Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
87%
Capacity
1,388
Pupils
3.9x
Demand
About Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School presents a genuinely mixed picture. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated the school Inadequate overall, a significant downgrade from the Good rating it had held since its previous graded inspection in 2014. The drop was driven by Inadequate judgments for both personal development and leadership and management. Yet, the academic story is far more nuanced. The school’s Progress 8 score for 2023/24 sits at 0.3, which is rated Above average nationally and places it 2nd out of 9 schools in the Thanet local authority area. This is a strong result, particularly when set against the Kent local authority average Progress 8 score of -0.13. In essence, pupils at Chatham & Clarendon make significantly more academic progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSE than the typical student in the county.
Digging deeper into the exam data, the school’s Attainment 8 score of 64.6 is solid, and a very high 95.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school also pushes the English Baccalaureate strongly, with 75.4% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects and 49.3% achieving a grade 5 or above in it. At A-level, the picture is more average. The school’s value-added score is -0.02, placing it in the Average banding nationally, and the average points per entry of 35.73 equates to a B- grade. The best three A-levels average out to a B- as well. So while GCSE outcomes are a clear strength, sixth form performance is competent but not exceptional. The school ranks 25th out of 106 similar schools in Kent, and 841st nationally out of 3,141 schools, placing it in the top 27% of schools in the country.
The school is large, with 1,388 pupils against a capacity of 1,600, and it is heavily oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 451 applications for just 115 places, with 82 offers going to first-preference applicants. This suggests strong local demand despite the Ofsted rating. Facilities are extensive, including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school also offers a wide range of clubs, from Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and has SEND provisions for conditions including dyslexia, autism, and hearing impairment. Parent views are overwhelmingly positive, with 90% of respondents recommending the school and 93% agreeing or strongly agreeing that their child is happy. This is a school where academic results at GCSE are strong and parents are satisfied, but the leadership and personal development concerns flagged by Ofsted are serious and worth investigating further if you are considering it.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Chatham Street, Ramsgate, Thanet, CT11 7PS |
| Headteacher | Debra Liddicoat |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 1,388 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,388 / 1,600 (87% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Inadequate
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Sept 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.30)
841st of 3,141
Nationally
132nd of 461
In South East
2nd of 9
In Thanet
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.9
'22/23
32.9
'23/24
35.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2387%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 194 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)87%
- FE college9%
- Employment2%
100% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2355%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 231 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
21%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)55%
- Employment25%
- Not sustained7%
- Further education4%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology67
- Biology61
- Mathematics58
- Chemistry51
- Sociology47
- English Literature39
- Physics39
- Geography33
- Media/Film/Tv Studies28
- Economics26
- History25
- Religious Studies19
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
188 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed115
451
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
105 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British72.9%
- White (other)8.5%
- Mixed7.7%
- Asian4.8%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
10
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
8
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Chatham Street, Ramsgate
Thanet, CT11 7PS
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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