Academy converter · Kent

The Whitstable School

11–18Ages
1,112Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
144354URN

Bellevue Road, Whitstable, CT5 1PX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

0.5 below Kent median (3.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in KentSelective

513 applications for 197 places · 70th of 103 in Kent

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

37.4of 90

Kent 42.1 England 46.0

75th of 100 in Kent

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 12 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

Inspection history

12 March 2024
Graded inspection: Good
14 December 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

2.6applications per place, Year 7

0.5 below Kent median (3.1) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

513 applications · 197 places offered · 170 named it first

2026 2.6; Kent median median 3.1
2025 2.3; Kent median median 3.0
2024 2.5; Kent median median 3.2
2023 3.0; Kent median median 3.2
2022 2.6; Kent median median 2.9
2021 3.0; Kent median median 3.6
2020 2.5; Kent median median 3.1
2019 1.7; Kent median median 2.9
2018 1.7; Kent median median 3.1; as the previous school
2017 1.6; Kent median median 3.0; as the previous school
2016 2.0; Kent median median 3.3; as the previous school
2015 2.2; Kent median median 3.2; as the previous school
2014 2.2; Kent median median 3.1; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Kent median in 0 of 8 years.

This school
Kent median

Dashed bars: as The Community College Whitstable (URN 118803), the previous school.

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	197	513	2.6	170	0.86
Sep 2025	207	473	2.3	169	0.82
Sep 2024	179	445	2.5	152	0.85
Sep 2023	198	588	3.0	247	1.25
Sep 2022	199	513	2.6	230	1.16
Sep 2021	205	610	3.0	176	0.86
Sep 2020	204	508	2.5	240	1.18
Sep 2019	209	349	1.7	160	0.77
Sep 2018 *	163	284	1.7	124	0.76
Sep 2017 *	161	252	1.6	110	0.68
Sep 2016 *	142	277	2.0	88	0.62
Sep 2015 *	155	343	2.2	118	0.76
Sep 2014 *	157	349	2.2	114	0.73

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

202 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)37.475th of 100 in Kent

Kent 42.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths27%72nd of 100 in Kent

Kent 35% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths55%

Kent 60% England 66%

This school
Kent median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.52

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	202	37.4	27%	55%	–
2024/25	217	39.3	29%	59%	–
2023/24	201	37.6	29%	55%	−0.52
2022/23	153	40.8	35%	61%	−0.56

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

The Whitstable SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.6applications per place 37.4Attainment 8
Herne Bay High School
5.3 km · Kent

Good2022

1.9applications per place 35.5Attainment 8
The Archbishop's School
6.8 km · Kent

Good2023

2.1applications per place 32.1Attainment 8
The Canterbury Academy
8.3 km · Kent

2026

4.2applications per place 35.2Attainment 8
Orion Spires
8.8 km · Kent

Good2023

2.5applications per place 39.2Attainment 8
Barton Court Grammar School
9.1 km · Kent

Standards maintained2024

6.7applications per place 66.1Attainment 8 Selective
Barton Manor School
9.6 km · Kent

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.5applications per place
Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School
10.5 km · Kent

Remains Good · improving2023

3.1applications per place 66.0Attainment 8 Selective
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
10.6 km · Kent

Good2023

3.0applications per place 65.7Attainment 8 Selective

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: 144354 · 886/4091
Trust: Swale Academies Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,220 pupils · 1,112 on roll
Free school meals: 28.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2018
Replaced: The Community College Whitstable (URN 118803)
Address: Bellevue Road, Whitstable, CT5 1PX
Local authority: Kent · Canterbury

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