Secondary school

The Charles Dickens School

  • Academy Sponsor Led
  • ages 11–18
  • Mixed
  • Kent
  • CT10 2RL
  • Sixth form
Ofsted Good · inspected Mar 2023

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 2,207 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 68%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 82%82%2016/17: top 93%2017/18: top 97%2018/19: top 96%2021/22: top 73%2022/23: top 71%2023/24: top 60%60% · 2023/242024/25: top 68%No exams

Against South East

Attainment 842.5 · South East 464/10 Below+6 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths28.6% · South East 44.8%2/10 Well below South East+6.3 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score3.42 · South East 4.033/10 Below
Progress 8 · 2023/24+0.22 · South East +0.017/10 Above+63.7 pts since 18/19
A level points per entry · 2016/1721.19 · South East 29.96Small cohort: 17 pupils in 2016/17 (under 30)
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 44.8 · 221 pupils · South East 50.92016/17: 36.8 · 220 pupils · South East 46.72017/18: 33.9 · 200 pupils · South East 46.72018/19: 34.3 · 185 pupils · South East 47.12021/22: 43.9 · 215 pupils · South East 49.12022/23: 41.7 · 205 pupils · South East 46.52023/24: 43.9 · 211 pupils · South East 46.22024/25: 42.5 · 199 pupils · South East 4644.833.9No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 19% · 220 pupils · South East 43%2017/18: 16% · 200 pupils · South East 43.5%2018/19: 14% · 185 pupils · South East 43%2021/22: 28% · 215 pupils · South East 51%2022/23: 30% · 205 pupils · South East 45%2023/24: 30.8% · 211 pupils · South East 45.9%2024/25: 28.6% · 199 pupils · South East 44.8%30.8%14%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: 18.42 · 29 pupils · South East 28.942016/17: 21.19 · 17 pupils · South East 29.9621.1918.42No exams

Not published 2017/18, 2018/19, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in71.2%
205 of 288 who put it first2014 · 76.9%2026 · 71.2%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st288205
2nd27020
3rd1981

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2008–2023

  1. 2008Goodas predecessor
  2. 2011Goodas predecessor
  3. 2014Inadequateas predecessor
  4. 2015Ungraded visitas predecessor
  5. 2016Ungraded visitas predecessor
  6. 2019Requires improvement
  7. 2023Good

4 strong areas

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

0 weak areas

4 areas graded · safeguarding effective

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 20261,117
Free school meals (past 6 years)43.0%
First language not English8.2%
SEN support16.6%
EHC plan2.5%
Absence (sessions missed)9.8%
Persistently absent pupils27.4%

Girls 50.3%Boys 49.7%

101.2% full · 1,104 places · 45 in sixth form (2015/16)

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher17.7
Pupils per adult11.7
  • Classroom teachers 55.8
  • Leadership 7.3
  • Teaching assistants 15.4
  • Other support 26.3

Teachers 63.1 FTE · Whole workforce 104.8 · 113 people

Financials · 2024/25

Income per pupil£8,188
Spend per pupil£7,303
Staff spend per pupil£5,636
Reserve per pupil£1,093
  • +£1,221,000revenue reserve
  • +£989,000in-year balance

Grants £8,298 · self-generated £28 · premises £341 per pupil

Multi-academy trust: BARTON COURT ACADEMY TRUST (3 academies) · trust reserve £2,907,000 · 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

211 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained87.2%
  • Education82.9%
  • Apprenticeship3.3%
  • Employment0.9%
  • Not sustained10.4%
  • Unknown2.4%