applications (Year 7)137
First preference offers (Year 7)87
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)191

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Capacity

2024/25
MeasureThis school
School places1,116
Pupils on roll1,036
Unfilled places7.2%
Sixth form places400
Sixth form pupils on roll293

Source: DfE, School capacity, Academic year 2024/25, published 19 Mar 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher18.3
Pupils per adult15
Teachers (FTE)57.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)6.2
Support staff (FTE)21.36
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2559.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2551
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255.5
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252.6

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25
MeasureThis school
Suspension rate9.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions6.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination99.3%
Staying in education97.8%
School sixth form82.5%
Further education8%
Sixth form college6.6%
Apprenticeship1.5%
Not sustained0.7%
Employment0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination89.2%
Higher education64.5%
Employment16.3%
Apprenticeship6.6%
Not sustained5.4%
Further education1.2%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Holcombe Grammar School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryNew Horizons Children's AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miPrimaryBalfour Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryBalfour Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryWayfield Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Inadequate
0.6 miPrimaryGreenvale Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miSecondaryThe Victory AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.6 miPrimaryWarren Wood Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.6 miPrimaryCrest Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryPhoenix Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.7 miPrimaryDelce AcademyAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Holcombe Grammar School

What is Holcombe Grammar School's Ofsted rating?

Holcombe Grammar School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 30 Sept 2014.

How does Holcombe Grammar School rank in England?

Holcombe Grammar School ranks 267 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 91% of schools) and 1,305 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

How many pupils attend Holcombe Grammar School?

Holcombe Grammar School has 1,060 pupils aged 11 to 18, with capacity for 1,116.

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.