Borden Grammar School
School summary
A selective boys' grammar in Sittingbourne, Borden serves around 928 pupils and sits close to its 949-place capacity, leaving little spare room. Entry at 11 runs through the Kent Test consortium, with places allocated to 150 boys each year. The intake reflects its local community, with roughly one in ten pupils eligible for free school meals and a similar proportion speaking English as an additional language. It is a medium-sized school where a pupil-to-teacher ratio of 17.6 is broadly typical of the state sector.
How hard is it to get in?
Moderate · 1 of 5 on the Passmate scale. Entry is selective, but demand for the 150 Year 7 places is more manageable than at most selective schools - a solid qualifying performance is usually what matters.
Where every mark matters.
Places are limited and demand is high, so exam performance is what sets candidates apart. Passmate turns the months ahead into ten focused minutes a day on the exact topics this school tests.
Key dates · 2028 entry
Free month · No payment needed
Latest results
Attainment 8
63.2
National average 46.9
GCSE grade 5+ (English & Maths)
83%
National average 47%
GCSE grade 9-7
41%
National average 23%
A-level A*-A
24%
National average 28%
A-level A*-B
52%
National average 55%
Teaching & academics
Academic results are a clear strength. The school's average Attainment 8 score of 63.2 stands well above the national average of 46.9, and 83% of pupils secure grade 5 or above in English and Maths, against a national figure of 47%. These outcomes are consistent with what selective entry tends to produce, and place Borden among the stronger performers academically.
Headteacher · Ashley Tomlin
School life & ethos
- Religious character
- None
- Boarding
- No
- SEN support
- 2.05%
- EHC plans
- 0.86%
- English as additional language
- 10.2%
- Free school meals
- 11.1%
Schools nearby
Highsted Grammar School
Sittingbourne, South East
Rainham Mark Grammar School
Gillingham, South East
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
Faversham, South East
Holcombe Grammar School
Chatham, South East
Invicta Grammar School
Maidstone, South East
Fort Pitt Grammar School
Chatham, South East
Watch Passmate decide how to teach.
Answer as a child would. Left: what they see. Right: what it learns about them.
A well-established Kent boys' grammar delivering results well ahead of the national picture. With entry through the competitive Kent Test and the school near full, places are keenly contested.
That’s where Passmate comes in. Tutoring is the most effective thing in a child’s preparation - a well-tutored child can outperform the vast majority of their peers. Passmate works alongside your tutor, not instead of them: it learns how your child thinks, finds the gaps, and shows the tutor exactly where to spend each session - so the limited time you have lands on what actually decides a place.
Works alongside your child’s tutor - not instead of them.
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Borden Grammar School 11+: frequently asked questions
Passmate rating: benchmarked against every selective school in England using official admissions data. It measures demand for places, not school quality. Updated July 2026.
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.