Holcombe Grammar School Catchment Area
Holcombe Grammar School is an academy converter secondary school in Chatham, Medway , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 1036 pupils, and a capacity of 1000 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
11-18
Age range
1,036
Pupils
1,000
Capacity
104%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2014
Holcombe Grammar School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Holcombe Grammar School?
The catchment area for Holcombe Grammar School is the geographic zone Medway uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, though entry first depends on passing the selective admissions test. Medway publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Entry to Holcombe Grammar School is selective, and applicants must pass the relevant admissions test. Among qualifying applicants, Medway may use distance or catchment area as a tiebreaker when the school is oversubscribed. Check the admissions policy for how the selection and distance criteria interact.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Medway publishes the 2027 Holcombe Grammar School numbers →
The full admissions policy, including test registration dates, qualifying scores, and any distance criteria, is published by Medway before each admissions cycle. Verify your child's eligibility and your home address directly with the council.
Find Medway catchment area documents →Holcombe Grammar School: at or above its 1000 place limit
Holcombe Grammar School has a published admission number of 1000 places. 1036 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 104%. The school is at or above its published limit of 1000 places. Medway allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 12.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Chatham.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Medway publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Medway school admissions →
Holcombe Grammar School: School Information
- Full address
- Holcombe, Maidstone Road, Chatham, ME4 6JB
- Local authority
- Medway
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-18 years
- Gender
- Boys
- Admissions policy
- Selective
- Free school meals
- 12.9% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 136594
Other Secondary Schools in Chatham
If Holcombe Grammar School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Chatham are the next closest alternatives.
The Victory Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · ME4 5JB
Fort Pitt Grammar School Catchment Area
Academy converter · ME4 6TJ
Chatham Grammar Catchment Area
Academy converter · ME5 7EH
Waterfront UTC Catchment Area
University technical college · ME4 4FQ
Walderslade School Catchment Area
Academy converter · ME5 0LE
Greenacre School Catchment Area
Academy converter · ME5 0LP
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Holcombe Grammar School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Holcombe Grammar School
What is the catchment area for Holcombe Grammar School? ▾
The catchment area for Holcombe Grammar School is the geographic zone Medway uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, though entry first depends on passing the selective admissions test. Medway publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Holcombe Grammar School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Holcombe Grammar School currently has 1036 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 1000 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Holcombe Grammar School? ▾
Holcombe Grammar School is a selective school: admission requires passing the relevant admissions test. Medway publishes the full policy each year, including test dates, qualifying scores, and any distance tiebreaker.
What age range does Holcombe Grammar School cover? ▾
Holcombe Grammar School is a secondary school in Chatham, Medway, serving pupils aged 11-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Holcombe Grammar School? ▾
Holcombe Grammar School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2014. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.