School Chooser

Chatham Grammar

Secondary · ages 11-18GirlsAcademy (grammar)948 pupilsSixth formChathamMedway
School Chooser Score
87
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 83 to 91
Out of 100. Better than 14% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, October 2023
Strong pass in English and maths76%England 46%
Attendance95.3%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families17%Far fewer than most schools
Places28 spare948 pupils, 976 places
Pupils per teacher18.8School workforce census

Chatham Grammar is a converter academy in Chatham for girls aged 11 to 18. It has 948 pupils and room for 976. About 17 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 87 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 14% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Rainham Road, Chatham, ME5 7EH01634 851262chathamgrammar.org.ukMs Wendy Walters principalAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 18 October 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

151 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score61.8
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths76%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths93%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11+0.36In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 63.763.720182019: 60.060.020192022: 64.364.320222023: 59.559.520232024: 60.160.120242025: 61.861.82025
Since 2018: -1.9Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018MedwayEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11151179122176108100
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 861.860.159.564.360.063.746.846.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8+0.36+0.34+0.54+0.52+0.60
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths76%78%79%85%82%91%45%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths93%97%94%98%99%99%64%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score5.865.775.515.995.655.864.224.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry96%96%99%98%77%65%52%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged56.754.256.264.863.961.8
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged62.661.060.164.259.764.0
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers64.063.967.861.365.2

Subjects

Results came out for 19 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Media / Film / TV95%grades 9 to 5, England 55% · 7th of 580 schools
Business87%grades 9 to 5, England 51% · 87th of 1,806 schools
Art and Design93%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 128th of 2,818 schools
History86%grades 9 to 5, England 52% · 167th of 3,126 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Spanish (41% here, 54% across England), French (52% here, 60% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, 3 languages.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics151 entries · 6th of 18 in Medway
78%England 53%
English Literature151 entries · 4th of 18 in Medway
89%England 58%
English Language151 entries · 5th of 18 in Medway
87%England 54%
History93 entries · 2nd of 17 in Medway
86%England 52%
Combined Science89 entries · 6th of 18 in Medway
70%England 36%
Social Studies68 entries · 4th of 13 in Medway
79%England 54%
Physics61 entries · 6th of 13 in Medway
89%England 82%
Chemistry61 entries · 5th of 13 in Medway
92%England 81%
Biology61 entries · 4th of 13 in Medway
95%England 82%
French60 entries · 8th of 11 in Medway
52%England 60%
Geography59 entries · 6th of 17 in Medway
68%England 51%
Business46 entries · 5th of 10 in Medway
87%England 51%
Spanish46 entries · 7th of 13 in Medway
41%England 54%
Art and Design44 entries · 1st of 17 in Medway
93%England 58%
German41 entries · 3rd of 5 in Medway
56%England 63%
Media / Film / TV21 entries · 1st of 5 in Medway
95%England 55%
Drama21 entries · 2nd of 4 in Medway
76%England 60%
Physical Education20 entries · 3rd of 5 in Medway
60%England 56%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics15132%78%95%53%255 of 3,211
English Literature15144%89%95%58%158 of 3,202
English Language15142%87%95%54%151 of 3,210
History9361%86%89%52%167 of 3,126
Combined Science8912%70%93%36%121 of 3,084
Social Studies6838%79%93%54%99 of 1,043
Physics6157%89%97%82%1,187 of 2,546
Chemistry6161%92%100%81%999 of 2,537
Biology6157%95%100%82%765 of 2,570
French6028%52%62%60%1,331 of 1,974
Geography5932%68%92%51%514 of 3,116
Business4648%87%96%51%87 of 1,806
Spanish4624%41%59%54%1,429 of 1,941
Art and Design4457%93%98%58%128 of 2,818
German4120%56%78%63%366 of 571
Media / Film / TV2181%95%100%55%7 of 580
Drama2124%76%95%60%246 of 844
Physical Education2020%60%90%56%682 of 1,559
Other Modern Languages70%0%0%49%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

98 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC28.6 points per entry
A level progress-0.28Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better5%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished95%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students9810910564121110
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry28.6032.1027.1329.8024.1029.83
Average A level gradeCC+C-CD+C
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS29.5734.2526.8230.4323.5230.63
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects5%16%5%4%4%5%
A level progressA level value added-0.28-0.15-0.47+0.05
Applied general courses: points per entry30.0529.1533.0540.98
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed95%97%95%85%97%98%

A level subjects

11 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsSociology35English Literature19Biology19Business Studies16Economics13Psychology13History11Government and Politics11Chemistry11Mathematics9Art and Design6
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Sociology35 entries · 6% A* or A · 100% passed
49%England 49%
English Literature19 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
21%England 52%
Biology19 entries · 0% A* or A · 95% passed
5%England 49%
Business Studies16 entries · 6% A* or A · 81% passed
19%England 47%
Economics13 entries · 8% A* or A · 92% passed
31%England 57%
Psychology13 entries · 15% A* or A · 100% passed
46%England 46%
History11 entries · 18% A* or A · 100% passed
55%England 55%
Government and Politics11 entries · 9% A* or A · 100% passed
27%England 55%
Chemistry11 entries · 9% A* or A · 100% passed
9%England 53%
Mathematics9 entries · 11% A* or A · 78% passed
33%England 60%
Art and Design6 entries · 17% A* or A · 100% passed
33%England 60%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
56.762.6
Gap 5.9England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
70%76%
Gap 6 ptsEngland 22 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Grammar school. This is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test.

