Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, Tunbridge Wells

Secondary
Community school
Boys
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~560m)Possible (~800m)Unlikely (~1.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Amanda Simpson
Pupils:1,875 / 1,308 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01892529551
Website:twgsb.org.uk
Address:St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9XB
Admissions:Selective
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 6 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Strong Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Sixth Form
Strong Standard
Inspected 17 March 2026View full report
URN:118790
UKPRN:10007076
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Tunbridge Wells
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

This school excels at getting excellent academic results for all pupils, including those facing barriers to learning. Staff build strong, respectful relationships with boys and have high expectations of both behaviour and achievement. The school provides a rich programme of enrichment activities, careers guidance and personal development that prepares pupils well for their futures.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils achieve examination outcomes significantly above national averages, with disadvantaged pupils performing particularly well
  • Attendance is well above national average with effective support for pupils facing barriers
  • Strong relationships between staff and pupils with rare disruption and bullying
  • Comprehensive personal development programme including relationships and health education
  • Extensive enrichment activities and clubs that develop sporting, creative and cultural abilities

Areas for Improvement

  • Teachers occasionally do not fully check pupils' understanding, meaning gaps in learning are not addressed as quickly as they could be
  • Guidance for staff supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is sometimes lacking in precision
  • Communication with parents of pupils with SEND needs improvement

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Clubs, visits, visitors, sports, school council, leadership roles

Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys is a high-achieving selective grammar school where pupils consistently perform significantly above national averages in public examinations and show impressive passion for learning. The school has strong safeguarding practices, excellent attendance, and positive behaviour across both its main site and second location.

At a Glance

5.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

25.5

Avg class size

66

Total classes

30 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Tunbridge Wells Boys' Grammar School (in)
56m · 1 min walk
Southfields Park (opp)
75m · 1 min walk
Library (nr)
259m · 4 min walk
TA Centre (adj)
291m · 5 min walk
Charles Street (opp)
303m · 5 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

143%

Over capacity

1,875 pupils

1,308 capacity

567 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Tunbridge Wells

High pressure
New homes approved:1,961
Projected new pupils:353

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Tunbridge Wells

Admissions Demand - Kent

Low demand0.94x oversubscription

Places available

19,410

Applications

18,281

Got 1st preference

80.6%

Got preferred school

96.5%

Secondary admissions across Kent (2025/26)

Inspection History(8)

17 March 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Sixth Form
24 November 2021
31 January 2017

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.06543%

Overall absence

11.2238%

Persistent absence

1,479

Enrolments

Authorised4.19053%
Unauthorised0.8749%
Persistent (10%+)11.2238%
Severe (50%+)0.20284%

Absence trend

5.4334%
18/19
3.75081%
20/21
6.53313%
21/22
6.26949%
22/23
5.71571%
23/24
5.06543%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Feeder Primary Schools

Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity

Showing 10 of 15 linked schools

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.