Highsted Grammar School Review 2026: Excellence with Accessibility

Highsted is a girls-only grammar school nestled in Sittingbourne, Kent, serving ambitious young women across the wider region. The school motto, "To seek, to learn, today; to shape, to lead, tomorrow," captures the spirit of an institution that blends academic rigour with genuine community values. Located on Highsted Road, this selective state school has earned a reputation for delivering exceptional results: girls consistently achieve top grades at GCSE and A-level, with 69% securing A*-B grades in 2024. The school ranks 518th in England for GCSE performance (FindMySchool ranking), placing it comfortably in the top 25% of schools. Entry is competitive but transparent, with girls selected through either the Kent selection procedure or the school's own entrance assessment, creating a cohort of highly motivated learners. Anne Kelly has been Headteacher since 2020, bringing fresh energy to a school proud of its standards while committed to continuous improvement. As a state-funded grammar, there are no tuition fees, making selective education accessible to talented girls regardless of family wealth.

The school is described by leadership as a "happy and cohesive community," an environment that genuinely seems to liberate young women to embrace intellectual challenge without sacrificing their humanity. Teachers here care deeply about their students' character alongside their grades. The pastoral model is built around year group tutors and prefects, creating structures where girls are known as individuals, not just exam entries. Leadership's emphasis on "community consciousness and empathy", not merely academic excellence, signals that the culture is measured by more than league tables.

The school occupies functional modern facilities with clear spaces designed to support focused learning. While the building itself doesn't speak to historical grandeur, the carefully managed admissions process ensures that girls arriving in Year 7 are genuinely suited to grammar education, creating a peer group unified by aptitude and ambition. This creates an atmosphere where girls aren't competing against overwhelming academic odds; they're among equals, which paradoxically can lower pressure rather than increase it.

Sixth form life incorporates boys for the first time, integrating over 300 young men into the community. This shift to co-education in Years 12–13 feels intentional; the school website emphasises that sixth formers benefit from specialist careers advice, university visits, and engagement with industry speakers. The partnership with local schools to extend sixth form course options shows practical thinking about what students need, rather than defensive protection of school advantage.

GCSE Outcomes

In 2024, Highsted's GCSE cohort achieved an Attainment 8 score of 60.6, well above the England average of 45.9. The school ranked 518th in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 25% of schools, a "national strong" performer by official metrics. Locally, the school dominates, ranking 1st among secondary schools in Sittingbourne. The EBacc (English Baccalaureate) attainment shows 44% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above, reflecting strength across academic breadth.

Class-by-class reports highlight that 15 girls achieved clean sweeps of top grades across 10 or more subjects in 2024, demonstrating exceptional consistency. The school's own reporting emphasises that "girls have received their GCSE results" with "strong performances across a range of departments," and while this is promotional language, the underlying pattern is consistent: strong across subjects, not narrow specialists.

A-Level Achievement

At A-level, Highsted's performance is markedly stronger. In 2024, 69% of grades were awarded at A*-B, with over one-third of the cohort achieving A*-A. This 53% rate for A*-A-B aligns closely with showing 0.5317 (53%) achieved A*-B. The school's A-level ranking is 929 in England (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the typical performance band for sixth form colleges, a position that reflects the broader cohort mix once external students enter.

In context: the GCSE ranking (top 25%) is considerably stronger than the A-level ranking (middle 35%). This likely reflects two factors. First, the sixth form is smaller and includes external entrants, diluting the selective cohort advantage. Second, A-levels are intrinsically more competitive. Still, 69% at A*-B is a respectable figure, and the school's ability to maintain high standards in the transition from GCSE to A-level shows effective teaching and student preparation.

The curriculum here reflects selective grammar education: emphasis on traditional subjects taught by specialist staff, with girls expected to take four A-levels plus an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in sixth form. Sciences are offered separately (Chemistry, Biology, Physics), enabling girls to pursue combined science for breadth or triple science for depth. Languages feature prominently, reflecting grammar school character. The school names facilitating subjects explicitly, English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Further Mathematics, Geography, History, and Languages, positioning these as gateways to competitive universities.

