The Whitstable School
91%
Capacity
1,109
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About The Whitstable School
The Whitstable School is a popular choice for local families, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 473 applications for 207 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.29. Of those, 169 families put it as their first preference, and all of them were offered a place. This level of demand suggests parents see real value here. The school is a mixed, non-faith secondary for ages 11 to 18, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated it Good across the board, including for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. That's a solid, consistent picture, and it's worth noting the school has held a Good rating since at least its previous inspection in 2018. With 26.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a genuinely diverse community.
Academically, the picture is more mixed. The school's Progress 8 score for 2023/24 is -0.52, which is well below the national average and also below the Kent local authority average of -0.13. In the South East region, it ranks 377th out of 461 schools on this measure. The Attainment 8 score sits at 37.6, and just 29.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. On the EBacc, 59.2% of pupils entered the qualification, but only 9.5% achieved it at grade 5 or above. The sixth form is smaller, with just 12 pupils in the data, but it performs better: the value-added score is 0.2, which is rated Average, and the average points per entry is 34.62, equivalent to a C+ grade. So while the main school struggles to match local averages, the sixth form offers a more positive story for those who stay on.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, art studios, and a dedicated sixth form centre. There's a strong extracurricular offer, with clubs ranging from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Model UN to gardening and eco club. The SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, among others. This makes it a genuinely inclusive setting. The school is oversubscribed, so families need to apply early, but the fact that all first-preference applicants got a place in the last round is reassuring. The Whitstable School will suit families who value a Good-rated, inclusive community with a wide range of activities, and who are comfortable with a school where main-stage GCSE results sit below the local average but the sixth form offers a solid alternative.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Bellevue Road, Whitstable, Canterbury, CT5 1PX |
| Headteacher | Alex Holmes |
| Local Authority | Kent |
| Number of Pupils | 1,109 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,109 / 1,220 (91% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 24 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.52)
2627th of 3,141
Nationally
377th of 461
In South East
5th 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
'21/22
26.7
'22/23
25.8
'23/24
34.6
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
2022/2349%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 123 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)49%
- FE college38%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship1%
93% 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
2022/2338%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 47 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)38%
- Employment38%
- Not sustained11%
- Further education9%
- Apprenticeship2%
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- History8
- English Literature7
- Art and Design (Photography)6
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
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed207
473
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
169 families put this school as their 1st choice (36% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:10
Source: thewhitstableschool.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British91.3%
- Mixed4.6%
- White (other)1.7%
- Asian0.8%
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
5
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 The Whitstable 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
Bellevue Road, Whitstable
Canterbury, CT5 1PX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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