Classpot

Charles Darwin School

Bromley, TN16 3AUSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jun 2023
Progress 8
-0.34
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
156 1st-choice / 224 places
Ranking
#2,333
of 3,141 nationally

About Charles Darwin School

Charles Darwin School is a mixed state secondary and sixth form in the London borough of Bromley, led by headteacher Aston Smith. In a local authority that includes 21 secondary schools, Charles Darwin ranks 15th by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom half of Bromley’s state secondaries. The top-performing peers in the area are St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School, Newstead Wood School, and Harris Girls Academy Bromley, all of which achieve significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The school is non-religious and serves 1,314 pupils, just shy of its capacity of 1,356. It is oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, with 435 applications for 224 places and 155 first-preference offers made from 156 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1. 94. This suggests strong local demand, even though the school’s academic ranking is lower than many of its neighbours.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressJail Lane, Westerham, Bromley, TN16 3AU
HeadteacherAston Smith
Local AuthorityBromley
Number of Pupils1,314
Free School Meals (FSM)23.5%
School Capacity1,314 / 1,356 (97% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

15 Jun 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 6 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:00

Source: cdarwin.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Charles Darwin School

Charles Darwin School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.