Academy converter · Kent

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre

11–19Ages
1,538Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
136583URN

Faversham Road, Kennington, Ashford, TN24 9AL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.5per place

0.4 above Kent median (3.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in KentSelective

838 applications for 240 places · 40th of 103 in Kent

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

42.4of 90

Kent 42.1 England 46.0

49th of 100 in Kent

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 15 October 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education	Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Sixth form provision	Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

3.5applications per place, Year 7

0.4 above Kent median (3.1) 1.3 above England median (2.2)

838 applications · 240 places offered · 242 named it first

2026 3.5; Kent median median 3.1
2025 3.4; Kent median median 3.0
2024 3.3; Kent median median 3.2
2023 2.7; Kent median median 3.2
2022 2.2; Kent median median 2.9
2021 2.7; Kent median median 3.6
2020 2.2; Kent median median 3.1
2019 2.3; Kent median median 2.9
2018 2.5; Kent median median 3.1
2017 2.5; Kent median median 3.0
2016 3.0; Kent median median 3.3
2015 3.0; Kent median median 3.2
2014 3.7; Kent median median 3.1

This school
Kent median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	240	838	3.5	242	1.01
Sep 2025	238	813	3.4	247	1.04
Sep 2024	259	849	3.3	244	0.94
Sep 2023	287	766	2.7	253	0.88
Sep 2022	268	592	2.2	208	0.78
Sep 2021	285	765	2.7	213	0.75
Sep 2020	278	618	2.2	221	0.79
Sep 2019	267	611	2.3	223	0.84
Sep 2018	242	609	2.5	211	0.87
Sep 2017	205	511	2.5	162	0.79
Sep 2016	175	532	3.0	127	0.73
Sep 2015	164	483	3.0	129	0.79
Sep 2014	120	446	3.7	105	0.88

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

260 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)42.449th of 100 in Kent

Kent 42.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths38%45th of 100 in Kent

Kent 35% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths60%

Kent 60% England 66%

This school
Kent median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.29

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	260	42.4	38%	60%	–
2024/25	266	40.6	29%	54%	–
2023/24	251	40.2	35%	61%	−0.29
2022/23	205	40.7	28%	60%	−0.15

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Towers School and Sixth Form CentreThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.5applications per place 42.4Attainment 8
Highworth Grammar School
2.6 km · Kent

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 69.2Attainment 8 Selective
The Norton Knatchbull School
3.1 km · Kent

Good2023

2.2applications per place 64.2Attainment 8 Selective
The North School
3.4 km · Kent

Standards maintained2024

3.4applications per place 39.4Attainment 8
Wye School
4.1 km · Kent

Remains Good2024

4.5applications per place 45.3Attainment 8
The John Wallis Church of England Academy
5.6 km · Kent

Good2024

1.9applications per place 36.4Attainment 8
Chilmington Green School
6.7 km · Kent

2026

3.9applications per place
The Lenham School
14.1 km · Kent

Standards maintained2025

2.4applications per place 37.3Attainment 8
The Abbey School
14.8 km · Kent

Serious weaknesses 2026

1.9applications per place 36.7Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136583 · 886/4196
Trust: Towers School Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,625 pupils · 1,538 on roll
Free school meals: 30.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2011
Replaced: Towers School and Sixth Form Centre (URN 118822)
Address: Faversham Road, Kennington, Ashford, TN24 9AL
Local authority: Kent · Ashford

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources