New Line Learning Academy
78%
Capacity
819
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About New Line Learning Academy
New Line Learning Academy in Maidstone holds a Requires Improvement rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, a downgrade from the Good rating it had previously held in 2019. The most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of -0.79, which is well below the national average and places the school in the bottom 10% of schools nationally. This score means that, on average, pupils achieve nearly a grade less per subject across their eight best GCSEs compared with students of similar starting points. The Attainment 8 score sits at 33.9, and just 21.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school’s EBacc entry rate is 22.4%, and the average point score for those taking the EBacc combination is 2.87.
The school’s Progress 8 score is significantly below the Kent local authority average of -0.13, and it ranks 78th out of 106 secondary schools in the county. Within Maidstone itself, it is ranked 9th out of 10 schools. The picture from the 2023/24 exam data is consistent across all subject areas: Progress 8 in English is -0.61, in maths it is -0.87, and in the EBacc subjects it is -0.92. Ofsted’s inspection report notes that while behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are all rated Good, the quality of education is judged as Requires Improvement. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16.
New Line Learning Academy is a mixed secondary school for 11 to 16 year olds with 819 pupils on roll, well below its capacity of 1,050. It is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 288 applications for 193 places and 118 first-preference offers. The school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 46.6%, and 34% of parents responding to the Parent View survey said their child has special educational needs or a disability. The school lists seven SEND provisions, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, astro turf, and music rooms, with clubs ranging from Model UN to gardening. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is the School of Science and Technology Maidstone, 2.8 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Boughton Lane, Maidstone, Maidstone, ME15 9QL |
| Headteacher | Gary Cook |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 819 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 46.6% |
| School Capacity | 819 / 1,050 (78% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 May 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.79)
2918th of 3,141
Nationally
423rd of 461
In South East
9th of 10
In Maidstone
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2320%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 99 pupils).
- FE college48%
- School sixth form (stay)20%
- Not sustained16%
- Employment11%
- Apprenticeship2%
82% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
59 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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed193
288
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
118 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: newlinelearning.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British72.6%
- Mixed7.1%
- White (other)6.8%
- Asian3.3%
- 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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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 New Line Learning Academy
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
Boughton Lane, Maidstone
Maidstone, ME15 9QL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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