For the Chatham Grammar 11 plus, your child must be assessed as suitable for grammar school through the Medway Test or the Kent Test. Chatham Grammar is a selective academy in Chatham with 150 Year 7 places. It took its first co-educational Year 7 in September 2026, so boys and girls can both apply. It is the one Medway grammar school that also accepts the Kent Test.
This guide covers the tests, the key dates for September 2027 entry, how places are offered and how to prepare. It is based on the school's admissions page and its Determined Admissions Policy for September 2027, plus Medway Council's Medway Test pages, checked on 13 October 2026.
Sources: Chatham Grammar, Determined Admissions Policy for September 2027; Chatham Grammar; Medway Council, Medway Test (11+) (checked 13 October 2026).
Chatham Grammar at a glance
| Type | Selective academy for ages 11 to 18, with a mixed sixth form; part of the University of Kent Academies Trust |
| Pupils | Mixed from Year 7 since September 2026 |
| Location | Chatham, Kent (Medway Council area) |
| Year 7 places | 150 boys and girls |
| Tests accepted | Medway Test and/or Kent Test |
| Applications | Medway Secondary Common Application Form (or your own council's form if you live outside Medway) |
| Website | chathamgrammar.org.uk |
For the other grammar schools in the area, see our pages on grammar schools in Medway and grammar schools in Kent.
Key dates for September 2027 entry (Medway Test)
Medway Test registration closes in June of Year 5, and late registrations are not accepted. If you are using the Kent Test, check Kent County Council's website for its registration and test dates.
- 18 May 2026
Medway Test registration opens
- 12 June 2026
Medway Test registration closes
- 15 and 16 September 2026
Medway Test for pupils at Medway maintained primary and junior schools (17 or 18 September for children with special arrangements)
- 19 or 20 September 2026
Medway Test for children who don't attend a Medway primary or junior school
- 14 October 2026
Medway Test results day
- 31 October 2026
Deadline to apply for a secondary school place
- 1 March 2027
Councils send offers
Sources: Medway Council, registration, test dates and results; GOV.UK.
The tests: Medway Test or Kent Test
Applicants must be assessed as grammar through the Kent and/or Medway Test processes to be eligible for a place. Medway Council describes Chatham Grammar as the exception among Medway's grammar schools, because it allows children assessed through either test.
- Medway Test: three papers (English, maths and reasoning), sat in Year 6. Any child can take it, whether or not they live in Medway.
- Kent Test: also accepted by Chatham Grammar. It has its own registration and test dates, so check Kent County Council's website.
You still need to name Chatham Grammar on your council's secondary school application by 31 October.
How places are offered
All 150 places go to children assessed as selective. If more eligible children apply than there are places, the 2027 policy gives priority in this order.
- Automatic admissions
Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, and children who were in care and were adopted or became subject to a residence or special guardianship order. The school's admissions page also lists children currently in public care.
- Siblings
A brother or sister at Chatham Grammar when you apply who will still be there when your child starts.
- Children of staff
Staff employed at the school for a year or more, or recruited to a post with a skills shortage.
- Distance from home
Nearness of the child's home, using Medway Council's measure. A random draw settles any exact tie.
Summary of the Year 7 oversubscription criteria in the Determined Admissions Policy for September 2027.
How to prepare for the Chatham Grammar 11 plus
The Medway Test has an English paper, so reading widely and building vocabulary can help. Our guide to grammar schools in Medway has more on the Medway Test. Check the school's website for open events.
For vocabulary, print our free 11 plus vocabulary list with meanings and try the free 11+ vocabulary quiz. Our verbal reasoning guide explains common reasoning question types, and the Year 5 plan and Year 6 guide cover timing.
How 11+ Vocab Master and 11+ Verbal Reasoning Master can help
Whichever grammar school you aim for, our two apps help build the vocabulary and verbal reasoning skills that 11+ tests rely on, in short sessions on a phone or tablet.
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Frequently asked questions
Which 11+ test does Chatham Grammar accept?
Chatham Grammar accepts children assessed as suitable for grammar school through the Medway Test and/or the Kent Test. Medway Council describes it as the exception among Medway grammar schools, which otherwise use the Medway Test.
Is Chatham Grammar a mixed school?
Yes, from Year 7. The school took its first co-educational Year 7 in September 2026, and its sixth form is mixed. Its 150 Year 7 places for 2027 are for boys and girls deemed to be of selective ability.
How many places are there at Chatham Grammar?
The planned admission number is 150. If more eligible children apply, places go first to children admitted automatically (including those with an EHCP naming the school and children who have been in care), then siblings, then children of staff, then by distance from home.
When is the Medway Test for 2027 entry?
For September 2027 entry, pupils at Medway maintained primary and junior schools sat it on 15 and 16 September 2026, and other children on 19 or 20 September. Registration ran from 18 May to 12 June 2026, and results day is 14 October 2026.
Sources
Checked on 13 October 2026. Always check the school's website for the latest dates and policy.
- Determined Admissions Policy for September 2027, Admissions and school website, Chatham Grammar
- Medway Test (11+), including registration, test dates and results, Medway Council
- Chatham Grammar, Get Information about Schools, Department for Education
- School admissions: how to apply, GOV.UK