Dover Grammar School for Boys

What Dover Grammar School for Boys does

Dover Grammar School for Boys (DGSB) is a state-funded selective grammar school located in Dover, Kent, United Kingdom. Founded in 1905 as The Dover County School and renamed under the 1944 Education Act, DGSB has operated continuously for over 120 years and relocated to a purpose-built new facility in July 2022. The school serves approximately 960 students aged 11-18 across Years 7-13, with boys-only entry to Year 11 and a co-educational Sixth Form. Admission is selective, gated by the Kent 11+ examination, and the school now operates a 5-form Year 7 intake of around 150 students per year. The school delivers a three-stage curriculum — an accelerated two-year Key Stage 3, a three-year GCSE programme aligned to the English Baccalaureate, and a 24-subject A-Level Sixth Form — supplemented by structured enrichment programmes including the Fiat Lux character-education framework, the DGSB Futures careers programme (Years 7-13), Duke of Edinburgh Award, and a joint Combined Cadet Force with Dover Grammar School for Girls.

The technology stack underpinning delivery is entirely composed of third-party, off-the-shelf platforms: Microsoft Office 365 (with M365 Teams used for the Fiat Lux Programme), SIMS for options management, Smoothwall for content filtering and safeguarding, ParentPay for cashless catering and payments, GCSE Pod for revision resources, and MyEd for parent communications. The school employs approximately 60-80 staff across teaching, leadership, administration, student support, technical, premises and cleaning functions, led by Headteacher Phil Horstrup (in post since September 2018) and a Senior Leadership Group.

DGSB's revenue model is dominated by per-pupil state funding routed through Kent County Council and the Department for Education; ancillary revenue streams include community facilities hire (sports hall, halls, studios and pitches at £25-£40 per hour), cashless catering via Independent Catering and ParentPay, branded uniform sales through Channel Uniforms Ltd, and a one-off £30 Combined Cadet Force joining fee. As a state school there are no tuition fees, and the school's governance is overseen by a 13-member Governing Body chaired by Sue King.

Name

Dover Grammar School for Boys

Legal name

Dover Grammar School for Boys

Website

https://dgsb.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dover Grammar School for Boys is a state-funded selective grammar school in Dover, Kent, serving approximately 960 boys aged 11-16 plus a co-educational Sixth Form, delivering GCSE and A-Level programmes alongside enrichment activities and ancillary community facilities hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Secondary education services
• Grammar school education
• Sixth form education
• GCSE programmes
• A-level programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Dover

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Facilities Lettings: The school hires out facilities to community groups and organisations during evenings and weekends. Facilities include Sports Hall, Great Hall, Food Technology Suite, Drama Studio, Classrooms, MUGA, and Grass Playing Fields. This generates income to support the school's core educational mission.
2. School Catering Services: The school uses Independent Catering for school meals provision. Cashless catering is in place using ParentPay system. Revenue comes from breakfast service, morning break snacks, and lunchtime meals.
3. GCSE Options Subjects: The school offers various GCSE option subjects including some that require additional materials or resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dover Grammar School for Boys is a state-funded selective grammar school providing secondary education for boys aged 11-16 in Years 7-11 and co-educational provision in the Sixth Form (Years 12-13). The school delivers an accelerated two-year Key Stage 3 curriculum, a three-year GCSE programme aligned with the English Baccalaureate, and a broad A-Level offer of 24 subjects, complemented by enrichment programmes (Fiat Lux, DGSB Futures careers, Duke of Edinburgh, Combined Cadet Force) and pastoral support. The school also generates ancillary income through community lettings of its sports, performance, and teaching facilities.

Product overview

Dover Grammar School for Boys is a selective grammar school offering comprehensive educational programmes from Year 7 through Sixth Form. The school provides a structured curriculum across three key stages (KS3, KS4, KS5) with GCSE and A-Level qualifications, complemented by enrichment programmes including the Fiat Lux Programme, DGSB Futures careers programme, Duke of Edinburgh Award, and Combined Cadet Force. The school also offers community access through its facilities lettings service, making available its Sports Hall, Great Hall, Drama Studio, Food Technology Suite, classrooms, and sports fields for hire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DGSB Futures: The school's comprehensive careers programme designed to provide students with information, guidance and opportunities to realise their full potential.
• Fiat Lux Programme

