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Academy converter · Kent

The Abbey School

  • 11–19Ages
  • 1,061Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 149893URN

London Road, Faversham, ME13 8RZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.9per place
1.2 below Kent median (3.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in KentSelective

314 applications for 168 places · 92nd of 103 in Kent
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
36.7of 90
81st of 100 in Kent
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Report card · inspected 13 January 2026Published 28 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 13 January 2026
    Report card · 2 Strong standard, 4 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention

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
1.9applications per place, Year 7
1.2 below Kent median (3.1) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

314 applications · 168 places offered · 119 named it first

  1. 2026 1.9; Kent median median 3.1
  2. 2025 1.5; Kent median median 3.0
  3. 2024 1.7; Kent median median 3.2
  4. 2023 1.4; Kent median median 3.2; as the previous school
  5. 2022 1.1; Kent median median 2.9; as the previous school
  6. 2021 1.8; Kent median median 3.6; as the previous school
  7. 2020 1.5; Kent median median 3.1; as the previous school
  8. 2019 1.8; Kent median median 2.9; as the previous school
  9. 2018 1.9; Kent median median 3.1; as the previous school
  10. 2017 1.6; Kent median median 3.0; as the previous school
  11. 2016 1.7; Kent median median 3.3; as the previous school
  12. 2015 1.6; Kent median median 3.2; as the previous school
  13. 2014 1.4; Kent median median 3.1; as the previous school
  • This school
  • Kent median

Dashed bars: as The Abbey School (URN 137154), The Abbey School (URN 118831), 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261683141.91190.71
Sep 20251952891.51180.61
Sep 20241973371.71420.72
Sep 2023 *1902641.41200.63
Sep 2022 *2232491.11270.57
Sep 2021 *2344261.81220.52
Sep 2020 *2043081.51630.80
Sep 2019 *2003521.81790.90
Sep 2018 *2063881.91990.97
Sep 2017 *2233641.62000.90
Sep 2016 *2063491.71640.80
Sep 2015 *2003111.61540.77
Sep 2014 *1942791.41410.73

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

207 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)36.781st of 100 in Kent
Grade 5 or above in English and maths28%66th of 100 in Kent
Grade 4 or above in English and maths56%
  • This school
  • Kent median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.56
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)20736.728%56%–
2024/2520335.533%51%–
2023/2419537.227%48%−0.56
2022/23–

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

  • 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
149893 · 886/4033
Trust
The Howard Academy Trust
Capacity
1,226 pupils · 1,061 on roll
Free school meals
40.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
Resourced provision and SEN unit
Opened
1 April 2023
Replaced
The Abbey School (URN 137154); The Abbey School (URN 118831)
Address
London Road, Faversham, ME13 8RZ
Local authority
Kent · Swale

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