SecondaryState · Academy converter

The Whitstable School

Bellevue Road, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1PX ·

Ofsted:Good· 2024

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–18 in Whitstable. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (March 2024). GCSE results are below the England average (Attainment 8: 39.3 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 170 families put it first for 197 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–18
Pupils: 1,112
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: Yes
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Kent
Academy trust: SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Alex Holmes
Opened: Sept 2018

School website 01227931300 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

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Graded inspection 12 Mar 2024

GoodOverall effectiveness

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good
Sixth form: Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Latest ungraded inspection (14 Dec 2022): School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 217 pupils

Attainment 8

39.3

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

29%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

58.5%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.52

2023/24 · CI -0.72 to -0.32

This school

39.3

Kent

46.7

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

197

1st preferences

170

All applications

513

1st prefs per place

0.86

Fewer first choices than places

170 of 170 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%).

Earlier years include data recorded for this school's predecessor.

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,109

Capacity

1,220

91% full

Girls / boys

50/50

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)27%
English as an additional language1.8%
SEN support12.9%
Education, Health and Care plan3%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.