About the school
The Norton Knatchbull School is a selective boys’ grammar school located on Hythe Road in Ashford, Kent, with a co-educational sixth form. It has a long history and a strong reputation for academic achievement alongside high-quality pastoral care.
The Norton Knatchbull School was founded in Ashford around 1630 as a free grammar school, endowed by Norton Knatchbull, and was known for many years simply as ‘Ashford Grammar School’ until 1973. It moved to its present Hythe Road site during the 20th century, with the main building dating from the 1950s and a major refurbishment completed in 2015, and now serves more than 1,000 pupils.
As a Kent grammar school, The Norton Knatchbull School selects pupils through the Kent Test (the Kent Procedure for Entry to Secondary Education, or PESE), provided by GL Assessment, with admissions coordinated by Kent County Council.
School type
Boys’ Grammar (Mixed Sixth Form)
Exam date
Thursday, September 10, 2026 (Kent pupils); weekend of September 12–13, 2026 (out-of-county)
Exam board
Kent Test (PESE) – GL Assessment
Address
Hythe Road, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0QJ
Age range
11–18 (Years 7–13)
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Admissions information
The Norton Knatchbull School entrance test is the Kent Test, administered through Kent County Council. Here is everything you need to know about the admissions process and exam structure.
The Norton Knatchbull School selects pupils using the Kent Test (PESE), provided by GL Assessment and used by most Kent grammar schools. The school does not run its own separate entrance test. The Kent Test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with all reasoning, English and maths sections in multiple-choice format on a separate answer sheet.
The Kent Test consists of two papers, each lasting around one hour – one English and Maths paper and one reasoning paper (verbal and non-verbal reasoning) – plus a separate writing task of around 40 minutes that is used only in borderline cases. All scores are age-standardised so that younger children are not disadvantaged.
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; late registrations are not accepted. Parents must then name The Norton Knatchbull 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, before the Common Application Form deadline. To be assessed as suitable for grammar school, a child needs a total aggregate score of 332 or more, with no single score below 106. School allocations are confirmed on national offer day, 1st March 2027.
Key admissions details
The Norton Knatchbull School has a Published Admission Number of around 150 places for Year 7 each year.
The Norton Knatchbull School does not operate a fixed catchment boundary. After higher-priority groups (looked-after children, Pupil Premium pupils, siblings and those with health and special access reasons), eligible boys are ranked by nearness of their home to the school, measured in a straight line. As one of two grammar schools in Ashford, it draws pupils from across the town and surrounding area, so proximity is an important factor when it is oversubscribed.
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The Norton Knatchbull School was founded in Ashford around 1630 as a free grammar school endowed by Norton Knatchbull, and was known as ‘Ashford Grammar School’ until 1973. It is a selective boys’ grammar school in Ashford, Kent, with a co-educational sixth form.
The Norton Knatchbull School has a Published Admission Number of around 150 places for Year 7 each year. As one of two grammar schools in Ashford, it is popular and competitive, so thorough Kent Test preparation is important.
The Norton Knatchbull School uses the Kent Test (PESE), provided by GL Assessment. It consists of a one-hour English and Maths paper and a one-hour reasoning paper, both multiple-choice, plus a short writing task used only in borderline cases. The school does not run its own separate entrance test.
The Norton Knatchbull School does not operate a fixed catchment boundary, but after the qualifying standard and priority groups, eligible boys are ranked by nearness of their home to the school. Boys living closer to the school in the Ashford area are therefore prioritised when it is oversubscribed.
Registration for the 2026 Kent Test opens on Monday 1st June 2026 and closes at midnight on Wednesday 1st July 2026. Registration is completed online through the Kent County Council website and late registrations are not accepted.
Yes. The Norton Knatchbull School offers a broad enrichment programme spanning sport, music, drama and a range of clubs and societies, supporting pupils’ personal development alongside their academic studies.
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 Ashford and the wider Kent area 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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