OFSTED
17 March 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum & teaching
Strong standard
Achievement
Exceptional
Attendance & behaviour
Exceptional
Personal development
Exceptional
Leadership & governance
Strong standard
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
20 October 2021
Ungraded inspection
School remains Outstanding
Published
28 November 2021
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Girls
Religious character
—
Local authority
Kent
Trust
THE ARETÉ TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,257
1,257 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
1,173
93.3% of pupils
Male pupils
84
6.7% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
3.2 pts
below England
School
21.6%
Dartford
21.2%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
17.0 pts
above England
School
37.3%
Dartford
24.8%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Dartford
1.9%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
African
37.2%
467
Indian
16.4%
206
Any other Asian background
11.1%
139
White British
6.8%
85
Bangladeshi
6.3%
79
Any other Mixed background
5.0%
63
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
4.9%
62 of
1,257 pupils
15.9 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
10.3 pts
below
England
6.0%
5.6 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
75.5
36.3 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.82 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
4.60%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
1.62 pts
lower than
England
School
4.60%
Dartford
6.22%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
8.13%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
7.69 pts
lower than
England
School
8.13%
Dartford
16.23%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
0.33%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.47 pts
lower than
England
School
0.33%
Dartford
1.85%
South East
1.93%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
112.3%
20.0 pts
above England
Dartford Grammar School for Girls
112.3%
Dartford
96.8%
South East
95.0%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.