Sir Roger Manwood's School, Sandwich

From the headteacher's welcome: "Here, we support our students to flourish through a broad and challenging curriculum and access to a range of exciting extra-curricular activities. Since 1563, the school has been serving the community in providing an exceptional educational experience to local children."

In 2026, pupils at Sir Roger Manwood's School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 59, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.

76% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.

That is down from 62.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.21: 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 54.6, against 59.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 5 points.

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

Sir Roger Manwood's 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, 147 families put Sir Roger Manwood's School as their first choice and 412 named it as one of their preferences, for 120 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 34 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

Sir Roger Manwood's 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, Sir Roger Manwood's 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 Sir Roger Manwood's School are Sandwich Technology School (0.6 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 30); Goodwin Academy (4.4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 30.7); and Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School (5.4 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 62.2).

Sir Roger Manwood's School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Of the 159 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 18% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 109 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 51% went on to university or other higher education, 1% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 29% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

12.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 234 pupils (23.9%) received SEN support and 4 (0.4%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Sandwich Rail Station, about 270 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Railway Station (outside), 270 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 28 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).

In 2024/25, Sir Roger Manwood's School issued 21 suspensions, 2.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Sir Roger Manwood's School are Sandwich Junior School (0.5 miles), Sandwich Infant School (0.5 miles) and Worth Primary School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.