Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School Review 2026: A Century of Academic Excellence and Personal Development

When Margaret Thatcher walked through these gates as a girl in 1936, she found an institution barely two decades old but already building a reputation for educating young women to think boldly and act independently. That same Edwardian building, its stone carving still intact above the entrance, welcomes over 1,200 girls today. The school ranks 333rd in England for GCSE performance (top 7%, FindMySchool ranking) and 410th for A-levels (top 15%, FindMySchool ranking), making it one of the strongest selective state schools in the East Midlands. With 72% of leavers progressing directly to university, including one to Oxbridge annually, KGGS has maintained the promise made in 1910: to nurture capable, confident young women ready for the world's challenges. This is a grammar school where results and character go hand in hand.

The school occupies its original Grade II listed Edwardian building overlooking Grantham, surrounded by expansions that tell the story of decades of growth. Inside, the atmosphere blends tradition with purpose. You notice it in the house system, where six groups named after female writers — Austen, Brontë, Browning, Eliot, Potter and Rossetti — create cross-year bonds and healthy competition. Each house organises pantomimes, choir competitions, dance performances and charity fundraising, fostering a culture where leadership and teamwork matter as much as examination grades.

Mr James Fuller, who leads the school as Headteacher, oversees an institution where pastoral care consistently receives praise from parents. The staff understand that a selective grammar school's responsibility extends beyond admitting high-achieving girls; it means supporting them through the social and emotional demands of intense academic environments. Sixth Form students mentor younger pupils, house captains lead with real authority, and form tutors know their tutees individually, tracking wellbeing and progress closely.

The physical campus reflects this dual commitment to heritage and modernity. Old Hall, the original 1910 core, retains its period charm with Chesterfield sofas and high ceilings. But alongside it stand Roberts Hall (opened 1986 by Margaret Thatcher herself), the Science and Technology block, the Creative and Expressive Arts block (2014), and Harrowby House, the Victorian mansion acquired in 1919 that now serves as the Sixth Form hub. The purpose-built Sports Hall, added in 2003, signals investment in more than just books. The school's maxim, conveyed through its house system and admissions literature, reflects Miss Gladys Williams' founding vision from 1924: the school exists to cultivate confident, rounded young women prepared for lives beyond examination halls.

GCSE Performance

In 2024, KGGS delivered exceptional GCSE outcomes across the board. 71% of grades achieved were 9-8 (A*), and 56% of all entries reached grades 9-7 combined. The Attainment 8 score of 69.5 reflects strong achievement across eight subjects, well above the England average of 0.459. Progress 8 stands at an impressive 1.04, indicating pupils make above-average progress from their starting points between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4. This places the school 333rd in England, firmly in the elite tier (top 7%), and locally it ranks first in Grantham among secondary schools.

The English Baccalaureate remains central to the curriculum. 37% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the full EBacc suite, compared to the national England entry rate of 41%. This selective grammar context means nearly all pupils are capable of the breadth the EBacc demands; the school prioritises depth over breadth when it suits individual students.

A-Level Performance

The Sixth Form mirrors this trajectory. 14% of A-level entries achieved A*, with 21% at A and 33% at B, yielding 69% of all grades at A*-B. The England average for A*-B across schools is 47%, so KGGS substantially exceeds this benchmark. The school ranks 410th nationally for A-level performance, placing it in the top 15% of all post-16 institutions in England (FindMySchool ranking).

The curriculum at KGGS balances rigour with flexibility. At Key Stage 3, all pupils study English, mathematics, sciences (taught as three separate GCSEs), history, geography, a modern foreign language (typically French, German or Spanish), design and technology, art, music, physical education, religious education and computing. This breadth is deliberate; Miss Williams' founding principle — that schools must develop complete human beings — remains embedded.

At Key Stage 4, pupils pursue 9-10 GCSE qualifications, with core compulsories including English Language, English Literature, mathematics, triple science, religious studies and at least one modern language. This structure ensures girls leave with a firm foundation across disciplines while specialising into subjects where their interests lie.

Teaching is marked by high expectations and strong subject knowledge. Lessons emphasise deep understanding over surface coverage. The school draws heavily on its partnership with neighbouring King's School, particularly in the Sixth Form, where some A-level lessons are shared across the two sites. This collaboration — initiated in 1965 and continuing today — expands options in niche subjects and creates genuine mixed-age academic spaces.

