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The Whitstable School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Bellevue Road, Whitstable CT5 1PX · thewhitstableschool.org.uk · 01227 931300

On the mapSearch near CT5 1PX

Overview

Ofsted
Good
2019 framework · inspected Mar 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
39.3
average Attainment 8 score. Kent 46.7, England 46
Demand for places
0.9
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,112
91% of 1,220 places
Local authority
Kent
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
28.3%
First language not English
1.9%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Swale Academies Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 170 families put the school first and 197 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 230 (Places 199)230September 2023: 247 (Places 198)247September 2024: 152 (Places 179)152September 2025: 169 (Places 207)169September 2026: 170 (Places 197)170Places 197
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261971700.9100%
September 2025Sept 20252071690.8100%
September 2024Sept 20241791520.8100%
September 2023Sept 20231982471.2▲74%
September 2022Sept 20221992301.2▲79%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 39.3, and 29% 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+ (33.8 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: 37.1 (England 46.3)37.12017/18: 37.9 (England 46.5)37.92018/19: 39.7 (England 46.7)39.72021/22: 43.9 (England 48.8)43.92022/23: 40.8 (England 46.3)40.82023/24: 37.6 (England 45.9)37.62024/25: 39.3 (England 46.0)39.3England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼39.346.0
▼29.0%45.4%
▼58.5%64.8%
▲67.3%40.5%
▼3.504.09

Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 118803)

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form46.3+4.6
Further education37.3−5
Other education1—
Apprenticeship2.5−2
Employment5.5+3.6
Not in a lasting destination5−2.1
Activity not captured2.5−0.1

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: 19.5 (England 30.5)D2016/17: 14.7 (England 31.1)E+2017/18: 18.5 (England 32.1)D2018/19: 20.8 (England 32.9)D2021/22: 26.7 (England 37.9)C-2022/23: 25.8 (England 34.2)C-2023/24: 34.6 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 33.8 (England 35.0)C+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
7 studentsC+ (33.8)Average 0.00
12 studentsC (30.6)Average +0.07
33 studentsMerit- (20.6)Below average -0.44
16 studentsMerit (25)Average -0.22
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2412C+ (34.6)+0.20
2022/2318C- (25.8)—
2021/2218C- (26.7)—
2018/1929D (20.8)-0.35
2017/1818D (18.5)-0.29
2016/1730E+ (14.7)-0.27
2015/1647D (19.5)-0.31

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University35.7+2.4
Further education2.4−5
Apprenticeship14.3+10.6
Employment23.8−13.2
Not in a lasting destination19+4.2
Activity not captured4.8+1.1

Ofsted

The Whitstable School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 12 March 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Good
Inspected
12 Mar 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood

Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Dec 2022

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 118803), which Ofsted links to this one.

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Dec 2022Ungraded inspectionConcerns
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Feb 2018Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 118803)

  • Mar 2015Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 118803)

What parents said

63% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (356 replies, to 6 January 2025).

Recommend
63%
Replies
356
32% · 6 Jan 2025
Child is happy at school▼68% agreeEngland 88%
Child feels safe▼69% agreeEngland 89%
Pupils are well behaved▼52% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼63% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼64% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼74% agreeEngland 83%
Told how child is doing▼69% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼83% agreeEngland 90%
Can join clubs and activities●90% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼54% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼57% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 87% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼39% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 49% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼44% agreeEngland 67%

based on 125 parents (35%) with SEND

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