Walderslade School

About Walderslade School

Walderslade School is a girls' secondary school in Medway, led by headteacher Louise Campbell, and it sits at the bottom of the local authority's rankings for state secondaries. Among the 22 schools of its type in Medway, it is ranked 18th by Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of the LA table. The top-performing peers nearby are all grammar schools: Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, The Rochester Grammar School, and Fort Pitt Grammar School. The nearest Outstanding-rated school, Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, is just 2.8 km away. Walderslade is a non-religious, 11-18 school with 806 pupils, and its most recent Ofsted rating is Inadequate, which places it in a challenging position relative to the strong grammar provision in the area. For families considering it, the school's local context is defined by stiff competition from selective schools that consistently achieve higher academic outcomes.

Academically, the school's results are significantly below both local and national averages. Its Progress 8 score is -1.15, which is well below average and considerably worse than the Medway LA average of -0.1. The Attainment 8 score is 30.4, and only 33.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 94 measure), compared with a much higher proportion at the grammar schools nearby. The EBacc average point score is 2.44, and just 4.8% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. At A-level, the school's value added score is -0.56, with a points per entry grade of D and a best three A-levels grade of D-. The progress banding for sixth form is described as below average. These figures suggest that the school is struggling to match the academic outcomes of its selective neighbours, and parents should be aware that the data points to significant challenges in pupil progress across both key stages.

On the practical side, Walderslade does offer a range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include basketball, gymnastics, cricket, rounders, rugby, cross country, martial arts, dance, and hockey, while clubs range from science club and coding to eco club, DofE, film club, book club, choir, gardening, and debate. This breadth of extracurricular provision may appeal to families looking for a school with a strong co-curricular offer. However, with an Inadequate Ofsted rating and very low academic outcomes, the school is likely to be undersubscribed, meaning it may be a realistic option for families who have not secured a place at one of the local grammar schools. It is best suited to those who prioritise a wide range of activities and facilities over academic league table performance, and who are prepared to support their child's learning closely at home.

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