The Archbishop's School
88%
Capacity
791
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About The Archbishop's School
The Archbishop's School in Canterbury is a Church of England secondary that serves a notably diverse intake. With 791 pupils on roll against a capacity of 900, it is not yet full, but demand is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 302 applications for 142 places, making it officially oversubscribed with a ratio of 2.13 applicants per place. Just 68 of those applications were first-preference offers, suggesting many families are choosing it as their top option. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 53.6%, which is significantly above the national average and points to a school serving a community with higher-than-average levels of economic disadvantage. This context matters when interpreting the school’s academic results, as schools with high FSM rates often face additional challenges in driving attainment.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023 rated it Good overall, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2020. The inspection judged quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all as Good, though sixth-form provision remains Requires Improvement. At KS4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.79, which is well below the Kent local authority average of -0.13 and places it 79th out of 106 schools in the county. Attainment 8 sits at 36.6, and just 30.9% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. Only 6.4% entered the EBacc, and the EBacc average point score is 3.06. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.39, with an average points per entry of 22.62 (equivalent to a D+ grade), and progress is rated as below average.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, science labs, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include football, netball, rugby, and cricket, while clubs range from chess and Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Young Enterprise. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder, with a resourced provision on site. The school is a good fit for families in Canterbury who value a Church of England ethos and a genuinely comprehensive intake, but who are realistic about academic outcomes. Given its high FSM intake and improving Ofsted trajectory, it may particularly suit parents who prioritise pastoral support and inclusive provision over league-table performance.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | St Stephens Hill, Canterbury, Canterbury, CT2 7AP |
| Headteacher | David Elliott |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 791 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 53.6% |
| School Capacity | 791 / 900 (88% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.79)
2917th of 3,141
Nationally
422nd of 461
In South East
7th 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
22.4
'22/23
17.8
'23/24
22.6
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
2022/2356%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 113 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)56%
- FE college27%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment3%
88% 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
2022/2363%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 8 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
0%
Russell Group
0%
Top-third HE
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)63%
- Employment25%
- Not sustained13%
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- Sociology14
- Psychology12
- History9
- Biology8
- Art and Design (Photography)7
- Geography6
- Chemistry5
- English Literature5
- Art and Design3
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
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed142
302
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
68 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British53.6%
- White (other)10.2%
- Mixed8.2%
- Asian7.0%
- Black0.6%
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 The Archbishop's 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
St Stephens Hill, Canterbury
Canterbury, CT2 7AP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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