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The Skinners' School catchment area

Royal Tunbridge Wells · boys grammar school · ages 11 to 18
Admissions
Catchment + open
score places
Intake
Boys · ages 11 to 18
11+ test
Kent Test
Year 7 places
160
Location
Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Catchment, explained

How catchment works at The Skinners' School

The Skinners' School runs a two-route admissions model. It reserves a block of places for a designated catchment or priority area, where home-to-school distance matters, and it offers a second block of places on 11+ score alone, open to families living anywhere. That makes it both a catchment school and, in part, a super-selective.

160 places: 140 West Kent area + 20 Outer Area; ranked by score (outer needs ~40 marks above pass), distance as tie-break. So if you live in the priority area you compete mainly with local families, and if you live further away a high enough score can still win one of the open places.

Bottom line: The Skinners' School has a catchment, but it is not the whole story, a strong score keeps the door open even from outside the area.
Grammar schools near Royal Tunbridge Wells
Kent
Nearby options

Other grammar schools near Royal Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School
Royal Tunbridge Wells · Catchment area
0.8 miles away
Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys
Royal Tunbridge Wells · Catchment area
1.2 miles away
Weald of Kent Grammar School
Tonbridge · Catchment area
3.6 miles away
The Judd School
Tonbridge · Part-catchment
3.8 miles away
Tonbridge Grammar School
Tonbridge · Part-catchment
4.1 miles away
Cranbrook School
Cranbrook · Part-catchment
12.4 miles away
Applying

Sitting the 11+ for The Skinners' School

1

Register

Sign up for Kent Test with the school or local authority, usually by early summer before Year 6 begins.

2

Sit the test

Your child takes the test in September of Year 6. Results follow in October, before the 31 October secondary application deadline.

3

Get your place

Aim high: a top score can win an open place from anywhere, and helps in the catchment block too.

FAQs

The Skinners' School catchment, your questions answered

Does The Skinners' School have a catchment area?+
Yes - a West Kent area takes most places, but an Outer Area block is open to any UK address (at a higher score).
Is The Skinners' School super-selective?+
Partly. The Skinners' School reserves some places on 11+ score alone (open to any address) but also keeps a block for its catchment or priority area, so it is best described as part super-selective, part catchment.
How is the catchment for The Skinners' School measured?+
160 places: 140 West Kent area + 20 Outer Area; ranked by score (outer needs ~40 marks above pass), distance as tie-break. Distances are normally measured in a straight line from your home to the school, and the cut-off moves each year with demand.
What test does my child sit for The Skinners' School?+
Children applying to The Skinners' School sit Kent Test, usually at the start of Year 6. Register with the school or local authority before the summer deadline in Year 5.
How many places does The Skinners' School offer?+
The Skinners' School admits 160 pupils into Year 7 each year. With far more qualifiers than places, the score needed in practice is well above the basic pass mark.
Can we apply to The Skinners' School from outside the area?+
Yes. You can sit the test from any address, and The Skinners' School keeps a block of places for the highest scorers regardless of where they live, so an out-of-area child with a strong score has a realistic route in.
Does passing the 11+ guarantee a place at The Skinners' School?+
No. Passing qualifies your child, the place then depends on the admissions priorities, either the open score block or your position in the catchment.
When do we register for the Kent Test?+
Registration usually opens in the spring or early summer of Year 5 and closes before the test, which is sat in September of Year 6. Results come back in October, the secondary application deadline is 31 October, and offers are sent on national offer day, 1 March. Always confirm the exact dates with The Skinners' School or your local authority.

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Catchment and admissions details change every year. This page is an indicative guide for parents, always confirm the current catchment area, distances, places and test arrangements directly with The Skinners' School and your local authority before applying.