Barton Court Grammar School, Canterbury

In its own words: "At Barton Court Grammar school students are supported, inspired and challenged to achieve their very best in all that they do in order to reach their full potential and academic excellence. Students develop into independent, confident, open-minded, life-long learners ready to take their place as leaders in the 21st century."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am sure that you will find it informative and enjoyable to explore. We are very proud to be one of the few co-educational selective schools in the country delivering high academic standards within a very caring and supportive school community. Our focus is on achieving excellence in all that we do to support outstanding outcomes for all our students."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, tennis, drama, STEM, debating and Duke of Edinburgh.

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 21 January 2027, an open day on Thursday 1 April 2027, an open evening on Friday 7 May 2027 and an open evening on Thursday 13 May 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Barton Court Grammar School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 66.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.

86% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 66.4.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.38: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 60, against 67.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Barton Court Grammar School is a grammar school: places go to children who reach the required standard in its entrance test, and only then are the oversubscription criteria applied.

For September 2026 entry, 145 families put Barton Court Grammar School as their first choice and 837 named it as one of their preferences, for 125 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 35 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

Barton Court Grammar School admits pupils through an entrance test - in Kent, the Kent Test. Children have to be registered for it in advance, normally in the spring or summer of Year 5; the test itself is usually sat in September of Year 6, and results come out in October, before the 31 October deadline for naming secondary schools.

Passing the test makes a child eligible rather than guaranteeing a place: when more children pass than there are places, Barton Court Grammar School ranks them by the criteria in its admissions policy, which can include test score and distance. Check Kent's admissions pages and the school's own policy for this year's registration deadline - a child who is not registered in time cannot sit the test.

Kent has 32 state grammar schools in all, so a child who passes may have several selective schools to choose between.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Barton Court Grammar School are Barton Manor School (0.4 miles); Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School (0.9 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 66); St Anselm's Catholic School, Canterbury (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 45); and Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys (1.1 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 69.4).

Barton Court Grammar School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Barton Court Grammar School is one of 3 schools run by Barton Court Academy Trust, an academy trust.

182 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Barton Court Grammar School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).

Of the 141 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 97% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 7% to a further education college and 1% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 131 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 48% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 34% into work. 33% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

10.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 55 pupils (5.5%) received SEN support and 6 (0.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Canterbury East Rail Station, about 1040 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barton Court School (adjacent), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 615 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Barton Court Grammar School issued 19 suspensions, 1.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Barton Court Grammar School are St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Canterbury (0.4 miles); Pilgrims' Way Primary School (0.5 miles); St Johns Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles); and St Peter's Methodist Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.