Apply to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Faversham, in plain English.
QEGS Faversham is a mixed selective grammar in the centre of Faversham. Entry to Year 7 requires the Kent 11+ (PESE). When there are more applicants than places, six tiers — including a Pupil Premium tier and a staff-children tier — decide.
The three things to know first.
If you read nothing else on this page, read these. They're the bits that catch parents out.
Your child needs the Kent 11+ (PESE).
Only pupils with a selective Kent Test result are considered for Year 7 at QEGS. The school says it is full and oversubscribed and has waiting lists for entry to Year 7 through to Year 11 — so passing alone isn't enough; the 6 oversubscription criteria decide.
You apply through your council, by 31 October 2026.
List QEGS on your council's SCAFSecondary Common Application FormThe single form you submit to your home council listing up to six schools in order of preference. by 31 October 2026, even if you don't live in Kent. The school does not take direct applications.
FSM/PP ranks 2nd — but the SIF must arrive by 31 October.
Children currently in receipt of Free School Meals or Pupil Premium sit in tier 2 — ahead of siblings, staff children and Health. Eligibility must be shown during the calendar year before entry. Return the SIF to the Admissions Officer by 31 October 2026.
Five steps, spread over a year.
From registering for the test to your child starting Year 7. Steps 3 and 4 both close on 31 October 2026.
If too many pupils pass the 11+, these 6 tiers decide.
EHCPs naming the school are admitted first (reducing the 180 PAN). Every other eligible child is sorted into the highest tier that applies; distance is the tiebreaker inside each tier. Tap any tier to see the document's exact wording.
In plain English: Children currently in council care, or who left care via adoption, residence or special guardianship orders — including those adopted from state care outside England.
What the document says: A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A previously looked after child means such children who were adopted (or subject to residence orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following having been looked after.
In plain English: Children currently registered for Free School Meals or designated as receiving Pupil Premium. Eligibility must be shown during the calendar year before entry — broader 6-year FSM history is not enough on its own at QEGS. You must complete the SIF (Parts A and B) so the school can verify eligibility.
What the document says: Children who are currently in receipt of Free School Meals or designated as receiving 'Pupil Premium'; under this criterion parents or guardians will be required to complete a Supplementary Information Form so that checks can be made to determine eligibility. (For the purposes of this policy, the entitlement to Pupil Premium would need to be shown during the calendar year before entry to Year 7 is sought.)
In plain English: If your child will have a brother or sister (including step- or foster-siblings) already at QEGS in September 2027 — any year group, including the sixth form — they get sibling priority.
What the document says: Current Family Association — a brother or sister attending the school when the child starts. In this context brother or sister means children who live as brother or sister in the same house, including natural brothers and sisters, adopted siblings, step-brothers or sisters and foster brothers and sisters.
In plain English: If a parent has been employed at QEGS on a permanent contract for 2 years or more, or has been recruited to fill a post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage, your child gets priority here.
What the document says: Children of staff, where the member of staff has been employed at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School on a permanent contract for 2 years or more, or has been recruited to fill a post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
In plain English: If your child — or a parent/guardian — has a medical, mental-health, social or special-access need that makes this school in particular the right choice, you can ask for priority here. Written evidence from a doctor or qualified practitioner is required, showing the connection to QEGS specifically.
What the document says: Medical, health, social and special access reasons will be applied in accordance with the school's legal obligations, in particular those under the Equalities Act 2010. Priority will be given to those children whose mental or physical impairment means they have a demonstrable and significant need to attend a particular school. Such claims will need to be supported by written evidence from a suitably qualified medical or other practitioner who can demonstrate a special connection between these needs and the school.
In plain English: Distance from your home to a fixed point at the school (Abbey Place, Faversham), measured as a single straight line. Routes, bus times and travel difficulty are not considered. If two applicants tie exactly on all of the above, an independently supervised random draw decides.
What the document says: We use the distance between the child's permanent home address and the school, measured in a straight line using the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) address point. In the event of a tie breaker situation, the nearness of an applicant's home to school will be the decider. If in the event that more than one applicant has the same distance from home to school (as measured by the Local Authority), then a random selection will be applied. Where tie breakers or random selections are used, the process will be independently supervised.
Straight line, not driving time.
Inside each tier — and again to fill the last few places — QEGS uses the straight-line distance between your home and a fixed point at Abbey Place in central Faversham. Routes, bus times and travel difficulty are not considered.
Distance uses the National Land and Property GazetteerNLPGThe official UK address database. Distance is measured as a straight line between two address points: your home and a fixed point at the school. address point. For new-build homes not yet in that database, KCC uses planning coordinates.
See the approximate catchment on the GrammarBound mapInside tier 6, distance decides.
Both children passed the 11+, neither is in receipt of FSM/PP, neither has a sibling at the school, neither parent is staff, neither has medical priority. They both sit in tier 6. House A's straight-line distance is shorter, so it ranks higher. If two addresses tie exactly, an independently supervised random draw decides.
External PAN 40, points-based GCSE entry.
The external admission number for Year 12 is 40; the overall Year 12 target is 160. The school may exceed the external number if internal Year 11 transfers don't fill the year group.
33 points from best 6 GCSEs, plus subject hurdles.
You need at least 33 points from your best 6 GCSE/BTEC grades (short courses count at half value), at least grade 4 in Maths, and at least grade 4 in one English GCSE. To study most A Level subjects you need grade 6 or above in that subject; for Maths a grade 7 is required.
Same 6 tiers as Year 7, with PP eligibility in the calendar year before Year 12 entry.
Following the admission of internal Year 11 students, if external applications exceed 160 places, the same 6 Year 7 criteria are applied. PP eligibility must be shown during the calendar year before entry to Year 12.
Offers are made before the end of May, conditional on actual GCSE results in August. Right of appeal to an independent panel — write to the Clerk to the Governors at the school address.
You have two routes, and you can use both.
Waiting list
QEGS is full and oversubscribed across Years 7–11; waiting lists are re-ranked according to the 6 oversubscription criteria every time a child is added. Apply via Kent's In Year Application Form.
Appeal
Write to the Clerk to the Governors at the school address: Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Abbey Place, Faversham, Kent ME13 7BQ. Briefly set out the grounds for the appeal — the Clerk will acknowledge receipt and arrange a hearing by an Independent Appeal Panel, at which you have the right to be present.
If your child hasn't taken the Kent Test, QEGS uses CATs Tests to assess in-year applicants. Requirements: an average of 114 in the CATs Tests, with no individual score below 108. Reaching the standard does not in itself guarantee a place — the same 6 oversubscription criteria still apply.