Hadlow Rural Community School
Hadlow, TN11 0AU · Kent · secondary school
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83rd of 99 secondary schools in Kent we can score, 103 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 2.8/10 against 697 of them, against 2.4/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 5 | 35% | 0.19 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 27.4 · 11 | 30% | 0.32 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.08 · 44 | 25% | 1.10 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 39.3 · 16 | 10% | 0.16 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Hadlow Rural Community School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 30.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 36.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.08 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (3.2 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.6 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Requires improvement in September 2024.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join clubs including Board Games, Zumba, Camp Craft, Gardening, Chess, History, HRCS does Panto!, and CSI. Sports cover football, netball, rugby, basketball, table tennis, volleyball, badminton, and trampolining. Arts and music options include dance, Hadlow’s Got Music Talent, beginners guitar, film, unusual arts, textiles, design technology, and Bake Off. Trips have included skiing in Austria, Iceland, Barcelona, and Ypres. An after-school club is available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 377 pupils against a stated capacity of 375. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does
What Ofsted said about Hadlow Rural Community School
Overview
Hadlow Rural Community School is a unique institution offering a land-based curriculum in agriculture, horticulture, and animal care. The report states that the overall effectiveness of the school ‘Requires improvement’, citing disappointing public examination results and inconsistencies in curriculum planning, although behaviour and personal development are rated ‘Good’.
Strengths
- Pupils in land-based subjects ‘learn confidently and with enjoyment’, building knowledge over time.
- The school provides a ‘well-considered careers programme’ with extensive information on apprenticeships and vocational routes.
- ‘High-quality pastoral support’ fosters pupils’ understanding of diversity, with students showing ‘tolerance and respect for different beliefs’.
- Staff feel ‘well supported regarding workload and well-being’ and appreciate leaders’ approachability.
- Bullying is ‘rare’ and staff deal with incidents ‘swiftly’, maintaining respectful relationships.
Areas to improve
- Leaders must ensure the curriculum is ‘planned and delivered consistently well’ across all subjects so pupils build on prior learning.
- Support for pupils struggling to read must be ‘matched to their individual needs’ to improve fluency and confidence.
- Leaders need to focus attendance monitoring more sharply on disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 37.7 |
| 2024/25 | 36.3 |
| 2025/26 | 39.3 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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