Nearly full952 pupils for 993 places, 2024/25
96% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have grown by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Medway council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll948Census January 2026
Places97697% full
Pupils from low-income families17%17% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English20%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support4%42 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%5 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.537 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils38%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)19%£158,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls33 / 915
White British pupils33%

Specialist SEND provision. Listed by the government as catering for autism.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Medway with autism provision.

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (20), emotional and mental health (8), Specific learning difficulty (6), Hearing impairment (4), Vision impairment (4), Physical disability (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll948950980945919871
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals17%14%13%11%10%8%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language20%21%21%18%16%14%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support5%4%4%4%4%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%0%0%0%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance95.3%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school9.0%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.7%5.4%4.7%5.1%3.1%3.5%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.9%4.5%3.6%4.1%2.6%2.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.9%0.9%1.2%1.0%0.5%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence9.0%12.6%10.1%11.3%4.7%6.5%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.71.41.42.03.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00100

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 122 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training99%and stayed there for at least six months
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training99%97%97%99%
Education96%96%96%99%
Apprenticeship2%1%0%0%
Work2%1%1%0%
Not in education, work or training1%2%1%0%

After sixth form

Where the 102 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training88%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 85%, compared with 89% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training71%England 72%
Top-third universities7%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship4%England 6%
Higher technical course0%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 78% went on to degree-level study or training.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training88%93%95%
Education68%62%62%
Apprenticeship4%5%8%2%
Work17%27%25%
Not in education, work or training5%7%6%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers50.6full-time equivalent, 56 people
Pupils per teacher18.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers98%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.9full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,986
Teachers who left in the year30%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher6.52024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£5,637England £7,965. Total £5.4m
Income per pupil£7,147England £8,423. Total £6.8m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,823England £4,444
Money in reserve5%Not much put by: £332k, £349 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£1.4mit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,637spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m96612 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate151 per 1,000 people66% higher than the England average
Typical house price£310,000Medway
Nearest bus stop80 mSt Augustines Church, 23 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Hospital and Medical Tuition ServiceMiscellaneous660 mNot inspectedCompare
The Robert Napier SchoolAcademy990 m1,048No overall grade 20243Compare
Brompton AcademyAcademy0.7 miles1,399No overall grade 202423Compare
The Victory AcademyAcademy0.8 miles1,213Good 202323Compare
Holcombe Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)1.3 miles1,060Good 202487Compare
St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive SchoolRoman Catholic1.4 miles1,084No overall grade 202417Compare
Fort Pitt Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)1.6 miles1,009Outstanding 202295Compare
Waterfront UTCUniversity technical college1.6 miles381Good 202311Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Chatham Grammar with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats14%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 87 is 10 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 68 · middle 97 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Chatham Grammar, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Fort Pitt Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)1.6 miles1,009Outstanding 202295Compare
The Rochester Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)2.1 miles1,206Good 202392Compare
Maidstone Grammar School for GirlsFoundation (grammar)6.7 miles1,254Outstanding 202395Compare
Invicta Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)6.9 miles1,670Outstanding 202498Compare
Mayfield Grammar School, GravesendAcademy (grammar)9.3 miles1,398Outstanding 202493Compare
Westcliff High School for GirlsAcademy (grammar)13.4 miles1,354Outstanding 202499Compare
Southend High School for GirlsAcademy (grammar)14.4 miles1,312Outstanding 202498Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 87 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 87% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 83 to 91. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%well above
+0.39
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 151 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.02
Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.19
DfE progress measure; 151 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well above
+0.15
2024/25; 767 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 151 pupils
What pupils do next5%well above
+0.08
122 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Chatham Grammar a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Chatham Grammar scores 87 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 14% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 83 to 91, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Chatham Grammar's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Chatham Grammar good at its last full inspection on 18 October 2023.

How good are Chatham Grammar's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 76% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 61.8, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Chatham Grammar have?

948 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 976 places, so it is 97% full. It is a girls' school.

Is Chatham Grammar oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

Does Chatham Grammar have an entrance exam?

Yes. It is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test, usually sat in September of Year 6. Check the school's admissions page for the test dates and the pass mark.

What is attendance like at Chatham Grammar?

Pupils were in school 95.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Chatham Grammar?

The average class had 24.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 38% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Chatham Grammar have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It is registered for autism. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

Does Chatham Grammar have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C. 11 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Rainham Road, Chatham, ME5 7EH
Telephone
01634 851262
Website
www.chathamgrammar.org.uk
Principal
Ms Wendy Walters
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Girls
Religious character
None
Multi-academy trust
The University of Kent Academies Trust (2 schools)
Local authority
Medway
Ward
Luton
Constituency
Chatham and Aylesford
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2011 (academy converter)
URN
137389 · LAESTAB 8875429 · UKPRN 10035160
Formerly
Chatham Grammar School for Girls

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from