Maritime Academy

About Maritime Academy

Maritime Academy is a mixed state secondary in Medway, a local authority with 22 secondary schools in total. It is not one of the two schools in the area rated Outstanding by Ofsted; the nearest Outstanding school is Fort Pitt Grammar School, 2.7 kilometres away. The top-performing peers in the LA, based on ranking scores, are Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, The Rochester Grammar School, and Fort Pitt Grammar School — all selective grammar schools. Maritime Academy, by contrast, is a non-selective comprehensive with a large capacity of 1,150 but currently only 562 pupils on roll, meaning it is significantly under capacity. The school is heavily oversubscribed for its 176 Year 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, receiving 710 total applications and 225 first-preference applications, with 155 first-preference offers made. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 4.03 applicants per place, suggesting strong local demand despite the overall spare capacity in the school.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025, the school was judged Good overall, with Good ratings across all four graded areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The sixth form provision was not judged. The school has no previous inspection data on record for comparison. Parent View responses from 81 parents, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, show a mixed picture: 52% would recommend the school, but 48% would not. On specific questions, 55% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 60% agreed or strongly agreed that the school has high expectations. However, only 16% of parents with SEND children agreed that the school gives them the support they need, while 84% disagreed or strongly disagreed. The school's Progress 8 score is not provided in the data, but the LA average Progress 8 is -0.1, which is broadly in line with the national average.

Maritime Academy offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, astro turf, sports hall, tennis courts, and science labs. Sports on offer include rowing, swimming, basketball, cricket, and hockey, and there are clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, coding, and Young Enterprise. The school has a dedicated sixth form, though its provision was not inspected. SEND support covers seven categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 29.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged intake compared with the selective grammars nearby. This school will suit families in Medway who want a non-selective secondary with strong facilities and a broad extracurricular programme, but who are aware that parent satisfaction, particularly around SEND support and communication, is notably lower than the national average.

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