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The Canterbury Academy

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–19 · Academy

Knight Avenue, Canterbury CT2 8QA · canterbury.kent.sch.uk · 01227 463971

On the mapSearch near CT2 8QA

Overview

Ofsted
Report card
Jan 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
GCSEs, 2024/25
39
average Attainment 8 score. Kent 46.7, England 46
Demand for places
1.2
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,984
684 over 1,300 places · 153%
Local authority
Kent
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
33.8%
First language not English
8.6%
School census 2025/26
Trust
The Canterbury Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 248 families put the school first and 203 places were offered; 72% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 266 (Places 187)266September 2023: 294 (Places 202)294September 2024: 272 (Places 198)272September 2025: 257 (Places 197)257September 2026: 248 (Places 203)248Places 203
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262032481.2▲72%
September 2025Sept 20251972571.3▲69%
September 2024Sept 20241982721.4▲65%
September 2023Sept 20232022941.5▲63%
September 2022Sept 20221872661.4▲61%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 39, and 33.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Kent it was 46.7, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C- (26.6 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 42.0 (England 46.3)42.02017/18: 38.0 (England 46.5)38.02018/19: 37.5 (England 46.7)37.52021/22: 40.0 (England 48.8)40.02022/23: 38.7 (England 46.3)38.72023/24: 38.0 (England 45.9)38.02024/25: 39.0 (England 46.0)39.0England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼3946
▼33.6%45.4%
▼54.7%64.8%
▼11.2%40.5%
▼3.274.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form56.8−13.9
Sixth form college0.5—
Further education23.6+9.2
Other education0.50
Apprenticeship3−1.3
Employment2−0.7
Not in a lasting destination8+3.2
Activity not captured5.5+2.8

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 19.2 (England 30.5)D2016/17: 18.1 (England 31.1)D-2017/18: 18.7 (England 32.1)D2018/19: 23.0 (England 32.9)D+2021/22: 31.8 (England 37.9)C+2022/23: 26.0 (England 34.2)C-2023/24: 24.7 (England 34.4)D+2024/25: 26.6 (England 35.0)C-England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
161 studentsC- (26.6)Below average -0.27
162 studentsC- (26.8)Below average -0.26
234 studentsMerit+ (28.7)Average -0.10
8 studentsPass+ (18)Average -0.42
1.5%AAB or better
76.1%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24138D+ (24.7)-0.20
2022/23131C- (26)—
2021/22130C+ (31.8)—
2018/19114D+ (23)-0.34
2017/18127D (18.7)-0.38
2016/17135D- (18.1)-0.22
2015/16117D (19.2)-0.23

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University28.6−2.3
Further and other education4.9−3.1
Further education3.5−0.5
Other education1.4−2.6
Apprenticeship4.90
Employment35.5+6.6
Not in a lasting destination17.1+5.4
Activity not captured9−6.7

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected The Canterbury Academy on 6 January 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.

Inspected
6 Jan 2026
Report card
Safeguarding
Met

Inspection reports

Graded areas

InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and well-beingStrong standard
Post-16 provisionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Feb 2023

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Feb 2023Requires improvement
    Quality of educationRequires improvement
    Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Oct 2017Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Oct 2015Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement
    SafeguardingEffective

What parents said

86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (269 replies, to 6 April 2026).

Recommend
86%
Positive
78%
Replies
269
14% · 6 Apr 2026
Child is happy at school●82% agreeEngland 84%
Child feels safe●84% agreeEngland 85%
Pupils are well behaved▼72% agreeEngland 78%
Gets the right support to learn▼75% agreeEngland 78%
School communicates well●78% agreeEngland 77%
Acts in child’s best interests●78% agreeEngland 76%
Concerns are dealt with properly●74% agreeEngland 74%

based on the 88% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲59% agreeEngland 43%

based on 67 parents (25%) whose child was bullied

Gets the SEND support they need●64% agreeEngland 63%

based on 137 parents (51%) with SEND

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