The Folkestone School for Girls
Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, CT20 3RB
Pupils
1159
Ages
11 to 18
Gender
Girls
Age range
11 to 18
Gender
Girls
Pupils
1159
Headteacher
Mr Mark Lester
Type
Grammar
Ofsted
Good
Local authority
Kent
Academy
Yes
Sixth form
Yes
About The Folkestone School for Girls
Based in Folkestone, The Folkestone School for Girls is a grammar school for children aged 11 to 18 and takes girls. The school currently has about 1159 pupils. It is an academy rather than a council-run school, though Kent still coordinates the application process. There is a sixth form on site, so students can stay on for post-16 study. Mr Mark Lester leads the school.
Inspection at a glance
At its most recent Ofsted inspection on 23 April 2024, The Folkestone School for Girls was judged Good. 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 B- (2024/25). Overall absence stands at 7.1%, which is attendance of about 92.9% (2024/25). Around 13.7% 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 The Folkestone School for Girls
The Folkestone School for Girls 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
The Folkestone School for Girls 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.
The Folkestone School for Girls contact details and location
You will find The Folkestone School for Girls at Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 3RB. The school office can be reached on 01303 251125. A map, directions and the school's own website link are on this page.
Ofsted inspection
Overall effectiveness
Last inspection: 23/04/2024
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
The Folkestone School for Girls admissions and catchment area
This is a Kent grammar school
To be considered for a place at The Folkestone School for Girls, 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 The Folkestone School for Girls 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 The Folkestone School for Girls 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 offerThe Folkestone School for Girls results and attendance
KS2 results
N/A
A-Level results
Average grade · 2024/25
Attendance
Free school meals
SEND support at The Folkestone School for Girls
SEND setting
Mainstream school
For full details, visit the school's SEND information page.
Wraparound care and nursery at The Folkestone School for Girls
Nursery
No
Breakfast club
Please check with the school
After-school club
Please check with the school
The Folkestone School for Girls 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
The Folkestone School for Girls: frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a place at The Folkestone School for Girls?
Register your child for the Kent Test in the summer before Year 6, then name The Folkestone School for Girls on the secondary common application form by 31 October. Offers are made on National Offer Day in March.
What is The Folkestone School for Girls's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated The Folkestone School for Girls Good at its inspection on 23 April 2024. You can open the full report from the inspection section of this page.
How big is The Folkestone School for Girls and what ages does it take?
The Folkestone School for Girls has around 1159 pupils on roll and covers ages 11 to 18. It is a single-sex school for girls.
What SEND support does The Folkestone School for Girls offer?
The Folkestone School for Girls 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 The Folkestone School for Girls's term dates and INSET days?
The Folkestone School for Girls 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 The Folkestone School for Girls and how do I contact the school?
The Folkestone School for Girls is at Coolinge Lane, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 3RB. The office number is 01303 251125. 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 The Folkestone School for Girls
The closest schools to CT20 3RB, measured from each school's own location.
Folkestone · Independent · 0.6 miles
Earlscliffe (Sussex Summer Schools Ltd)
Folkestone · Grammar · 0.7 miles
The Harvey Grammar School
Folkestone · Secondary · 1.0 miles
Turner Free School
Folkestone · Secondary · 1.3 miles
Folkestone Academy
Hythe · Secondary · 3.7 miles
Brockhill Park Performing Arts College
Dover · Secondary · 6.9 miles
Astor College
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