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Folkestone Academy

Academy Lane, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5FP ·

Report card: areas need attention· 2026
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At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–19 in Folkestone. Ofsted report card (May 2026): areas need attention. GCSE results are well below the England average (Attainment 8: 33.7 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 98 families put it first for 144 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages
11–19
Pupils
936
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Local authority
Kent
Academy trust
TURNER SCHOOLS
Headteacher
Mr Benjamin WILLIAMS
Opened
Dec 2017

Inspection

Ofsted report card (renewed framework)

Read reports
Inspected 19 May 2026Published 1 Jul 2026
  • SafeguardingMet
  • InclusionStrong standard
  • Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
  • AchievementNeeds attention
  • Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
  • Personal development and well-beingExpected standard
  • Post-16 provisionExpected standard
  • Leadership and governanceExpected standard

Report cards grade each area separately on a five-point scale, from Urgent improvement to Exceptional. There is no single overall grade, and results are not directly comparable with earlier grades such as “Good”.

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 · 166 pupils

Attainment 8
33.7
England 46.1
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
15.1%
England 45.4%
Grade 4+ Eng & maths
36.1%
England 64.8%
Progress 8
-1.11
2023/24 · CI -1.33 to -0.89
This school
33.7
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

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

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

Offers made
144
1st preferences
98
All applications
379
1st prefs per place
0.68
Fewer first choices than places

98 of 98 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%). 1 offers went to families living in another council area.

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
915
Capacity
1,720
54% full
Girls / boys
49/51
Mixed
  • Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)52%
  • English as an additional language20%
  • SEN support17.5%
  • Education, Health and Care plan3.2%
  • The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.
Folkestone Academy, Folkestone · SchoolPatch