Cornwallis Academy

About Cornwallis Academy

Cornwallis Academy is a mixed state secondary and sixth form in Maidstone, part of the Kent local authority. With 1,328 pupils on roll, it is a large school serving the 11–19 age range. Kent is home to 106 state secondaries, 16 of which hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The highest-performing schools in the county by ranking score are all selective: Dartford Grammar School (score 1.11), The Judd School (0.85), and Dartford Grammar School for Girls (0.82). Cornwallis Academy, by contrast, is a non-selective school with a Good Ofsted rating, placing it in the solid middle tier of Kent’s secondary landscape. Its headteacher is Samantha McMahon, and the school has no religious character. For families in the Maidstone area who are not pursuing grammar school entry, Cornwallis represents a well-regarded local option with a broad curriculum and a strong set of facilities.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection, Cornwallis Academy was rated Good overall, with particular strengths noted in the quality of teaching and leadership. The school’s Progress 8 score is not provided in this data, but the Kent local authority average for Progress 8 is -0.13, which gives a useful benchmark for how schools in the county typically perform. Without Cornwallis’s own score, it is not possible to say whether it exceeds or falls short of that average. At Key Stage 2, no SATs results are available here, and at A-Level, no specific outcomes are listed either. What the data does show is that the school offers a full academic range through to sixth form, with a dedicated Sixth Form Centre on site. The Ofsted report’s Good rating suggests that pupils make at least expected progress, and the school is likely to be a reliable choice for families prioritising a stable, well-run environment over the high-stakes selectivity of Kent’s grammar schools.

Cornwallis Academy is well equipped, with facilities that include a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, a theatre, and a chapel, as well as standard provision such as science labs, ICT suites, and art studios. Sports on offer include rowing, gymnastics, and athletics alongside more traditional team games like netball and hockey. Clubs range from gardening and book club to Model UN and debate, indicating a decent breadth of enrichment. The school does not appear to be oversubscribed based on the data, and no admissions criteria are listed, so it is likely to be accessible to families within its catchment. For parents in Maidstone and the surrounding Kent area who want a large, mixed, non-selective secondary with strong facilities, a Good Ofsted rating, and a sixth form, Cornwallis Academy is a practical and well-resourced choice. It is particularly suited to families who value swimming, performing arts, and a wide range of extracurricular activities alongside academic study.

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