Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre
86%
Capacity
1,863
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre
Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre is a popular choice among Ashford families, with 276 first-preference applications for 338 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.78. That means nearly two families put it as their top pick for every available spot. While the school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, the high demand suggests a solid local reputation. The school is large, with 1,863 pupils on roll against a capacity of 2,156, and it serves a diverse community: 29.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Headteacher Jeremy Single leads a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, and the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across all categories — a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019.
Academically, Homewood's results are mixed. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.35, which is below the Kent local authority average of -0.13 and places it in the bottom 50 nationally. The Attainment 8 score is 39.8, and 55% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 35.7% reached grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 20.2%, with just 9.9% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. At A-level, the picture is similar: the school's value-added score is -0.41, and the average points per entry is 27.16, equivalent to a C- grade. The sixth form is rated Good by Ofsted, and 6% of entries achieved AAB or higher. Compared with its previous inspection, the school has clearly improved its overall effectiveness, but the data shows there is still ground to make up against local and national averages.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a theatre, sports hall, astro turf, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision includes football, rugby, rowing, and martial arts, while clubs range from Model UN and debate to coding and Young Enterprise. For families with children who have additional needs, Homewood lists provisions for nine categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying should be aware that competition for places is strong. Given its large size and broad curriculum, Homewood suits families looking for a comprehensive secondary with a sixth form and a strong focus on improvement, particularly those who value the range of extracurricular opportunities and the school's recent upward trajectory in Ofsted ratings.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Ashford Road, Tenterden, Ashford, TN30 6LT |
| Headteacher | Jeremy Single |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 1,863 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,863 / 2,156 (86% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 Apr 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jun 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.35)
2344th of 3,141
Nationally
338th of 461
In South East
5th of 6
In Ashford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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
26.5
'22/23
26.1
'23/24
27.2
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
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 339 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college21%
- Employment8%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained4%
- Sixth form college1%
96% 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
2022/2332%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 133 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
6%
Russell Group
7%
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.
- Employment42%
- University (HE)32%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Further education3%
- Other education2%
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- Mathematics24
- English Literature23
- Business Studies:Single22
- Biology21
- Psychology21
- Sociology17
- Geography16
- English Language and Literature15
- Chemistry14
- Drama and Theatre Studies14
- History14
- Media/Film/Tv Studies14
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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed338
601
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
276 families put this school as their 1st choice (46% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:10
Source: homewood-school.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half 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.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.2%
- White (other)5.9%
- Mixed4.3%
- Asian1.6%
- Black0.4%
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.
4
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
3
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 Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre
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
Ashford Road, Tenterden
Ashford, TN30 6LT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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