Dover Grammar School for Boys
Astor Avenue, Dover, CT17 0DQ
Ofsted inspection
Rated across 5 areas
Inspected 21/01/2025 · Ofsted no longer gives a single grade
See the Ofsted ratingsPupils
899
Ages
11 to 18
Gender
Boys
Age range
11 to 18
Gender
Boys
Pupils
899
Headteacher
Mr Philip Horstrup
Type
Grammar
Ofsted
Rated across 5 areas
Local authority
Kent
Sixth form
Yes
About Dover Grammar School for Boys
Dover Grammar School for Boys is a boys grammar school based in Dover for children aged 11 to 18. It has roughly 899 pupils on roll. That makes it one of the larger grammar schools in Dover on our figures. It is a maintained school within the Kent local authority area. There is a sixth form on site, so students can stay on for post-16 study. Mr Philip Horstrup leads the school.
Inspection at a glance
Under Ofsted's report card framework, Dover Grammar School for Boys was graded Good and Outstanding across the areas inspected, following the inspection on 21 January 2025. Each area is now graded separately, so there is no single headline judgement. The full inspection report is linked from this page so you can read the inspectors' own words.
How the school is performing
At A level the published average grade is C- (2024/25). Overall absence stands at 5.9%, which is attendance of about 94.1% (2024/25). Around 21.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Figures come from the Department for Education's published school performance data and are shown in full further down this page.
Getting a place at Dover Grammar School for Boys
Dover Grammar School for Boys is selective, so a place depends on the Kent Test as well as the usual application. You register for the Kent Test in the summer before Year 6 and then name the school on the common application form by 31 October. Always check the current admissions policy on the school's own website before you apply, because criteria can change year to year.
SEND at a glance
Dover Grammar School for Boys is a mainstream school, supporting pupils with SEND alongside their classmates through the graduated approach of assess, plan, do, review. The school's SEN information report is the authoritative source and is linked in the SEND section below.
Dover Grammar School for Boys contact details and location
You will find Dover Grammar School for Boys at Astor Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT17 0DQ. The school office can be reached on 01304 206117. A map, directions and the school's own website link are on this page.
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted did not give a single overall grade at this inspection (its policy from September 2024).
Quality of Education
How well pupils are taught and what they learn
Behaviour and Attitudes
How pupils behave and their attitude to learning
Personal Development
Support for pupils' wider growth and wellbeing
Leadership and Management
How well the school is run
Sixth Form
Quality of post-16 education
Based on the Ofsted inspection of 21/01/2025.
Dover Grammar School for Boys admissions and catchment area
This is a Kent grammar school
To be considered for a place at Dover Grammar School for Boys, your child needs to sit the Kent Test in September of Year 6. Places are offered on academic ability, with distance and siblings used as tie-breakers.
Official links
Dates and criteria change each year - always confirm with the school and Kent County Council. KCC school admissions →
How to apply
1. Register for the Kent Test
Register with Kent County Council in Year 5. For the September 2026 test (September 2027 entry) registration opened on Monday 1 June 2026 and closed on Wednesday 1 July 2026. Registration is free and done online through KCC.
2. Sit the test (September, Year 6)
Two multiple-choice papers - English & maths, plus reasoning - and an unmarked writing exercise. Pupils at a Kent primary school sit it on Thursday 10 September 2026; everyone else sits it at a Kent test centre on the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026.
3. Get the result (October)
Results day is Thursday 15 October 2026, before the 31 October secondary application deadline.
4. Apply through KCC (by 31 October)
List Dover Grammar School for Boys on your KCC Secondary Common Application Form. You can list up to 4 schools in preference order.
5. National Offer Day (1 March)
You'll be told your allocated school by email. If 1 March falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day - for 2026 entry KCC emailed offers on Monday 2 March 2026. Appeals open shortly after.
Didn't get a place? You can appeal
If Dover Grammar School for Boys is not offered on National Offer Day, you can appeal the decision. For 2026 entry, secondary appeals had to be lodged by Monday 30 March 2026 and were heard by Wednesday 17 June 2026. The appeal is heard by an independent panel and is free to submit.
How to appeal a school offerDover Grammar School for Boys results and attendance
KS2 results
N/A
A-Level results
Average grade · 2024/25
Attendance
Free school meals
SEND support at Dover Grammar School for Boys
SEND setting
Mainstream school
For full details, visit the school's SEND information page.
Wraparound care and nursery at Dover Grammar School for Boys
Nursery
No
Breakfast club
Please check with the school
After-school club
Please check with the school
Dover Grammar School for Boys term dates: Kent standard term dates for 2026/27
These are Kent County Council's standard term dates. Your school may use different dates and INSET days, so check the school's website before making plans.
Autumn 1 · 2026
1 Sep-23 Oct
Autumn 2 · 2026
2 Nov-18 Dec
Spring 1 · 2027
4 Jan-12 Feb
Spring 2 · 2027
22 Feb-25 Mar
Summer 1 · 2027
12 Apr-28 May
Summer 2 · 2027
7 Jun-21 Jul
Dover Grammar School for Boys: frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a place at Dover Grammar School for Boys?
Register your child for the Kent Test in the summer before Year 6, then name Dover Grammar School for Boys on the secondary common application form by 31 October. Offers are made on National Offer Day in March.
What is Dover Grammar School for Boys's Ofsted rating?
Under Ofsted's report card framework Dover Grammar School for Boys was graded Good and Outstanding across the areas inspected, following the inspection on 21 January 2025. You can open the full report from the inspection section of this page.
How big is Dover Grammar School for Boys and what ages does it take?
Dover Grammar School for Boys has around 899 pupils on roll and covers ages 11 to 18. It is a single-sex school for boys.
What SEND support does Dover Grammar School for Boys offer?
Dover Grammar School for Boys is recorded as a mainstream school. The school's SEN information report has the current detail and is linked in the SEND section of this page.
What are Dover Grammar School for Boys's term dates and INSET days?
Dover Grammar School for Boys follows the standard Kent pattern for 2026/27, set out term by term on this page. INSET days are set by the school itself, so confirm them on the school's own calendar.
Where is Dover Grammar School for Boys and how do I contact the school?
Dover Grammar School for Boys is at Astor Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT17 0DQ. The office number is 01304 206117. A map and directions are on this page.
About this information. Compiled from published sources including the Department for Education, Ofsted and the school's own website. Last reviewed Summer 2026.
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Get my profile builtSchools near Dover Grammar School for Boys
The closest schools to CT17 0DQ, measured from each school's own location.
Dover · Secondary · 0.1 miles
Astor College
Dover · Independent · 0.8 miles
Dover College
Dover · Grammar · 0.8 miles
Dover Grammar School for Girls
Dover · Secondary · 0.9 miles
St Edmund's Catholic School
Dover · Secondary · 1.5 miles
Dover Christ Church Academy
Dover · Secondary · 1.9 miles
Duke of York's Royal Military School
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