What are the Admission Requirements for Chatham Grammar School?

To get into Chatham Grammar School in Year 7, your child must be assessed as suitable for grammar school through the Medway Test or the Kent Test. You register for the test in Year 5, your child sits it in September of Year 6, and you name the school on your application by 31 October. If more eligible children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription rules, including how close you live. For September 2027, there are 150 Year 7 places for boys and girls. 

Thinking about Chatham Grammar School for your child? This guide explains the 11+ admission requirements. You will learn which test your child needs, how places are given, the key dates and how to get ready. 

Chatham Grammar School admission requirements for 11+ entry

Here is the full list of what your child needs for a Year 7 place. Think of it as a simple checklist.

The school says that applicants must be assessed as grammar through the Kent or Medway Test to be considered. This is the first and most important rule. A good result does not guarantee a place, because the school is popular. We explain how places are given further down.

About Chatham Grammar School

Chatham Grammar School is a selective academy on Rainham Road in Chatham, Kent. It is part of the University of Kent Academies Trust. Medway Council lists it as "Chatham Grammar School for Girls", but the school is changing to take boys and girls.

Here is what has changed. The school's admissions policy for September 2027 offers 150 Year 7 places to boys and girls who are assessed as grammar. Boys can join Years 7 and 8 from September 2027, and the school says the change will move up through older year groups in the next few years. This guide only covers Year 7 entry, which is the main 11+ route.

Chatham Grammar 11+ test: Medway test or Kent test

The Medway Test is the main test for Chatham Grammar. It is run by Medway Council and used by the six Medway grammar schools. It is not the same as the Kent Test, which is run by Kent County Council.

Here is the unusual part. Chatham Grammar says it accepts a selective assessment from either the Medway Test or the Kent Test. It is currently the only selective school in Medway that accepts both. This is helpful for families who live near the border or who have already registered for the Kent Test.

Medway test format and scoring

The Medway Test is provided by GL Assessment. It has three papers, taken in one go with short breaks.

How the Medway Test is marked

Each paper gets a score that is adjusted for your child's age. That means a child born in August is treated fairly next to a child born in September. Then the three scores are weighted. Medway Council uses this simple formula.

• English score is counted 2 times

• Maths score is counted 2 times

• Reasoning score is counted 1 time

The three numbers are added up to give a total weighted score. Every year, Medway Council sets a minimum total weighted score. Children at or above it are assessed as grammar. The test is designed to assess about a quarter of children attending Medway maintained schools as grammar.

Please check Medway's website for the final figure.

Because English and maths count double, they matter a lot. That is why we spend extra time on them in our 11+ tuition.

How to apply for Chatham Grammar School Year 7

There are two steps to get a grammar school place, and they run on different timelines. Missing either step means your child cannot be considered. Here is the full journey.

1. Register for the Medway Test in Year 5

Use Medway Council's online Parent Portal in the registration window. For 2027 entry this was 18 May to 12 June 2026. Registration is not automatic, and the school cannot do it for you.

2. Sit the test in September of Year 6

Children at Medway primary schools sit it at their own school. Children from other areas go to a Medway test venue on a day they are given. For 2027 entry, the dates were 15 and 16 September 2026, or 19 or 20 September 2026 for children outside Medway.

3. Get the result in October

Medway Test results came out on 14 October 2026. The result tells you if your child has been assessed as suitable for grammar school.

4. Apply on your home council's form by 31 October

Name Chatham Grammar as one of your choices. The school also suggests naming at least one non-selective school as a back up, in case a place is not available.

5. Wait for National Offer Day

Offers for September 2027 come out on 1 March 2027.

Chatham Grammar School oversubscription criteria

Being assessed as grammar is the first step. If more children are assessed as grammar than there are places, the school uses these rules. Here they are in order.

1. Children with an EHCP that names the school

Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names Chatham Grammar are admitted first, as the school's policy says, once the school has been consulted and the child has been assessed as grammar.

2. Children who were in care

The policy also gives priority to looked after children, and to children who were in care but stopped being in care because they were adopted or because of a residence or special guardianship order.

3. Brothers and sisters

Next come children with a brother or sister who goes to Chatham Grammar at the time of application and who will still be there when the new child starts.

4. Children of staff

Then come children of staff at Chatham Grammar, under the conditions in the school's policy, such as having worked there for at least one year.

5. Children who live nearest

Last, places go to children who live closest to the school, measured by the shortest safe walking route using Medway Council's mapping system. If two children cannot be separated, a random draw decides.

Chatham Grammar School catchment area

Chatham Grammar does not have a fixed catchment area. That means there is no line on a map that decides who can apply. But distance still matters. When the school is oversubscribed, children who live closer to the school come ahead of children who live further away, after the earlier rules above.

Medway Council also says that places at its grammar schools are mainly given by how far a child lives from the school, not by test score. So if you live far away, or outside Medway, please be realistic and name more than one school.

How hard is it to get into Chatham Grammar School?

It is competitive. Medway Council's school information lists 1,152 applications for 150 offers for September 2026. That is more than seven applications for every place. Passing the 11+ is necessary but not enough on its own, because the school's rules then decide who gets the offers.

Here is our advice. Aim for the strongest score you can, because it keeps every door open. Then read the oversubscription rules, check your distance, and name a sensible mix of schools on your application, including a non-selective back up.

Chatham Grammar 11+ dates for September 2027 entry

Chatham Grammar 11+ dates for September 2028 entry

Is your child in Year 5 now? Then your child will take the test in September 2027. The dates for the 2027 test were not yet published when we checked. In recent years, Medway Council has opened Medway Test registration in mid May and closed it in mid June, with the test in mid September.

How to prepare for Chatham Grammar School 11+ entry

Not every child needs a tutor, but the Medway Test is timed and competitive, so many families choose some help. Here is how we suggest you prepare.

• Start early: Begin gently in Year 4 or early Year 5, with short, regular sessions.

• Focus on English and maths: They count double in the total score.

• Practise reasoning: Include verbal, non-verbal and spatial questions, because they are all in one paper.

• Use timed papers: The English paper is only 30 minutes, so speed and accuracy both matter.

At Pass 11 Plus Grammar, we have helped families for over 30 years. Our 11 plus tuition is tailored to the test your child will sit, and our 11 plus tutors in Birmingham teach in person, while we also teach online for families across the UK, including in Medway and Kent.

Here is how we help.

• Our 11 plus mocks let your child practise under real test conditions, with clear feedback.

• Our 11+ intensive summer course gives a focused boost before the September test.

• Our 11+ free practice papers and 11+ past papers help your child get used to exam style questions.

Please use Medway Council's official familiarisation booklet for the exact Medway question types. No tutor can promise a place, because places depend on test results and the school's rules. What we can promise is calm, careful help that makes your child feel ready.

Final thoughts

The admission requirements for Chatham Grammar School are clear. Your child needs to be assessed as grammar through the Medway Test or the Kent Test, you need to register on time, and you need to apply by 31 October. Then the school's rules decide who gets the 150 places.

Plan early, keep practice calm and check the latest dates each year. At Pass 11 Plus Grammar, we are always here to help you plan the next step.