The Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include swimming and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at The Norton Knatchbull School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 64.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.

83% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.

That is down from 67.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.32: 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 62, against 64.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 2.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Geography, Chemistry and Biology.

The Norton Knatchbull 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, 225 families put The Norton Knatchbull School as their first choice and 417 named it as one of their preferences, for 192 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 66 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The Norton Knatchbull 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, The Norton Knatchbull 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 The Norton Knatchbull School are The North School (0.3 miles, Attainment 8 39.4); Highworth Grammar School (1.3 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 69.2); Towers School and Sixth Form Centre (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.4); and The John Wallis Church of England Academy (2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.4).

The Norton Knatchbull School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Of the 205 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 97% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 11% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 96 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 53% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 27% into work. 20% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 15 pupils (1.1%) received SEN support and 8 (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 autism.

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

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Norton Knatchbull School (adjacent), 110 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 286 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Norton Knatchbull School issued 33 suspensions, 2.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Norton Knatchbull School are Willesborough Infant School (0.7 miles), Willesborough Junior School (0.7 miles), Victoria Road Primary School (0.9 miles) and East Stour Primary School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.