Secondary school

Orchards Academy

  • Academy Converter
  • ages 11–18
  • Mixed
  • Kent
  • BR8 7TE
  • No sixth form
Ofsted areas (no overall grade) · inspected Mar 2025

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 2,396 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 74%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 62%62%2016/17: top 78%2017/18: top 90%2018/19: top 83%2021/22: top 86%2022/23: top 73%2023/24: top 74%2024/25: top 74%No exams

Against South East

Attainment 841.3 · South East 463/10 Below+12.6 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths33% · South East 44.8%3/10 Below
EBacc point score3.29 · South East 4.032/10 Well below South East
Progress 8 · 2023/24+0.03 · South East +0.016/10 Middle+11.4 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: 48.5 · 84 pupils · South East 50.92016/17: 40.9 · 82 pupils · South East 46.72017/18: 37.4 · 95 pupils · South East 46.72018/19: 39.7 · 94 pupils · South East 47.12021/22: 40.6 · 85 pupils · South East 49.12022/23: 41.4 · 112 pupils · South East 46.52023/24: 40.9 · 106 pupils · South East 46.22024/25: 41.3 · 88 pupils · South East 4648.537.4No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 20% · 82 pupils · South East 43%2017/18: 15% · 95 pupils · South East 43.5%2018/19: 21% · 94 pupils · South East 43%2021/22: 35% · 85 pupils · South East 51%2022/23: 32% · 112 pupils · South East 45%2023/24: 28.3% · 106 pupils · South East 45.9%2024/25: 33% · 88 pupils · South East 44.8%35%15%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: withheld2016/17: withheld2017/18: withheld2018/19: withheldNo exams

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

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
95 of 95 who put it first2014 · 100.0%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st9595
2nd3314
3rd267

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2008–2025

  • Personal developmentGood
  • Quality of educationGood
  • Behaviour and attitudesGood
  • Leadership and managementGood
  • SafeguardingEffective
  1. 2008Satisfactoryas predecessor
  2. 2012Good
  3. 2016Ungraded visit
  4. 2021Remains Good
  5. 2025All areas Good

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026554
Free school meals (past 6 years)44.8%
First language not English8.4%
SEN support16.0%
EHC plan3.3%
Absence (sessions missed)10.1%
Persistently absent pupils32.9%

Girls 47.7%Boys 52.3%

66.9% full · 828 places · 12 in sixth form (2018/19)

Parent View

Earlier survey (before Nov 2025) · as at 1 Sep 2025 · 61 responses (11.2% of pupils)

  • My child is happy at this school59% agree
  • My child feels safe at this school68.9% agree
  • The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved47.5% agree
  • My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively · 44.3% not applicable26.5% agree
  • The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year60.6% agree
  • When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly · 11.5% not applicable38.9% agree
  • Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?37.7% yes
  • My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed · asked only of the 37.7% who said Yes above26.1% agree
  • The school has high expectations for my child63.9% agree
  • My child does well at this school63.9% agree
  • The school lets me know how my child is doing63.9% agree
  • There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school54.1% agree
  • My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school82% agree
  • The school supports my child's wider personal development42.6% agree
  • I would recommend this school to another parent47.5% yes

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher15.4
Pupils per adult11.8
  • Classroom teachers 32.5
  • Leadership 3.5
  • Teaching assistants 10.8
  • Other support 7.9

Teachers 36 FTE · Whole workforce 54.6 · 58 people

Financials · 2024/25

Income per pupil£7,583
Spend per pupil£7,097
Staff spend per pupil£5,820
Reserve per pupil£0
  • £0revenue reserve
  • +£265,000in-year balance

Grants £7,541 · self-generated £42 · premises £530 per pupil

Multi-academy trust: THE KEMNAL ACADEMIES TRUST (45 academies) · trust reserve £10,108,000 · 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

106 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained87.7%
  • Education76.4%
  • Apprenticeship7.5%
  • Employment3.8%
  • Not sustained8.5%
  • Unknown3.8%