OFSTED
19 May 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum & teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Urgent improvement
Attendance & behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development
Expected standard
Leadership & governance
Needs attention
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
8 January 2020
Graded inspection
Requires improvement
Published
23 January 2020
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Kent
Trust
COASTAL ACADEMIES TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,045
1,045 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
503
48.1% of pupils
Male pupils
542
51.9% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
38.4 pts
above England
School
63.2%
Thanet
38.2%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
10.8 pts
below England
School
9.5%
Thanet
11.4%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
2.7 pts
above England
School
3.7%
Thanet
3.4%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
85.2%
890
Any other White background
6.7%
70
Any other Mixed background
2.0%
21
White and Black Caribbean
1.5%
16
African
1.1%
11
Any other ethnic group
0.8%
8
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
35.8%
374 of
1,045 pupils
15.0 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
13.8 pts
above
England
6.0%
1.1 pts
above
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
28.9
10.3 pts
below England
Latest published: -1.02 · 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
15.76%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
9.54 pts
higher than
England
School
15.76%
Thanet
8.35%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
43.31%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
27.49 pts
higher than
England
School
43.31%
Thanet
24.18%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
11.05%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
9.25 pts
higher than
England
School
11.05%
Thanet
2.98%
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
114.1%
21.8 pts
above England
The Royal Harbour Academy
114.1%
Thanet
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.