Orchards Academy
Swanley, BR8 7TE · Kent · secondary school
57th 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 — 6.0/10 against 419 of them, against 3.5/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2024/25 | 33.0 · 23 | 46% | 1.07 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.03 · 52 | 38% | 2.02 |
| Attainment 8 2024/25 | 41.3 · 26 | 15% | 0.41 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Get to know the school
How it's doing. In 2024/25, 33.0% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 41.3, against a national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.03 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (6.0 out of 10 against similar schools, 3.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom. Pupils access debating societies, STEM clubs, coding challenges, history societies, book clubs, drama clubs, art clubs, and choirs. Sports include football, rugby, netball, basketball, cricket, athletics, gymnastics, and dance. Arts and music features school productions, photography workshops, instrumental ensembles, school bands, and poetry slams. Trips include a visit to Kew Gardens.
Getting in. The school has 545 pupils in a capacity of 828, leaving 283 spare places. The school has real spare room, so a place is likely and classes are smaller than it is built for.
Worth asking on a visit. How does the school support pupils who are below the national median in attainment? What specific support is available for students aiming to improve their Progress 8 scores? How do the smaller class sizes impact individual teacher attention during lessons?
Written by AI from this school's published results, inspection record and its own website — not by Ofsted, the school, or SchoolsGPT staff. Every figure above comes from the sources on this page. Check anything that matters with the school.
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.
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