Academic enrichment extends beyond the classroom. Departmental clubs run at lunch times, offering support sessions in mathematics, English and sciences. Debating Society provides a platform for persuasive rhetoric. Creative Writing Club fosters voice. Chess Club builds strategic thinking. The school explicitly encourages girls to stretch beyond their comfort zones, consistent with its uncompromising approach to developing independence.

In the 2024 cohort, 72% of leavers progressed directly to university. Within that cohort, 5% entered apprenticeships and 14% moved into employment, typically in professions such as nursing, teaching and civil service roles. Among sixth form leavers, one student secured a place at Cambridge and studied in competitive fields including medicine, law and engineering.

Beyond Oxbridge, girls regularly secure places at Russell Group universities including Durham, Bristol, Exeter, Edinburgh, and Warwick. The school's track record in competitive professions is notable; medical school places remain highly competitive, and several girls each year secure entry to elite programmes in nursing, law and engineering. Parents using the FindMySchool Comparison Tool can track these destinations alongside local alternatives to understand KGGS's specific pipeline into higher education.

The extracurricular offer defines much of what makes KGGS distinctive. The school refuses the notion that a grammar school should be solely academic; instead, it institutionalises breadth through clubs, sports, music and drama running throughout the year.

Music: A Defining Strength

Musical participation is unusually high. The school maintains multiple choirs serving different ability levels and interests, an instrumental groups umbrella that welcomes all instruments, a dedicated wind band and a full orchestra. The Peripatetic Music Service provides peripatetic lessons in a wide range of instruments on school premises; many students participate in county groups or external ensembles. Throughout the school year, at least two major concerts showcase soloists and ensemble work. The House Choir contest, held at Easter, is a centrepiece of the school calendar, with each house preparing a piece and performing to intense, friendly competition. Performances and recitals by individuals and groups run throughout the year, ensuring musicians have regular platforms and audiences to perform to peers.

Drama: Highly Professional and Accessible

Drama culture is equally robust. The school organises a wide range of theatre visits to build critical vocabulary and expose pupils to professional work. Theatre in Education groups visit regularly, providing both inspiration and practical examples. Students who wish to perform join after-school Drama Clubs, participate in the school's annual major production or contribute items to variety shows and house performances. Recent years have seen ambitious productions that engage large casts and, through partnership with King's School, occasionally include orchestral accompaniment. Drama spaces across the campus — spanning a dedicated drama studio and performance areas — allow rehearsal and performance to happen simultaneously across multiple projects.

Sports: Rowing and Beyond

The sporting programme is both competitive and inclusive. The school fields teams in netball, football, athletics, gymnastics, tennis, and rounders, with these sports fielded across all year groups. Combined-age activities like badminton and water polo extend participation further. The water polo team recently achieved a bronze medal at the 2024 English Schools Association National Championship finals, a remarkable achievement that speaks to coaching quality and pupil commitment. The equestrian team retained the Lincolnshire county title in 2023, securing three team first places and two individual wins.

On-site facilities include a large sports hall, equipped gymnasium and dedicated fitness area. A newly invested sports facility has expanded capacity significantly in recent years. The school competes at district, county, regional and national levels across disciplines, with victories throughout multiple years confirming quality of provision and coaching. Beyond competitive sport, recreational opportunities ensure all fitness levels can participate.

STEM and Technology

STEM provision is emerging as a pillar. While traditional science teaching remains strong, the school has invested in the Creative and Expressive Arts block and Science and Technology block to house both hands-on experimentation and technology. Computer Science is taught as a discrete subject; coding clubs and coding-related enrichment operate at lunchtime. The school encourages girls to see themselves as potential engineers and technologists, countering societal narratives that STEM is "not for girls."

Other Clubs and Societies

Beyond the major pillars, lunchtime clubs run across the week: Cinema Club provides film appreciation and critical analysis. Culture Club broadens awareness of global traditions. Origami Club teaches precision and patience through folding. Puzzle Club develops logical reasoning. The Christian society, Rock Solid, provides space for girls to explore faith. A Friends of KGGS parent fundraising organisation, now led by senior team members Zoe Anderson and Anna Knott, raises money for resources and enrichment opportunities.

The house system interweaves all these activities. House competitions encourage girls to support peers in varied activities, from pantomime performance to quiz nights to charity fundraising. By Year 11, most girls have participated in drama, sport or music through house competitions, even if they have not pursued those subjects at GCSE or A-level.

