The North School Review 2026: A Secondary School in Ashford with Clear Routines and Standout Sporting Pathways

A large, mixed secondary with sixth form on Essella Road in South Ashford, this is a school that puts structure first and aims to make day to day learning feel predictable for students and families. The distinctive features are practical and visible, including an on site farm with a long running Young Farmers’ club, plus specialist sport pathways such as the Lions Basketball Academy and a rapidly expanded tennis offer that has attracted national recognition. Leadership is stable, with Mrs Clair Ellerby appointed to lead from September 2022.

Academic outcomes sit below England averages on the FindMySchool ranking measures, but the most recent Ofsted visit describes an ambitious curriculum that has been recently strengthened and is not yet fully reflected in published outcomes. That combination will suit some families very well, especially where a student benefits from clear expectations and wants to commit to sport, and it will prompt others to look closely at subject support and classroom consistency.

The tone is purposeful rather than flashy, with an emphasis on expectations, routines, and personal responsibility. The school’s stated values, Respect, Achievement, Resilience and Community, are presented as a shared framework agreed with pupils, staff, governors and parents, rather than a slogan chosen by leadership alone. For families, that matters because it usually translates into more consistent language across classrooms, corridors, and pastoral conversations.

Leadership is clearly identified and publicly accessible, which helps with accountability. Mrs Clair Ellerby was appointed as Head of School from 01 September 2022 following the retirement of the previous headteacher, Mrs Anna Lawrence, and the leadership structure includes several assistant and deputy headteacher roles with defined remits, including safeguarding and special educational needs.

The school is part of Swale Academies Trust, and the recent Ofsted inspection notes close working between trustees, trust leaders and the school in planning and evaluating improvement actions. For parents, this is relevant because trust involvement can affect curriculum planning, staff development, and the pace at which changes are introduced.

On the FindMySchool GCSE measures (based on official data), the school is ranked 3,130th in England and 8th in Ashford for GCSE outcomes. This places performance below England average, within the lower performance band when viewed nationally.

The headline GCSE indicators point to a school where outcomes are an area of active focus. Attainment 8 is 39.6, and Progress 8 is -0.26, suggesting that, on average, pupils make less progress than similar pupils nationally across eight subjects. EBacc outcomes are also low, with 5.7% achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc and an EBacc average point score of 3.48 compared with an England average of 4.08.

In the sixth form, the FindMySchool A-level measures place the school 2,143rd in England and 5th in Ashford for A-level outcomes. Grade distribution shows 1.89% at A*, 7.55% at A, 20.75% at B, and 30.19% at A* to B combined, below the England averages for top grades.

One important context point is timing. The most recent Ofsted inspection describes curriculum changes that are relatively recent, and it explicitly notes that published outcomes do not reflect those changes for cohorts who left before they had long enough to benefit in some subjects. For parents comparing schools purely on published grades, this is a reminder to ask how far those curriculum shifts are embedded in everyday teaching and assessment now, rather than assuming outcomes will immediately move.

The school’s curriculum intent emphasises breadth, including English, mathematics, sciences, humanities, languages, arts, technology, physical education and a structured personal development programme.

At classroom level, the Ofsted report describes strong subject knowledge among teachers and clear explanations, supported by regular revisiting so pupils retain key ideas. Where teaching is at its strongest, checking for understanding and feedback are described as especially effective in the sixth form, with students expected to work independently and with focus. The implication for families is that students who are ready to plan their work and respond to feedback are likely to benefit most at post 16.

Two development points are worth keeping in view, because they are practical rather than abstract. First, the inspection highlights that teachers do not always check systematically that pupils can recall and use ambitious vocabulary, which can limit the quality of written and spoken work. Second, it notes that some tasks do not always align sharply enough to the curriculum’s ambitious aims, meaning pupils sometimes get fewer chances to practise the most demanding content. These are fixable issues, but they are also the kinds of inconsistencies parents tend to notice, especially in essay based subjects.

Support for pupils with special educational needs is described as well identified, with adaptations to resources and approaches. The school also has a specially resourced provision for pupils with autism, which is part of the overall inclusion picture rather than a bolt on.

The school has sixth form provision, so “next steps” looks different for different students. For many families, the key decision points are Year 11 choices (sixth form, college, apprenticeship) and then Year 13 progression.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort 30% progressed to university, 6% to apprenticeships, 41% into employment, and 1% into further education. With a cohort size of 79, these figures suggest a strongly mixed set of pathways rather than a single dominant destination pattern.

Careers work is given meaningful space in the Ofsted report, which refers to comprehensive support for next steps and access to information from employers, apprenticeship providers and universities. The school’s personal development curriculum also places emphasis on practical decision making and knowing how to access support, which aligns with that wider progression focus.

Oxbridge and Russell Group progression numbers are not published for this school, so families who prioritise highly selective university pathways should ask what structured academic enrichment is available for the most able sixth formers, and how competitive applications are supported alongside sport and vocational routes.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Kent County Council using the Common Application Form process, rather than applying directly to the school. For September 2026 entry, the school sets out a clear timeline: applications opened on 01 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with offers issued on 02 March 2026 and the acceptance response expected by 16 March 2026. Appeal deadlines and reallocation timelines are also listed, which is helpful for families trying to plan realistically.

