Secondary school

Orion Spires

  • Academy Sponsor Led
  • ages 11–16
  • Mixed
  • Kent
  • CT2 0HD
  • Sixth form
Ofsted Good · inspected Jan 2023

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 3,002 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 92%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 96%96%2016/17: top 99%2017/18: top 94%2018/19: top 97%2021/22: top 98%2022/23: top 96%2023/24: top 93%2024/25: top 92%No exams

Against South East

Attainment 836.1 · South East 462/10 Well below South East+8.8 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths21.6% · South East 44.8%1/10 Well below South East+6 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score3.03 · South East 4.032/10 Well below South East+7.1 pts since 21/22
Progress 8 · 2023/24-1.12 · South East +0.011/10 Well below South East−7.4 pts since 18/19
A level points per entry · 2018/19Not enough data · South East 31.8Suppressed in 2018/19 (too few pupils to publish)
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 40.1 · 121 pupils · South East 50.92016/17: 32.1 · 112 pupils · South East 46.72017/18: 35.4 · 115 pupils · South East 46.72018/19: 33.9 · 113 pupils · South East 47.12021/22: 34.1 · 114 pupils · South East 49.12022/23: 33.7 · 125 pupils · South East 46.52023/24: 35 · 139 pupils · South East 46.22024/25: 36.1 · 134 pupils · South East 4640.132.1No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 10% · 112 pupils · South East 43%2017/18: 17% · 115 pupils · South East 43.5%2018/19: 11% · 113 pupils · South East 43%2021/22: 14% · 114 pupils · South East 51%2022/23: 17% · 125 pupils · South East 45%2023/24: 24.5% · 139 pupils · South East 45.9%2024/25: 21.6% · 134 pupils · South East 44.8%24.5%10%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: withheld (5 pupils)2016/17: withheld2018/19: withheldNo exams

Not published 2017/18, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25Withheld 2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
76 of 76 who put it first2014 · 100.0%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st7676
2nd7915
3rd664

No last distance offered published

Inspections · 2006–2023

  1. 2006Satisfactoryas predecessor
  2. 2010Satisfactory
  3. 2013Requires improvement
  4. 2015Requires improvement
  5. 2015Ungraded visit
  6. 2017Good
  7. 2023Good

3 strong areas

  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management

1 weak areas

  • Personal development

4 areas graded · safeguarding effective

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026620
Free school meals (past 6 years)41.2%
First language not English11.2%
SEN support13.8%
EHC plan6.2%
Absence (sessions missed)8.7%
Persistently absent pupils29.3%

Girls 51.6%Boys 48.4%

82.7% full · 750 places · 15 in sixth form (2018/19)

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher15.2
Pupils per adult10.7
  • Classroom teachers 33.7
  • Leadership 7
  • Teaching assistants 7.3
  • Other support 16.6

Teachers 40.7 FTE · Whole workforce 64.7 · 68 people

Financials · 2024/25

Income per pupil£9,256
Spend per pupil£8,857
Staff spend per pupil£6,409
Reserve per pupil£0
  • £0revenue reserve
  • +£268,000in-year balance

Grants £8,890 · self-generated £366 · premises £591 per pupil

Multi-academy trust: ORION EDUCATION (8 academies) · trust reserve £3,390,000 · Reserves in a multi-academy trust belong to the trust; this academy's figures include the share of central costs the trust gives it

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

139 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained82.7%
  • Education77.7%
  • Apprenticeship4.3%
  • Employment0.7%
  • Not sustained10.1%
  • Unknown7.2%