Apply to Skinners' School, in plain English.
Skinners' School is a boys' grammar school in Tunbridge Wells run by the Skinners' Company. Entry requires the Kent 11+ (PESE). Places are divided into a West Kent Area (140 places), a Governors' pool (16 places for the highest-scoring Area boys who would otherwise miss out), and an Outer Area (20 places for boys outside West Kent). Within the main West Kent pool, a score threshold determines which tier you compete in.
The three things to know first.
If you read nothing else on this page, read these. They're the bits that catch parents out.
"West Kent Area" is a 3-mile radius from the school plus 39 named parishes — it's broader than you think.
The West Kent Area is defined as the area within a 3-mile straight-line radius of the school plus 39 named parishes in the surrounding area (see the list below in the criteria section). This means the Area stretches well beyond Tunbridge Wells — it includes Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Paddock Wood, Pembury, Southborough, parts of the Weald and the surrounding villages. If you live outside all of these, your son competes for one of only 20 Outer Area places instead.
Within West Kent, scoring 40+ above the KCC threshold puts your son in a higher tier — that tier fills places first.
The 108 general West Kent places are split into two tiers. Boys scoring 40 or more points above the KCC grammar threshold compete first (ranked: sibling priority → staff → distance). Only if fewer than 108 boys achieve this does the school also draw from boys with a qualifying score below the 40+ mark. A son who just qualifies is therefore in a second tier behind a high-scorer from the same area — even if he lives closer. The exact KCC threshold varies each year.
16 Governors' Places give the highest-scoring West Kent boys a second chance if the Area fills against them.
This is unique among Kent grammars. After the West Kent Area places (criterion 2) and the Pupil Premium pool are filled, the school allocates 16 additional Governors' Places to the West Kent boys with the highest 11+ scores who were not already offered a place. Tiebreaks follow the same order as criterion 2b (sibling → staff → distance). This means a high-scoring boy who lives further away in West Kent has a genuine second route into the school — it is worth applying even if you don't expect to fall within the normal distance range.
Five steps — starting with the Kent 11+.
From registering for the test to your son starting Year 7. Steps 3 and 4 both have 31 October deadlines.
If too many boys pass the 11+, these 4 criteria decide.
Children with an EHCP naming Skinners' are admitted before these criteria apply. All other eligible boys are sorted into the highest criterion that applies to them. Tap any criterion to see the exact wording.
Badgers Mount, Bidborough, Brasted, Brenchley, Capel, Chevening, Chiddingstone, Cowden, Dunton Green, Edenbridge, Goudhurst, Hadlow, Halstead, Hever, Hildenborough, Horsmonden, Ightham, Kemsing, Knockholt, Lamberhurst, Leigh, Otford, Paddock Wood, Pembury, Penshurst, Plaxtol, Riverhead, Rusthall, Seal, Sevenoaks, Sevenoaks Weald, Shipbourne, Shoreham, Southborough, Speldhurst, Sundridge with Ide Hill, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Westerham.
Boys outside all of these fall into criterion 4 (Outer Area).
In plain English: Boys currently or previously in council care (including those adopted from state care outside England) who passed the Kent Test receive the highest priority, regardless of where they live.
What the document says: Children in Local Authority Care, Previously in Local Authority Care or Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children who have met the selection requirements.
In plain English: Boys in the West Kent Area (3-mile radius plus 39 parishes — see the blue box) compete for 140 places in two sub-pools:
2a — Up to 16 Pupil Premium places: For boys eligible for FSM in the last 6 years (not Universal Infant FSM). Ranked by 11+ score, then distance. SIF required via school website by 31 October. If fewer than 16 eligible PP boys apply, remaining places roll into 2b.
2b — Up to 108 other West Kent places: Filled in two tiers. Tier i: boys scoring 40 or more above the KCC grammar threshold, ranked sibling → staff → distance. Tier ii: if fewer than 108 fill from tier i, remaining spots go to boys with a qualifying score below 40+, also ranked sibling → staff → distance. A boy just above the grammar threshold competes in tier ii; a high-scorer competes in tier i and is ranked first.
