Duke of York's Royal Military School
63%
Capacity
452
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Duke of York's Royal Military School
Duke of York's Royal Military School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, but the real story is in the numbers. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.67 is well above the national average and ranks it first among eight secondary schools in the Dover local authority, placing it in the top 10% nationally. This means pupils here make significantly more academic progress between Key Stage 2 and GCSEs than pupils with similar starting points across England. The Attainment 8 score of 55.1 and a strong 81.3% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths both point to solid outcomes. Ofsted also rated behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding, and personal development as Outstanding, which suggests the school’s structured environment supports both academic rigour and character growth.
At A-level, the school’s value-added score of 0.33 is rated as above average, with pupils achieving an average of B- per entry. The best three A-levels average out at B-, and 15.4% of entries were graded AAB or higher. With 52 pupils in the sixth form, it’s a relatively small cohort, which can mean more individual attention. The EBacc entry rate is 27.1%, and the EBacc average point score of 4.87 reflects a solid academic core. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.13, so Duke of York’s is performing well above the Kent norm. The school’s Progress 8 score in the EBacc subjects is particularly strong at 1.04, indicating that pupils taking the full suite of academic subjects are making exceptional progress.
The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 39 applications for 16 places, with 17 first-preference applications and 13 first-preference offers. It’s a state boarding school, which is unusual and may appeal to families looking for a structured, residential option. Facilities include a sports hall, chapel, sixth form centre, and playing fields, with sports ranging from rowing to gymnastics. SEND provisions cover dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent View responses are overwhelmingly positive: 97% would recommend the school, and 71% strongly agreed that the school supports their child’s wider personal development. This is a school that suits families who value high academic expectations, strong behaviour standards, and a disciplined yet supportive atmosphere.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover, Dover, CT15 5EQ |
| Headteacher | Alex Foreman |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 452 |
| School Capacity | 452 / 722 (63% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Boarding | Yes — Boarding school |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 29 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.67)
306th of 3,141
Nationally
53rd of 461
In South East
1st of 8
In Dover
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
31.6
'22/23
30.9
'23/24
36.6
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
2022/2362%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 86 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)62%
- FE college16%
- Employment7%
- Sixth form college6%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship1%
92% 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
2022/2368%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 69 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
19%
Russell Group
25%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)68%
- Employment14%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship3%
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- Mathematics21
- English Literature16
- Psychology16
- Chemistry15
- Biology14
- History14
- Geography12
- Physics11
- Business Studies:Single10
- Religious Studies7
- Art and Design (Photography)6
- French6
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
66 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed16
39
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
17 families put this school as their 1st choice (44% 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
2024/25Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- Mixed42.1%
- White British25.4%
- Asian12.0%
- White (other)2.2%
- Black1.1%
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
2023/24Half 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.
4
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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 Duke of York's Royal Military 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
Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover
Dover, CT15 5EQ
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