Rainham Mark Grammar School Catchment Area
Rainham Mark Grammar School is an academy converter secondary school in Gillingham, Medway , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 1551 pupils, and a capacity of 1242 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
11-18
Age range
1,551
Pupils
1,242
Capacity
125%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2022
Rainham Mark Grammar School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Rainham Mark Grammar School?
The catchment area for Rainham Mark 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 Rainham Mark 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 Rainham Mark 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 →Rainham Mark Grammar School: heavily oversubscribed at 125% capacity
Rainham Mark Grammar School has a published admission number of 1242 places. 1551 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 125%. At 125% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Medway allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 10.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Gillingham.
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 →
Rainham Mark Grammar School: School Information
- Full address
- Pump Lane, Rainham, Gillingham, ME8 7AJ
- Local authority
- Medway
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-18 years
- Admissions policy
- Selective
- Free school meals
- 10.4% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 136864
Other Secondary Schools in Gillingham
If Rainham Mark Grammar School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Gillingham are the next closest alternatives.
Gillingham School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · SP8 4QP
Brompton Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · ME7 5HT
Rainham School for Girls Catchment Area
Academy converter · ME8 0BX
The Robert Napier School Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · ME7 2LX
The Howard School Catchment Area
Academy converter · ME8 0BX
Leigh Academy Rainham Catchment Area
Free schools · ME8 8GS
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Rainham Mark 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: Rainham Mark Grammar School
What is the catchment area for Rainham Mark Grammar School? ▾
The catchment area for Rainham Mark 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 Rainham Mark Grammar School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Rainham Mark Grammar School currently has 1551 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 1242 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Rainham Mark Grammar School? ▾
Rainham Mark 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 Rainham Mark Grammar School cover? ▾
Rainham Mark Grammar School is a secondary school in Gillingham, 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 Rainham Mark Grammar School? ▾
Rainham Mark Grammar School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2022. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.