Herne Bay High School
103%
Capacity
1,545
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Herne Bay High School
Herne Bay High School sits within the Kent local authority, a large county with over a hundred secondary schools. In the immediate Canterbury area, it ranks 8th out of 9 schools when measured by Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of local secondaries. The top-performing schools in the wider Kent area are selective grammars: Dartford Grammar School, The Judd School, and Dartford Grammar School for Girls, all of which post strong positive Progress 8 scores. Herne Bay High is a mixed, non-selective state school for pupils aged 11 to 18, with no religious character. It is led by headteacher Jon Boyes and currently educates 1,545 pupils, which is slightly above its official capacity of 1,494. Over 31% of its students are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average, reflecting the school's role in serving a diverse local community.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good overall, with its sixth form provision judged Outstanding. However, the exam results paint a more mixed picture. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score is -1.02, which is significantly below the Kent local authority average of -0.13 and places it in the 'well below average' band nationally. Its Attainment 8 score is 38.1, and just over half of pupils (55.1%) achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is very low at 3.7%, and only 2.5% of pupils entered the full EBacc. At A-level, the picture is brighter: the school's value-added score is 0.22, rated 'above average', and students achieved an average of 29.81 points per entry, equivalent to a grade C. The best three A-levels averaged a grade C as well.
The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 465 applications for 260 places, with 246 first-preference offers made from 249 first-preference applications. Facilities include a sports hall, theatre, playing fields, art studios, ICT suite, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer range from gymnastics and rowing to netball and hockey, while clubs include choir, drama, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. The school has a wide range of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. This breadth of support, combined with its large size and inclusive intake, makes Herne Bay High a suitable choice for families seeking a comprehensive secondary with a strong sixth form and a clear commitment to supporting pupils with additional needs.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Bullockstone Road, Herne Bay, Canterbury, CT6 7NS |
| Headteacher | Jon Boyes |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 1,545 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 31.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,545 / 1,494 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 Sept 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.02)
3032nd of 3,141
Nationally
448th of 461
In South East
8th of 9
In Canterbury
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less 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
32.6
'22/23
27.4
'23/24
29.8
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
2022/2349%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 255 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)49%
- FE college33%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
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
2022/2346%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 122 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
2%
Russell Group
4%
Top-third HE
1%
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)46%
- Employment23%
- Not sustained11%
- Further education9%
- Apprenticeship7%
- 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- Sociology31
- Psychology30
- Law25
- Media/Film/Tv Studies22
- Religious Studies20
- Business Studies:Single17
- Art and Design (Fine Art)16
- Art and Design (Graphics)12
- Art and Design (Photography)11
- Mathematics11
- Biology10
- English Language and Literature9
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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed260
465
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
249 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:15
Source: hernebayhigh.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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 average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.5%
- Mixed2.9%
- White (other)1.9%
- Asian0.6%
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.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% 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.
5
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
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 Herne Bay High 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
Bullockstone Road, Herne Bay
Canterbury, CT6 7NS
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