The North School
Ashford, TN24 8AL · Kent · secondary school
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56th 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 — 2.6/10 against 676 of them, against 2.3/10 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 31.8 · 18 | 30% | 0.54 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.26 · 30 | 25% | 0.76 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 39.4 · 17 | 10% | 0.17 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The North School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, inspected in 2024-12. In 2024/25, 39.5% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 41.1, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.26 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than nationally matched peers. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (4.7 out of 10 against similar schools, 3.4 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,237 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,265. 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 for students who are falling behind in Progress 8?
What Ofsted said about The North School
Overview
The North School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. It is described as a welcoming environment that encourages pupils to develop resilience and take responsibility for their learning. The school maintains high expectations for behaviour and provides a broad, ambitious curriculum that supports all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Strengths
- Pupils are well supported to learn an "interesting and broad curriculum" with content taught in a "logical order".
- Classrooms are "typically calm and orderly," with disruption addressed promptly and bullying "not commonplace".
- Teachers possess "strong subject knowledge" and present information clearly, ensuring pupils recall prior learning with "interest and accuracy".
- The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND well, adapting resources to support them in learning the curriculum effectively.
- Personal development is provided for well, including teaching on safety, healthy relationships, and comprehensive support for future career steps.
Areas to improve
- Teachers must check more systematically that pupils can recall and use "ambitious vocabulary" in their spoken and written work to ensure higher quality outputs.
- The school should provide training to ensure classroom work focuses sharply on the curriculum’s ambitious aims, giving all pupils opportunities to apply what they have been taught.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 39.6 |
| 2024/25 | 41.1 |
| 2025/26 | 39.4 |
| 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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