Holcombe Grammar School Review 2026: A high-demand Medway grammar with a clear academic core and a sixth form that opens doors

A selective grammar in Chatham, Holcombe Grammar School combines a traditional grammar-school focus with a modern, structured approach to learning and personal development. The school is heavily oversubscribed at Year 7 entry, with 733 applications for 179 offers in the most recent admissions cycle so eligibility through the Medway Test is only the first hurdle. Academic outcomes at GCSE are a clear strength, ranking 727th in England and 3rd locally (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). Sixth form results are more mixed and sit below England average in the FindMySchool A-level ranking, which is useful context for families choosing between staying on and other post-16 routes.

A significant near-term change is already in motion: the school will welcome girls into Year 7 from September 2026, and the published admission number increases to 180 from that point.

A coherent ethos runs through the school’s messaging and policies: the emphasis is on thinking skills, high expectations, and a strong personal development programme rather than a narrow exam-only approach. The Trust-wide mission language is prominent, and the school presents itself as part of a wider network with shared training and development, which can matter for consistency of teaching and leadership capacity.

What stands out in the most recent official assessment is the blend of ambition and approachability. Pupils are described as proud of their Rights Respecting culture, and the school places visible weight on inclusion, diversity, and students feeling listened to. That is not just branding, it shapes day-to-day experience through routines and pastoral structures, including regular check-ins and a purposeful approach to relationships education and online safety.

Leadership is stable and well-identified across official records and school documentation. The current headteacher is Mr Lee Preston. Government records and the most recent inspection report confirm the role-holder, and school publications show him in post as Principal in 2020.

Holcombe’s headline strength sits at GCSE. In the FindMySchool GCSE performance ranking (based on official outcomes data), the school is ranked 727th in England and 3rd locally. That places it above England average overall, within the top quarter of schools in England by percentile banding.

Outcomes measures align with that picture. The Attainment 8 score is 59.9, and the Progress 8 score is +0.15, which indicates pupils, on average, make above-average progress from their starting points. The EBacc average point score is 5.66, and 25.5% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure. These figures suggest a school that performs well overall while still having variation within the EBacc cohort and across subjects, which is typical even in selective settings.

For post-16, the FindMySchool A-level ranking places the sixth form at 1,669th in England and 3rd locally, which sits below England average overall by percentile banding. A-level grades show 3.55% at A*, 11.09% at A, and 41.46% at A*–B. Compared with the England A*–B average of 47.2% that gap is meaningful when families are weighing Holcombe against other sixth forms in Kent and Medway.

Parents comparing local options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to benchmark GCSE and A-level outcomes side by side, rather than relying on reputation alone.

Curriculum design is explicit and strongly framed around breadth plus selection. At Key Stage 3, students study a broad suite of subjects, including languages, computing, and creative options. At Key Stage 4, the school’s intent is unambiguous: every student is guided through choices that keep them in the English Baccalaureate pathway, with options layered around that core.

This structure suits students who thrive on academic routine and a clearly sequenced curriculum. It also has implications. The full EBacc expectation can feel purposeful and academically stretching, but it narrows flexibility for students who would prefer a more heavily vocational or technical KS4 programme. In practice, Holcombe still offers a wide range of options alongside the core, including subjects such as psychology, sociology, media studies, and food technology, so it is not an overly traditional menu.

At sixth form, the school’s own prospectus language focuses on maturity, leadership, and wider contribution to school life. That emphasis is consistent with students taking on mentoring, running clubs, and supporting events, which is a strong fit for students who want a structured route to independence before university or employment.

Holcombe does not publish a full set of destination numbers in the sources reviewed, so the most useful indicators come from the dataset for progression and Oxbridge.

For the 2023/24 leaver cohort (cohort size 176), 65% progressed to university. A further 5% moved into apprenticeships, 16% into employment, and 1% into further education. This mix indicates that the sixth form supports both university and direct-to-work routes, rather than functioning only as a university conveyor belt.

Oxbridge outcomes show selective applications but modest conversion in the recorded period: six combined applications, one offer, and one acceptance, recorded under Cambridge. The practical implication is that highly academic students can pursue the very top end, but families should see Oxbridge as an option for individuals rather than an expectation embedded across the cohort.

For many families, the bigger decision is whether the sixth form’s fit and subject mix align with the student’s strengths. Given the A-level ranking position in England, it is sensible to compare Holcombe’s sixth form against other local sixth forms for subject availability, teaching style, and support for university applications, apprenticeships, and retakes where relevant.

