King Ethelbert School
Birchington, CT7 9BL · Kent · secondary school
Check the area around this school
67th 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.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 2.1/10 against 521 of them, against 1.3/10 nationally. 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 25.5 · 8 | 30% | 0.25 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.43 · 19 | 25% | 0.48 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 38.7 · 14 | 10% | 0.14 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
King Ethelbert School overview
How it's doing
The school was rated Good by Ofsted in July 2024. In 2024/25, 22.0% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 36.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.43 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 (1.7 out of 10 against similar schools, 1.1 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Year 7 pupils take a trip to Paris and Disneyland Paris.
Getting in
The published school roll is 845 pupils against a stated capacity of 870. 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 the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific interventions are in place to improve Progress 8 scores?
What Ofsted said about King Ethelbert School
Overview
The report describes a school where pupils uphold core values and respond well to high behavioural expectations, creating a "calm and orderly" environment. Leaders provide a "broad and ambitious curriculum" that supports strong academic achievement and personal development, including effective careers education and reading interventions.
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate "polite and respectful conduct," resulting in lessons that "mostly take place without disruption."
- Teachers possess "secure subject knowledge" and use "effective questioning" to check understanding, helping most pupils achieve well.
- The school offers a "wide range of enrichment clubs" and nurtures pupils' talents through roles such as "anti-bullying and wellbeing ambassadors."
- A "culture of reading" is developing, with structured interventions improving the "confidence and fluency" of pupils who find reading difficult.
- Personal, social and health education is "well considered," sensitively teaching topics like consent and online safety to prepare pupils for future pathways.
Areas to improve
- In some subjects, the curriculum lacks a "precise, logical sequence," meaning teachers are not always clear on what to teach and pupils' learning is variable.
- Lesson activities do not always effectively meet the needs of all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who do not consistently receive the support required to learn effectively.
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 | 35.2 |
| 2024/25 | 36.8 |
| 2025/26 | 38.7 |
| 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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