Towers School and Sixth Form Centre

About Towers School and Sixth Form Centre

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre is a large secondary in Ashford, currently home to 1,559 pupils against a capacity of 1,625, meaning it is very close to full. The school serves a notably diverse intake: 28.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average and a strong indicator of the community it draws from. Demand is high — for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 813 applications for 238 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.42 to one. Of those, 247 were first-preference applications, and 207 first-preference offers were made, so while many families clearly want a place, not all get their first choice. The school is mixed, non-denominational, and has no religious character, which fits its broad, inclusive catchment. It also has its own sixth form, so pupils can stay on post-16. With a headteacher in Richard Billings and a Good Ofsted rating from 2024, it is a popular local option, though the sheer number of applications means securing a place is competitive.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At KS4, the school’s Progress 8 score is -0.29, which is below the Kent local authority average of -0.13 and places it in the bottom 50 nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 40.2, and 60.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 35.1% reached grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is high at 61.8%, but the proportion achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above is just 12%. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good overall, but leadership and management was judged as Requires improvement — a downgrade from the previous Good rating in that category. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision were all rated Good. At A-level, the school’s value added score is -0.11, which is average, and the average grade per entry is C-, with a best three A-level grade of D+. For a school serving a high-FSM population, these results are not exceptional, but they reflect a solid, if unspectacular, academic offer.

Facilities are a real strength: the school has a theatre, swimming pool, gymnasium, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth-form centre, plus a chapel. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, and rugby, and there are clubs ranging from Young Enterprise to gardening and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND provision is broad, covering autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support, among others. Parent views are largely positive: 87% would recommend the school, and strong majorities agree that children are happy, feel safe, and that behaviour is good. However, only 68% of parents agreed that SEND children get the support they need, with 29% disagreeing — a notable split. This school suits families in Ashford who want a large, inclusive secondary with strong facilities and a sixth form, but who are realistic about academic outcomes being below the local average. It is particularly well-suited to families who value a wide range of extracurriculars and a diverse, community-focused environment.

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