Admission is selective and competitive, and it operates on two filters. First, students must meet the Medway Test selective standard. Second, the school allocates places using oversubscription criteria where qualified applications exceed the published admission number. From September 2026, the published admission number is 180 and the school becomes co-educational for Year 7 intake.

Demand indicators underscore the competitiveness. For the most recent Year 7 admissions cycle captured, there were 733 applications for 179 offers, which is 4.09 applications per place. First preference pressure is also evident, with a first-preferences-to-offers ratio of 1.69. In practice, this means families should treat Holcombe as a high-probability choice only if the child is realistically selective and the application strategy includes other strong options.

Key dates for September 2026 entry are clearly published by Medway. Medway Test registration ran from 19 May 2025 to 13 June 2025. Secondary applications opened on 1 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with offers on 2 March 2026. Appeals and waiting list deadlines follow shortly after.

Open events appear to follow an autumn pattern. The term dates page flags an Open Morning in Term 1 with details to be confirmed, and the admissions page references prior October open events, which suggests families should look for dates in early autumn each year and verify current arrangements on the school website.

Parents who are distance-sensitive should use FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise home-to-school distance for alternative options, even though a last-distance figure is not available for this school.

Pastoral support is presented as systematic rather than ad hoc. Safeguarding roles are clearly set out in published policy, and the wider approach includes structured personal development content that covers relationships, online safety, and mental health awareness.

The 12 and 13 March 2024 Ofsted inspection confirmed the school continues to be Good.

Ofsted also stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Beyond compliance, the more useful parent takeaway is that pupils are encouraged to speak up, bullying concerns are expected to be handled quickly, and the school culture aims to combine academic pressure with a sense of support. That combination is important in a selective context, where peer comparison can be intense, particularly in Year 7 adjustment and during GCSE and A-level periods.

Holcombe’s extracurricular offer is unusually easy to evidence because the school publishes termly club lists with specific names, days, and year groups. That transparency is helpful for families who want to see whether opportunities are broad or merely claimed.

A few examples from the published clubs programme illustrate the balance between academic enrichment, creative activity, and structured support. Debate Society and The Delta δ Club (maths) provide a direct extension route for students who enjoy argument, reasoning, and competition-style thinking. Book Thieves and library-based clubs add quieter options for students who want reading-led community.

On the creative side, there are clear routes into performance and production, including National Theatre Connections rehearsals, show rehearsals, and music options such as Jazz and R&B band, keyboard club, and rap workshops (termly offerings vary, so families should review the latest list).

There is also a strong “participate and progress” ladder. The school runs eDofE drop-in sessions, and the most recent inspection notes high participation in Duke of Edinburgh and Sea Cadets. This is a useful marker for pupils who benefit from goal-based activity and leadership development.

The school publishes a clear daily timetable. Registration and assembly run from 08:40 to 09:00, and the compulsory day ends with registration finishing at 15:10.

As a secondary school, there is no wraparound childcare model in the primary sense, but there are structured before-school academic or support sessions and a wide menu of after-school clubs. The termly clubs programme also includes breakfast-based intervention support, which can be useful for students who need consistent subject catch-up or a calm start to the day.

Travel information is less standardised online than the timetable and admissions guidance. Families should plan their route early, particularly if relying on public transport, and sanity-check the realistic door-to-door journey during peak times.

• Competition for Year 7 places. With 733 applications for 179 offers demand substantially exceeds supply. A Medway Test pass is necessary, but it does not guarantee a place.

• A-level outcomes are a different story from GCSE. GCSE performance is a strength, but the sixth form sits below England average in the FindMySchool A-level ranking. Families choosing post-16 should compare subject fit, support, and teaching approach with other sixth forms locally.

• A strongly academic KS4 model. The curriculum intent is explicitly EBacc-led for all students, which suits many grammar pupils, but it can be less attractive for students who want a more vocational route at 14.

• A major change from September 2026. The move to co-education at Year 7 and the admission number of 180 reshape the school’s next phase. That may widen access over time, but it also introduces a period of change in routines, staffing patterns, and cohort mix.

Holcombe Grammar School is best understood as a high-demand Medway grammar with strong GCSE outcomes, a clearly defined academic core, and a well-evidenced extracurricular programme that goes beyond generic offerings. It suits students who like structured learning, are comfortable in a selective peer group, and want breadth alongside an EBacc-led spine. The limiting factor is admission, and for sixth form, the decision should be made with eyes open using comparative A-level evidence rather than GCSE reputation alone.