The "Super Curriculum" language in school materials indicates intentional enrichment beyond exam content. The STEM for All initiative, including a Research Lecture Series, suggests that science teaching aims to inspire curiosity, not merely deliver specification content. This philosophy, that teaching should excite as well as instruct, appears threaded through departmental work. An "Aim High" club for local primary students, promoting science enthusiasm, indicates that staff see themselves as custodians of a subject culture, not gatekeepers of grades.

The school operates through a structure called "The Highsted Hive," a wellbeing framework distinct from traditional pastoral care. This labelling suggests intentional thinking about community belonging and supportive structures. A dedicated mental health awareness programme and weekly counselling provision indicate that the school recognises selective education can create pressure, and actively manages student stress.

Safeguarding is embedded as a leadership priority, with explicit mention on the school website and referenced in admissions materials. The "Compassion Curriculum", personal development focused on empathy and character, suggests that moral education is valued alongside academic outcomes. These commitments appear genuine rather than performative; schools making space for wellbeing discourse tend to embed support structures. Girls on Board, a gender-focused initiative, acknowledges particular pressures girls in grammar education may face.

In the 2023–24 cohort, 74% of leavers progressed to university, with 5% entering apprenticeships and 16% moving to employment. The A-level cohort included students pursuing medicine at Imperial College London and Oxford Brookes University, indicating that university destinations span both Russell Group and specialist institutions. Named university destinations in school materials include Imperial College, Canterbury Christ Church University, University of Bath, University of Hull, and University of East Anglia, suggesting a spread across the entire UK HE landscape rather than concentration in a narrow band.

Oxbridge presence is modest but meaningful: 8 applications to Oxbridge in the measurement period yielded 3 offers and 1 acceptance. The single confirmed place was to Cambridge. This 13% conversion rate (1 acceptance from 8 applications) is credible for a selective school outside the traditional Oxbridge feeder network. It suggests Highsted girls are competing successfully for the most competitive places while not being defined by them.

Music

Music thrives here. While specific ensemble names aren't published online, the school highlights that sixth formers benefit from specialist music teaching and the curriculum includes music options from classical to contemporary genres. School celebrations feature musical performances, and sixth form notices reference musical events, suggesting active performing culture. Sixth formers can choose music A-level, and practice rooms are available across the school.

Drama

Drama productions feature prominently in school life. Annual celebrations include whole-school Christmas productions, indicating ambitious theatrical ambition involving casts of significant size. These aren't small-scale ventures but community events involving sets, orchestration, and multiple performances. The school website galleries show costumed students in multiple scenes, suggesting proper technical production values rather than pastoral drama.

Sport

While not positioned as an elite sporting school, Highsted girls participate in netball, hockey, and other traditional team sports. Physical education is compulsory, and fixtures are arranged across the calendar. The school's co-educational sixth form likely enables boys' cricket, rugby, or football, broadening athletic participation.

STEM & Science

The "STEM for All" initiative reflects specialist status in science. The Research Lecture Series brings visiting speakers to inspire scientific thinking beyond exams. The school partners with local institutions to extend STEM access. An "Aim High" club targets primary students from local schools, building a pipeline of science enthusiasm. Computer science and further mathematics are available at A-level, positioning girls toward STEM careers without forcing the choice. Science laboratories are equipped to teach separate sciences, and specialist technician support is implied by the school's facility investment.

Clubs & Activities

The school references wider curriculum enrichment, with citizenship and enterprise explicitly built into pastoral time. Student voice structures indicate that girls participate in school governance through leadership roles. The Parents' Association suggests active family involvement, and the Highsted Alumni network indicates that the school maintains connections with graduates, creating mentoring opportunities.

