About the school
Borden Grammar School is a selective boys’ grammar school located on the Avenue of Remembrance in Sittingbourne, Kent, with a mixed sixth form. Guided by its motto Nitere Porro (‘Strive forward’), the school provides a traditional yet modern education and is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted.
Borden Grammar School was founded in 1878 and gained academy status in 2012. It holds specialist status in Sports and Modern Foreign Languages, and offers a broad enrichment programme alongside strong academic results, with pupils progressing to top universities.
As a Kent grammar school, Borden Grammar School selects pupils through the Kent Test (PESE), provided by GL Assessment, with admissions coordinated by Kent County Council. The school also offers its own optional Borden Assessment Procedure as an additional route for boys who do not meet the Kent Test standard.
School type
Boys’ Grammar (Mixed Sixth Form)
Exam date
Around September 10, 2026 (Kent pupils); weekend of September 12–13, 2026 (out-of-county)
Exam board
Kent Test (PESE) – GL Assessment
Address
Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4DB
Age range
11–18 (Years 7–13)
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Admissions information
The Borden Grammar School entrance test is the Kent Test, with an optional Borden Assessment Procedure as a second route. Here is everything you need to know about the admissions process and exam structure.
Borden Grammar School selects pupils mainly through the Kent Test (PESE), provided by GL Assessment, which covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. In addition, the school offers its own optional Borden Assessment Procedure (provided by Quest Assessments) for boys who do not reach the Kent Test standard but may still be suitable for a selective place. Both routes can lead to admission.
The Kent Test consists of two papers of around one hour each – one reasoning paper and one English and Maths paper – plus a short writing task used only in borderline cases. The optional Borden Assessment Procedure consists of four standardised paper-based tests assessing verbal ability, numerical/mathematical reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and English.
Registration for the Kent Test is completed online through the Kent County Council website, opening on Monday 1st June 2026 and closing at midnight on Wednesday 1st July 2026. Registration for the optional Borden Assessment Procedure is separate, available on the school’s website between Monday 1st June 2026 and Wednesday 1st July 2026. Parents must name Borden Grammar School on the Kent Secondary Common Application Form by 31st October 2026.
The Kent Test takes place in September of Year 6, with results issued by Kent County Council on Thursday 15th October 2026; the Borden Assessment Procedure takes place at the school (around mid-September) with results sent to parents by post. To be assessed as suitable for grammar school via the Kent Test, a child needs a total aggregate score of 332 or more, with no single score below 106. School allocations are confirmed on 1st March 2027.
Key admissions details
Borden Grammar School has a Published Admission Number of 150 places for Year 7 each year.
Borden Grammar School operates a three-tier priority catchment area, referred to as its ‘traditional school areas’. Priority is given first to children living in postcodes ME9, ME10, ME11 and ME12, followed by children in postcodes ME8 and ME13. Boys from other areas may still be considered, depending on oversubscription and available places. After looked-after children and Free School Meals priority, siblings and health/special access reasons, remaining places are allocated by proximity to the school using straight-line distance.
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Borden Grammar School was founded in 1878 and is a selective boys’ grammar school in Sittingbourne, Kent, with a mixed sixth form. It gained academy status in 2012 and holds specialist status in Sports and Modern Foreign Languages.
Borden Grammar School has a Published Admission Number of 150 places for Year 7 each year. The school is heavily oversubscribed, attracting applicants from Sittingbourne and the wider area, so thorough Kent Test preparation is essential.
Borden Grammar School uses the Kent Test (PESE), provided by GL Assessment, covering English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. It also offers an optional Borden Assessment Procedure, a set of four standardised paper-based tests, as a second route for boys who do not reach the Kent Test standard.
The Borden Assessment Procedure is an optional second route, available only to boys who have taken the Kent Test, giving them another chance to show their suitability for a selective place. It consists of four standardised paper-based tests assessing verbal ability, numerical reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and English, and is registered for separately from the Kent Test.
Registration for the 2026 Kent Test opens on Monday 1st June 2026 and closes at midnight on Wednesday 1st July 2026 through the Kent County Council website. Registration for the optional Borden Assessment Procedure runs over the same window via the school’s website.
Yes. Borden Grammar School offers a broad range of activities including football, cricket, hockey, table tennis and athletics, along with drama, orchestra, chess and debating clubs, reflecting its specialist status in sport and languages.
Yes, all our tuition is available both in-person at our Edgbaston, Birmingham centre and online via live video sessions. Online tuition gives families across Sittingbourne and Kent access to our expert tutors without the need to travel. The quality and personalisation of sessions is identical in both formats.
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