Medway Test Results 2026: What 478 Means for Your Application

Medway Test results were released on Wednesday 14 October 2026 for children applying to start secondary school in September 2027. Medway Council published a minimum weighted score of 478 for a grammar school assessment. Last year it was 481. For September 2027 entry, the figure reflects the equivalent of 26 per cent of the Medway maintained-school cohort being assessed as eligible (Medway Council's results announcement).

The result is about eligibility, not an offer from a school. If you live in Medway, you still need to submit your secondary school application by 31 October 2026. Families outside Medway apply through their home local authority and must check that council's deadline (Medway Council, applying for a place).

What does 478 measure?

Medway marks three papers. The raw marks are adjusted for age, then the standardised scores are combined as English x 2 + maths x 2 + reasoning x 1. The minimum of 478 is a weighted total, not a percentage and not a score on any one paper. Medway Council sets the standard after the test. It lists 478 for 2027 admissions, 481 for 2026, 482 for 2025 and 492 for 2024 (how the Medway Test is marked).

Use the assessment decision in your child's results letter. An online mock percentage cannot be converted into a Medway weighted score. Our full Medway Test guide explains the three papers, the weighting and why the number changes between years.

If your child was assessed as suitable for grammar school

Shortlist the schools you would genuinely choose, then check each school's September 2027 admissions policy. Medway's six grammar schools can use different oversubscription rules. Meeting the test standard lets a school consider your child; it does not outrank its distance, sibling or other published criteria. Medway Council explicitly says a grammar assessment does not guarantee a grammar school place (results announcement).

Compare the six school guides: Chatham Grammar, Fort Pitt Grammar School, Holcombe Grammar School, Rainham Mark Grammar School, Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School and The Rochester Grammar School. Medway's current admissions arrangements point families to each school's own policy, which controls your application.

Medway families may name up to six different schools on one application, including schools outside Medway. Put them in genuine preference order. Naming one school alone does not improve the chance of an offer. The council says you must also complete a supplementary information form if you apply for Rainham Mark Grammar School or The Rochester Grammar School. Obtain that form from the school and send it as instructed, alongside your council application (Medway Council, applying for a place).

Use the school application order planner to organise your shortlist, then verify each school's own policy and the order in which you genuinely prefer to attend.

Use the Medway school and test directory to start your shortlist. The Kent Test is a separate assessment, although Chatham Grammar accepts children assessed as suitable through either the Medway Test or the Kent Test. Check each school’s entry rules for the relevant year.

If your child was not assessed as suitable

Medway Council says parents can still name grammar and non-grammar schools on the application, but a child not assessed eligible will not receive a grammar school offer on National Offer Day through the normal allocation. If a named school cannot offer a place, you have a right to appeal after offers are issued (Medway Council).

Medway no longer runs an academic Review of the test result. An admission appeal after a school refusal is a different process. Build a considered list of non-selective schools now and use the available preferences. Our results and appeals guide explains what can happen after National Offer Day.

What to do before the deadline

1. Read the assessment decision and score breakdown in your child's result letter.
2. Check the published 2027 admission rules and any extra form for each school on your list.
3. Apply through your home council by its deadline. Medway's on-time deadline is 31 October 2026.
4. Keep the email confirming your application was received.

National Offer Day is 1 March 2027. That is when school places are offered. It is not a second Medway Test results day (Medway Council's results announcement). Medway Council is consulting on a proposed increase from 26% to 27% of the maintained-school cohort being assessed as grammar for 2028–29, subject to additional places. The consultation closes on Thursday 19 November 2026 (Medway Council notice). This proposal does not change the 478 threshold for the September 2027 entry result described here.