Sixth Form Life

Sixth formers enjoy a structured but less formally constrained environment. The school emphasises careers guidance from "qualified and experienced advisors," university visits, and talks by university admissions tutors. Mock interviews are arranged, and industry speakers visit to discuss career pathways beyond university. This scaffolding suggests that the school doesn't assume sixth formers will naturally navigate university applications; instead, it actively teaches the process.

Entry to Year 7 is through selective testing: girls must either pass the Kent 11+ selection procedure or take Highsted's optional entrance assessment. The Highsted test comprises a computer-based assessment of verbal, numerical, and non-verbal reasoning, plus a written English paper. This dual-route approach (Kent test or Highsted test) widens access slightly, as girls can attempt both and use whichever score is stronger. Registration for the optional Highsted test closes in early July for September entry, requiring simultaneous registration for the Kent procedure. Pass marks aim to select girls at a level exceeded by approximately 25% in England, a transparent threshold that parents can understand.

The school accepts up to 120 pupils in four or five teaching groups, with places allocated first to girls judged suitable for grammar education. Should more eligible candidates apply than places exist, oversubscription criteria apply: looked-after children, those eligible for Pupil Premium (free school meals eligibility), siblings already at the school, and then proximity to school. Distance-based allocation can significantly affect entry chances; families should verify admissions distances with the school directly.

For external applicants to sixth form, minimum entry requirements are a minimum of six GCSE passes at grade 5 or above (including English and Mathematics) and grades 9–6 in chosen A-level subjects. Individual subjects have specific entry requirements; the school website and prospectus detail these by department.

Open days typically run in September–October; families are advised to consult the school website for exact 2026 dates.

The school day runs 8:50am to 3:20pm, with no formal wraparound care advertised. Lunch is taken at school, and a range of extracurricular clubs extend provision into early evenings on weekdays. Uniform is required; costs should be confirmed with the school directly. As a state grammar school, there are no tuition fees; only meals, uniform, trips, and optional enrichment such as music lessons carry additional cost.

Sittingbourne is accessible by bus and train from across north Kent. Girls commute from Faversham, Whitstable, and Canterbury regularly. The school is not residential; all students are day pupils. Parking near the school is limited; many families rely on public transport or driving arrangements.

Selective entry demands preparation. Entry requires either passing the Kent 11+ or the school's own entrance assessment. While the school does not formally recommend tutoring, nearly all successful candidates have accessed some form of preparation. This creates a tutoring culture among families seeking places, which may or may not feel desirable depending on your philosophy about test preparation.

Grammar school peer group. Once admitted, your daughter will be among girls of demonstrably high academic ability. This creates wonderful intellectual peer support but also means that "top of the form" status is no longer automatic. Some girls thrive in this environment; others may find it socially pressured. The school's emphasis on pastoral support suggests awareness of this tension.

Distance and catchment variability. Admissions are distance-based once eligibility criteria are met. Distance from the school can fluctuate annually depending on the cohort's geography. Families living close to Sittingbourne have greater certainty of places; those further away face uncertainty. Parents should verify current distance data before relying on a place.

Mixed sixth form. The sixth form transitions to co-education, admitting boys from other schools. This is educationally positive for social development but represents a noticeable change from girls-only school life in Years 7–11. Girls considering Highsted should be comfortable with this transition.

Highsted Grammar School delivers selective education without the fees: rigorous academics, genuine pastoral care, and real community values. The school ranks in the top 25% of England for GCSE results and maintains consistent A-level achievement. For girls who thrive in selective environments, value academic ambition, and are supported by families committed to exam success, Highsted offers exceptional value. The admissions process is transparent and achievable, though competitive. The emphasis on character alongside grades, the "Compassion Curriculum," mental health support, and student voice structures, suggests this is not a pure exam factory.

Best suited to girls with strong academic aptitude who have prepared appropriately for entrance testing, who live within or reasonably close to Sittingbourne, and whose families value traditional grammar education. The main challenge is the competitive entry process; once admitted, the education is genuinely strong.