The published admission number for Year 7 is 215. Oversubscription criteria are detailed on the admissions page and rely heavily on distance ordering once priority groups are accounted for. For any family considering a move, it is worth using FindMySchool’s Map Search to check realistic home to school distance against typical allocation patterns, and to keep in mind that distance based allocation can shift year to year.

Open mornings for Year 6 families are scheduled in October, which is a common pattern for Kent secondaries. For the 2026 entry cycle, the school listed tours on 17 October 2025 with limited spaces and a booking requirement.

Sixth form admissions are separate from Year 7. The school’s stated baseline entry requirement for Level 3 courses is at least five GCSEs at grade 5 or above, including grade 5 in English and mathematics, plus any subject specific requirements. For families planning ahead, this threshold is important because it clarifies that sixth form entry is intended for students ready for a fully Level 3 programme.

Pastoral work is described through both behaviour expectations and personal development content. The Ofsted report describes classrooms that are typically calm and orderly, with disruption addressed promptly, and bullying described as not commonplace with issues usually handled well. That matters for learning time, but also for student confidence, especially for pupils who need predictability to feel settled.

On safeguarding and safety education, the inspection references teaching on online risks, substance misuse, and the potential impact of social media on mental health. The personal development curriculum reinforces the same general direction, focusing on wellbeing, relationships, and decision making under pressure, with a scaffolded approach across Years 7 to 9.

For pupils with additional needs, the inspection describes generally effective support for attendance and behaviour where concerns arise, and a clear approach to identifying SEND needs with adaptations that support access to the curriculum. Families with a child who needs structured support should ask how interventions are timetabled alongside mainstream lessons, and how progress is communicated term to term.

This is where the school differentiates itself most clearly from many local comprehensives, because the offer is practical, sustained, and tied to facilities that are uncommon.

The on site farm is not a marketing add on, it is a working facility with livestock and a Young Farmers’ club open to any student. The school states that it moved into new farm facilities in 2011, and it describes regular access before school, at break and lunch, and after school sessions for the club, alongside agricultural show participation. For the right child, that kind of responsibility based activity can be a powerful motivator for attendance, confidence, and routine.

Sport has both participation and pathway elements. A current PE and sport clubs timetable includes year group climbing clubs, table tennis, rugby, girls’ football, pickleball, and multiple basketball sessions including varsity training. This suggests the school is trying to keep the barrier to entry low, with some clubs accessible across year groups and others designed as skill development routes.

Two academy style strands stand out. The school hosts the Lions Basketball Academy, established in 2010, and the academy describes an intensive training model alongside education, including 15+ hours of coaching per week and competitive league games. Separately, the school’s tennis programme expanded quickly from May 2022, with structured curriculum blocks delivered to over 400 students and weekly coaching involving over 80 girls, alongside a calendar of match play nights and tournaments that helped secure a national School of the Year award through the LTA Tennis Awards. These are significant participation numbers, and they indicate sustained staffing and scheduling, not just an occasional club.

The school day is clearly set out, with the latest arrival time listed as 08.35 and Period 1 running from 08.40, finishing at 15.10 after Period 6. For families juggling transport and siblings at other schools, having published timings reduces uncertainty.

Food is delivered through a catering provider and the school publishes an indicative canteen spend of about £3.05 per day, which is a useful planning figure even though actual spend will vary by student.

Transport specifics are not set out as a dedicated travel plan on the school site, so families should review Kent County Council school transport options and local bus routes, particularly for post 16 students where eligibility and discounts differ.

• Academic outcomes are a current priority area. The GCSE and A-level performance indicators sit below England averages, and Progress 8 is negative. Families should ask how subject interventions are targeted and how consistently curriculum ambition shows up in everyday classroom work.

• Curriculum improvements are described as recent. The most recent inspection notes that published outcomes do not yet reflect curriculum changes for earlier cohorts, which means families should look for evidence of impact in current student work, assessment, and feedback rather than relying on a single year of results.

• Pathway sport can be time intensive. Basketball and tennis pathways include high volume training models. That can be an excellent fit for motivated student athletes, but families should discuss how training load is balanced with homework, coursework, and examination preparation.

• Some year groups can be full mid year. The admissions information notes that Key Stage 3 year groups have been full at points, which may affect in year moves. If relocating, families should check availability early and have contingency options.

The North School is a structured, community rooted secondary with an unusually practical enrichment offer, led by a headteacher appointed in 2022 and supported by clear published admissions information for Year 7. Its strongest differentiators are the on site farm and the depth of sport pathways, especially basketball and tennis. Academic results, on the available measures, are not the main selling point today, although the most recent inspection describes an ambitious curriculum that is still embedding.

Who it suits: families in Ashford who want a predictable school day, clear routines, and substantial extracurricular options, especially for a student who will commit to sport or practical responsibility based activities. Families who prioritise top end academic outcomes should ask detailed questions about subject consistency, targeted support, and how recent curriculum changes are translating into current classroom standards.