What the document says: 140 places for West Kent Area boys: up to 16 PP places (FSM last 6yr, ranked by score then distance, SIF by 31 Oct); up to 108 other places, filled first by boys scoring ≥40 above KCC threshold (ranked sibling → staff → distance) then, if unfilled, by all qualifying boys (ranked sibling → staff → distance). Siblings = brothers in same household; staff = 2yr+ service or skill shortage.
In plain English: After criterion 2 has filled all 140 West Kent places, the school looks at all remaining West Kent boys who qualified but did not receive a place. The 16 with the highest 11+ scores are offered a Governors' Place. This gives a genuine second chance to high-scoring West Kent boys who live too far from school to fall within the criterion 2b distance ranking. If two boys tie on score, the tiebreaker follows the criterion 2b order (sibling → staff → distance). A son who scores very well but lives in an outlying parish should be aware of this route when deciding whether to list this school.
What the document says: 16 places for the highest-scoring West Kent Area boys who have not been offered a place under criterion 2, ranked by 11+ score; tiebreak by criterion 2b order.
In plain English: Boys who live outside the West Kent Area (anywhere in mainland UK outside the 3-mile radius and the 39 parishes) compete for 20 Outer Area places, using the same two-tier score structure as criterion 2b. Tier i: boys scoring 40+ above the KCC threshold (ranked sibling → staff → distance). Tier ii: remaining qualifying boys (ranked sibling → staff → distance). Twenty places is a small allocation, so the score threshold for Outer Area tends to be very high in practice.
What the document says: 20 places for boys residing outside the West Kent Area in mainland UK, using the same two-tier score structure as criterion 2b; ranked sibling → staff → distance within each tier.
Score tier first, then sibling, staff, distance.
Within the West Kent pool (criterion 2b), boys are sorted into two tiers by their 11+ score. Boys scoring 40 or more above the KCC grammar threshold are in tier i and fill places first. Only if places remain do boys with a qualifying score below 40+ above threshold (tier ii) compete. Within each tier, the ranking order is: sibling → staff → distance. A boy's straight-line distance to school is therefore the final differentiator within each tier.
Distance is measured as a straight line from your home's address point (from 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.) to a fixed point on the school site.
See the approximate catchment on the GrammarBound mapScore tier separates two West Kent boys before distance is checked.
Both boys are in West Kent, neither has a sibling or staff connection. Boy A scored 45 above the KCC threshold (tier i). Boy B scored 10 above threshold (tier ii). Boy A ranks ahead of Boy B, even though Boy B lives closer, because tier i fills before tier ii.
Joining Year 12 — 50 external places, mixed sixth form.
Skinners' has a mixed sixth form. 50 external places are available in Year 12 (total sixth form up to 350). The entry threshold is a total of 50 points from best 8 GCSEs — not an average.
50 total points from best 8 — a sum, not an average.
External applicants need a total of 50 points from their best 8 full GCSEs (grade number × 1 per subject — so 8 grade 7s = 56 points; 8 grade 6s = 48 points, which falls short). A minimum of grade 4 in English Language and Maths is required. Some A-level subjects have higher requirements: grade 7 for Maths, Physics, Chemistry, French, and German A-levels.
Where oversubscribed, ranked by total GCSE points then distance.
The 50 points is a sum of your best 8 GCSE grades, not an average. Eight grade 7s totals 56 — above the threshold. Eight grade 6s totals 48 — below. Where more applicants meet the threshold than places exist, ranking is by total GCSE points, then distance as tiebreaker. The sixth form has no specific gender requirement — girls are welcome.
See skinners.kent.sch.uk for the sixth form prospectus and subject entry requirements.
You have two routes, and you can use both.
Waiting list
Ask your council to add your son to the Skinners' waiting list after National Offer Day. The list is re-ranked each time a child joins, using the same criteria. Late additions can move above you if they hold a higher criterion or score tier.
Appeal
Lodge an appeal with the school within 20 school days of your refusal letter. An independent panel will hear the case. Running an appeal does not affect your waiting-list position.