Products and services

• Key Stage 3 Curriculum Accelerated two-year curriculum for Years 7-8 covering English, Mathematics, Science, Languages, Humanities, Arts, Technology, Computing, PE, and Drama, leading into the GCSE programme.
• GCSE Programme (Key Stage 4) Three-year GCSE programme for Years 9-11 following English Baccalaureate requirements, with optional subjects including Art, Media Studies, Music, Computer Science, and Languages.
• Sixth Form (Key Stage 5) Co-educational A-Level provision with 24 subjects offered including Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Arts, and Social Sciences, with enrichment activities and UCAS support.
• Fiat Lux Programme Comprehensive enrichment and leadership programme for students across all key stages, including weekly assignments in KS3, leadership qualifications in KS4, Fiat Lux Scholars recognition, and Fiat Lux Mentors peer support scheme.
• DGSB Futures Careers Programme Structured careers programme covering Years 7-13, providing career guidance, work experience, employer encounters, UCAS support, and connections with local employers and universities.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Nationally recognised DofE programme offering Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards with sections covering volunteering, physical activity, skills, and expeditions.
• Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Military-themed extra-curricular activity jointly run with Dover Grammar School for Girls, providing cadets with military syllabus, vocational qualifications, and leadership opportunities.
• School Facilities Lettings Hire of school facilities including Sports Hall, Great Hall, Drama Studio, Food Technology Suite, classrooms, MUGA, and grass playing fields to community groups and organisations during evenings and weekends.

Quantifiable outcome

• Year 8 Handball team crowned National Champions of England
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dover Grammar School for Girls (DGGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint CCF (Combined Cadet Force) partnership between DGSB and DGGS. The CCF is an extra-curricular activity open to students in Years 8-13 at both schools, providing military-style activities, leadership opportunities, and vocational qualifications.
• EBP KentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEBP Kent provides work experience placements for Year 12 students, handling placements alongside required health and safety checks. They also provide independent career guidance interviews for students in Year 10 and Year 12.
• Understanding Animal ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisited the school to present to Year 9 and 10 students, and conduct workshops with Sixth Form Biology students as part of British Science Week celebrations.
• University of KentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Emma Hargreaves from the University of Kent delivered a lecture to Year 12 Biology students about cold-water swimming and its potential protective effects against dementia.
• King's College London (Museum of Life Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear 12 A Level Biology students visited the Museum of Life Sciences at King's College London for workshops on teeth evolution and the science behind evolution.
• Old Pharosians' AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe alumni association of former pupils and staff of DGSB. Objectives include advancing education by providing facilities for education at the school and fostering relationships between staff, former students, and others associated with the school.
• Future FoundryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal social enterprise group that DGSB works with for certain educational activities and programmes.
• MACE Construction GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerP. Martin from MACE construction group presented an Architecture and Construction workshop to eighty Year 9 DT students as part of the school's STEM enrichment programme.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Maidstone Grammar School: Selective boys' grammar school in Maidstone, Kent. Explicitly comparable as a Kent grammar school - and directly relevant because DGSB's current Headteacher Phil Horstrup previously served as Deputy Headteacher there.
• Dover Grammar School for Girls: Sister grammar school for girls located in Dover, sharing a joint Combined Cadet Force (CCF) programme with DGSB. Operates the same Kent 11+ selective admissions model and serves the same Dover catchment, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• The Skinners' School: Selective boys' grammar school in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, admitting via the Kent 11+. Comparable to DGSB in admissions model, gender mix at secondary level, and enrichment portfolio including CCF and DofE.
• Barton Court Grammar School: Selective co-educational grammar school in Canterbury, Kent. Operates 11+ entry and a full KS3-KS5 curriculum, mirroring DGSB's structural model within the same Kent admissions ecosystem.
• Harvey Grammar School: Selective boys' grammar school in Folkestone, Kent, serving a neighbouring east-Kent catchment to DGSB. Comparable in gender model, 11+ admissions, and proximity-based student competition.
• Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys: Selective Kent grammar school for boys located in Canterbury. Operates an analogous 11+ selective admissions model and serves a comparable secondary cohort, making it a close functional peer to DGSB.
• Tonbridge Grammar School: Selective Kent grammar school offering 11+ entry and a co-educational Sixth Form. Comparable to DGSB in admissions framework, curriculum structure (KS3-KS5), and Kent-wide catchment dynamics.
• Sir Roger Manwood's School: Selective grammar school in Sandwich, Kent, admitting via the Kent 11+. Comparable to DGSB in selective admissions, secondary curriculum structure, and regional east-Kent catchment profile.

Broad incumbents

• Benenden School: Highly selective independent girls' boarding school in Kent with a strong academic and enrichment profile. Comparable as a high-achieving Kent secondary institution competing for academically selective families, though operating as a fee-paying independent.
• King's School, Canterbury: One of the UK's oldest and most prestigious private schools, located in Canterbury, Kent. Comparable as a high-achieving Kent secondary institution drawing from the same regional talent pool, but operates as a fee-paying independent rather than state grammar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DGSBTweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/DoverGrammarSchoolforBoys

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dover Grammar School for Boys