Skinners' Kent Academy

About Skinners' Kent Academy

Skinners' Kent Academy is a mixed state secondary in Tunbridge Wells that is significantly oversubscribed, with 613 applications for 175 places in the 2025/26 admissions round — a ratio of 3.5 applicants per place. Of those, 168 families put the school as their first preference, and 146 received first-preference offers. The school currently has 1,035 pupils against a capacity of 1,150, so there is some room to grow, but demand clearly outstrips supply. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 29.9%, which is notably higher than the national average for secondary schools and suggests a genuinely comprehensive intake. The school is non-denominational and has no religious character, so it draws from a broad cross-section of the local community. Its headteacher, Hannah Knowles, leads a school that has held a Good rating from Ofsted since its most recent graded inspection in 2023, a step down from the Outstanding grade it received in 2016.

Academically, Skinners' Kent Academy delivers solid but not spectacular results. Its Progress 8 score is exactly zero, meaning pupils on average achieve the same as those with similar starting points nationally — a respectable outcome given its high FSM intake. This places it 41st out of 106 schools of the same type in Kent, and 4th out of 5 in Tunbridge Wells itself. The Attainment 8 score is 44.8, and 68.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though this drops to 47.9% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.2, with 92.8% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects — a high entry rate that reflects a broad curriculum. In maths, the school's Progress 8 score is a positive 0.18, suggesting particularly strong teaching in that subject. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 is -0.13, so the school is performing above the Kent norm.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, astro turf, science labs, a sixth form centre, and a chapel. Sports provision is strong, with options from netball and hockey to martial arts and gymnastics, and there is an extensive clubs programme covering everything from coding and Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. The school has an official sixth form, so pupils can stay on post-16. Given its strong demand, high FSM intake, and solid Progress 8 score, this is a school that suits families looking for a genuinely comprehensive, non-selective option in Tunbridge Wells that performs above the local average and offers a broad range of extracurricular opportunities.

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