The Folkestone School for Girls

About The Folkestone School for Girls

The Folkestone School for Girls holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, but the detail tells a more interesting story. While the overall effectiveness is Good, the school earned Outstanding marks in three of the six categories inspected: behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision. That sixth-form rating is particularly telling, as it suggests the school’s post-16 offering is a genuine strength. On the most informative exam metric available, the school’s Progress 8 score sits at 0.29, which is rated as ‘Above average’ nationally. To put that in context, the local authority average Progress 8 score for Kent is -0.13, meaning pupils here make significantly more academic progress than their peers across the county. The school ranks first among six secondary schools in the Folkestone and Hythe local area on this measure, and in the top 30 per cent of schools nationally.

At Key Stage 4, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 61.8, and an impressive 95.4 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 81 per cent reaching the higher grade 5 threshold. Over half of pupils entered the English Baccalaureate, and 52.3 per cent achieved it at grade 4 or above. The school’s EBacc average point score is 5.63. In the sixth form, the average points per entry is 35.5, equivalent to a B- grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a B- as well. The value-added score for sixth form is -0.13, which is banded as ‘Below average’, so while the school’s sixth form is rated Outstanding by Ofsted for its provision, the academic progress at A-level is slightly behind the national average. Still, the school’s overall Progress 8 banding of ‘Above average’ at GCSE is a strong indicator of effective teaching in the lower years.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 359 applications for 174 places, with 197 first-preference applications and 172 first-preference offers. That works out at roughly two applicants for every place. The school has a capacity of 1,053 but currently houses 1,159 pupils, so it is running above its official capacity. Facilities include a theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school has a range of SEND provisions, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 14.4 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative intake. This is a school that suits families who want strong GCSE outcomes in a girls-only setting, with an Outstanding-rated sixth form that offers genuine continuity, though the A-level value-added data suggests it may not push the highest achievers as far as some selective schools in the region.

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