This is a selective grammar school. Entry at Year 7 requires passing the 11+ entrance examination, administered across the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools using Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning (GL format). In recent years, admission has been heavily oversubscribed. The published admission number is 174, with closer to 259 applications received annually, resulting in an oversubscription rate of roughly 1.5 applications per place.

Admissions criteria, after looked-after children and siblings, prioritise children eligible for Pupil Premium within 12 miles of the school, followed by straight-line distance. There is no formal catchment boundary. Girls typically come from Grantham and surrounding villages, with some pupils travelling from Melton Mowbray and Nottingham. There are approximately 76 feeder primary schools within the 15-mile radius, though this has shrunk in recent years as demand has intensified.

The 11+ exam is serious and competitive. Tutoring has become nearly universal among families seeking entry, despite the school's efforts to redesign the test to reduce advantage from intensive coaching. Parents considering entry should understand that the admissions process is genuinely selective and competitive; simply being bright is insufficient without sustained preparation and a passing score. Families within the 12-mile zone benefit from distance prioritisation post-test; those outside face steeper odds.

The school day runs from 8:50am to 3:40pm. School hours are structured with tutor time, form slots and lessons interspersed to maintain pastoral contact. Mobile phones are banned during school hours and must remain switched off and out of sight; the school accepts no responsibility for loss or theft.

Transport links are good. Grantham itself is on the East Coast Main Line with regular services to London King's Cross and other major centres. Local bus services connect the school to the town centre. Many pupils walk or cycle, particularly those living within the Grantham area.

Pastoral care consistently receives high marks from parents. The school employs a dedicated head of pastoral care who is described in parent feedback as "an absolute diamond." Form tutors know girls individually and track not only academic progress but emotional wellbeing, confidence and social integration. The house system ensures every girl belongs to a structured group with a member of staff overseeing pastoral matters.

Behaviour is calm and respectful. Girls display exemplary conduct in lessons and around campus, partly due to high expectations and partly due to genuine engagement with learning. The school tackles bullying seriously and maintains clear policies on behaviour, mobile phones and uniform. Sixth Form students mentor younger pupils, and the school deliberately cultivates a culture where senior girls model maturity and responsibility.

Entrance competition is intense. With approximately 1.5 applications per place, entry is far from guaranteed. The 11+ examination, despite redesign efforts, typically requires formal tutoring. Families should be realistic about chances and prepare emotionally for rejection, particularly if intensive tutoring has been undertaken. Some girls who excel at primary school find the entrance test unexpectedly demanding.

The peer group shifts expectations. Every girl arriving in Year 7 was the top (or near-top) of her primary school. The transition to an environment where everyone is academically able can be emotionally bruising, particularly in early months. Girls must adjust to being challenged alongside equals and to occasionally receiving lower marks than they are accustomed to. This is healthy intellectual growth, but it takes time.

Academic pace is demanding. Teaching moves quickly. The grammar school model assumes girls can learn independently and keep pace with an ambitious curriculum. Girls who struggle with self-directed study, require substantial scaffolding or have undiagnosed learning differences may find the intensity exhausting. The school provides support, but the expectation remains that pupils will keep pace with their peer group.

Not a feeder for particular universities. While girls go on to strong universities, KGGS is not a pipeline into a single establishment or profession. Girls do not automatically progress to Russell Group universities; competition for medicine, law and Oxbridge places is genuine and requires exceptional grades plus additional achievements. Parents should avoid assuming that admission to KGGS guarantees entry to elite universities.

An exceptional state grammar school delivering first-class education without fees. One hundred and fifteen years after opening with 102 pupils, KGGS educates over 1,200 girls in a culture where academic rigour, character development and breadth of experience are non-negotiable. Results speak clearly: girls achieve well above England averages, progress into competitive universities and leave as confident, articulate young women ready for professional and personal challenges.

Best suited to academically able girls who thrive on intellectual challenge, can handle being one of many high-achievers and are ready to stretch themselves. The school rewards independence, resilience and intellectual curiosity. Girls who arrive seeking to be told what to think, or who need heavy scaffolding and reassurance, will struggle with the pace and autonomy expected. For the right cohort, KGGS offers an exceptional blend of academic excellence, pastoral care and character development. The main barrier is securing entry; once admitted, the educational experience ranks among England's best.