Best Schools in Dover

How many schools are there in Dover?

Dover has 33 open schools: 22 state primary, 6 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent and 3 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Dover are rated Outstanding?

7 schools in Dover were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Woodpecker Court, Eythorne Elvington Community Primary School, Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery School, Green Park Community Primary School, St Margaret's-at-Cliffe Primary School and 2 more. Counting Good as well, 90% of the 30 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Woodpecker CourtEythorne Elvington Community Primary SchoolShatterlocks Infant and Nursery SchoolGreen Park Community Primary SchoolSt Margaret's-at-Cliffe Primary School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Dover get the best GCSE results?

Of the 8 schools in Dover with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Dover Grammar School for Boys (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 63.1 and 90% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Duke of York's Royal Military School, with an Attainment 8 score of 58.9 and 70% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Dover Grammar School for Girls (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 56.7 and 70% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Selective schools admit by ability, so their raw results are not a like-for-like comparison with comprehensives. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Dover Grammar School for BoysDuke of York's Royal Military SchoolDover Grammar School for Girls

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Dover have the best SATs results?

Of the 20 primary schools in Dover with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Temple Ewell Church of England Primary School (95% in reading, 95% in maths); Shepherdswell Church of England Primary School (89% in reading, 96% in maths); and Lydden Primary School (92% in reading, 83% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Temple Ewell Church of England Primary SchoolShepherdswell Church of England Primary SchoolLydden Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Dover?

Yes. Dover Grammar School for Boys and Dover Grammar School for Girls are state grammar schools in Dover. Grammar schools admit pupils by ability through an entrance test, usually sat at the start of Year 6.

Dover Grammar School for BoysDover Grammar School for Girls

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Dover have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Dover have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Dover?

Apply to Kent through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.