The Maplesden Noakes School Review 2026: Large Maidstone secondary with sixth form and strong routines

Set in Penenden Heath on the western side of Maidstone, The Maplesden Noakes School is a sizeable 11 to 18 option with a full sixth form and a broad comprehensive intake. The roll sits at just over 1,400 pupils, including nearly 300 sixth-form students, which brings scale, subject breadth and a wide social mix.

The most recent full inspection (carried out in May 2024) graded the school Good across every judgement area, including sixth-form provision. That headline matters because it aligns with a day-to-day picture of calm routines, polite conduct and an inclusive culture that aims to keep standards consistent in a large setting.

Governance and leadership have also been in transition. Government listings show Mr Tom Newcombe as headteacher, while the May 2024 inspection report names Richard Owen as headteacher at the time of that inspection, so parents may see both names referenced in different official documents depending on date.

This is an inclusive, mixed comprehensive where social ease is a stated priority, not an afterthought. The latest inspection describes pupils as friendly and polite, and it also records that pupils feel safe and happy, which is an important baseline for a school of this size. A large roll can sometimes feel anonymous, yet the same report notes warm relationships between staff and pupils and a sense of belonging often described internally as a “Maplesden family” feel, which suggests the school is actively working against that risk.

Behaviour is framed around consistency rather than intensity. The emphasis is on clear routines that help pupils focus in lessons and move through the day without friction. That style tends to suit pupils who like knowing where they stand and families who value predictability. It can be a relief for Year 7 pupils arriving from smaller primaries, especially in Maidstone where the transition into secondary can feel like a big jump in pace.

Bullying is handled as a standards issue, not a background reality to be tolerated. The inspection evidence is that bullying is not accepted and that most pupils feel confident staff will address unkind behaviour. For parents, the practical implication is to ask about reporting routes, pastoral triage and how concerns are followed up, because consistency is only as strong as the systems underneath it.

The school’s published performance profile points to a setting where outcomes are mixed, with particular pressure points around progress measures.

GCSE performance and ranking (FindMySchool)

Ranked 3,512th in England and 12th in Maidstone for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits below England average, placing it within the lower-performing 40% of schools in England on this measure.

The school’s Progress 8 score is -0.55, which indicates pupils, on average, make less progress than pupils nationally with similar starting points across their best eight subjects. This is a meaningful flag for families, because Progress 8 is designed to capture progress rather than raw attainment.

The curriculum’s EBacc picture is also worth attention. The school’s average EBacc APS is 3.01, compared with an England benchmark of 4.08. That gap implies that EBacc subject outcomes, as a set, are currently a weaker area than many families would ideally want, especially if EBacc breadth (languages, humanities, sciences) is a priority in your child’s Key Stage 4 plan.

A-level performance and ranking (FindMySchool)

For post-16 outcomes, the A-level profile sits lower still on the same comparative lens. Ranked 2,417th in England and 9th in Maidstone for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school again sits below England average on this measure.

Grade proportions also point to a challenging picture at the very top end. A* grades account for 3.1% of entries, with A* to B at 18.0%, compared with England averages of 23.6% (A* or A) and 47.2% (A* to B) in the same benchmark dataset. The implication is not that strong individual results are absent, but that high grades are not yet being achieved at scale.

A fair way to use this information is not to label the school, but to sharpen questions. Ask how departments are responding to weaker progress signals, how intervention is targeted, and how teaching consistency is protected across a large staff body. Strong routines and high expectations help, but the key question is how those translate into measurable gains.

The school’s teaching picture, based on the most recent inspection evidence, is strongest when it is tightly aligned to curriculum intent and consistent classroom routines. Teachers are described as having strong subject knowledge, using questioning to probe understanding, and structuring learning so pupils build knowledge progressively over time.

The area to watch is variability. The same inspection identifies that, in some areas, staff knowledge and expertise does not always translate into the most effective learning for some pupils, and it sets an expectation that this should improve so pupils can better understand and remember key knowledge and skills. For parents, that nuance matters. It suggests there are real strengths in classroom practice, but also that the experience can depend on subject area, teacher and cohort.

SEND is explicitly included in the school’s ambition. The inspection describes high expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and frames inclusion as part of the school’s core approach rather than a separate track. Families with children who need structured support should ask about the practical layer: how plans are implemented in lessons, how communication with home works, and how the school balances consistency with flexibility.

This is a school with a sixth form, so destinations matter in two directions: the Year 11 transition into post-16 study, and the Year 13 step into work, apprenticeships, or university.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort, published destination measures show a mixed pathway profile: 35% progressed to university, 46% entered employment, 7% started apprenticeships, and 2% moved into further education. This points to a sixth form that supports multiple “next steps” rather than a single university-only pipeline. For many families, that is a positive, provided careers guidance is practical and personalised.

The inspection evidence also highlights a careers and enrichment strand designed to connect study to the world beyond school. Sixth-form students are described as taking part in a Business Challenge that offers insight into employment, and the school is also required to meet provider access legislation so pupils in Years 8 to 13 can hear about technical pathways and apprenticeships.

If your child is strongly university-focused, especially for selective courses, it is sensible to ask for subject-specific track record and the support package for applications, predicted grades, and admissions testing. If your child is undecided, or leaning towards employment or an apprenticeship, ask how employer engagement is organised, what work-related learning looks like, and how the school supports applications and interviews.

Year 7 entry is coordinated by Kent County Council, with applications made through the local authority process. For September 2026 entry, the county timetable includes an application closing date of Friday 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day on Monday 2 March 2026 and the acceptance deadline on Monday 16 March 2026.

The school is oversubscribed in the available demand data. Recent figures show 957 applications for 239 offers, which is a clear signal that many families list the school and not all will be successful. Where a school is oversubscribed, the oversubscription criteria become decisive. In the school’s published admissions arrangements for the 2026 round, when places are exceeded and earlier criteria are met, allocation is based on proximity of permanent residence measured in a straight line, with the nearest offered first.

Late applications are also handled in a defined way. The school’s 2026 admissions arrangements state that late applications for Year 7 entry in 2026 are dealt with by the local authority up to the end of March, after which families need to contact the school directly.

Because the last distance offered is not available here, the most practical approach is to focus on how the criteria will operate for your address. Families considering the school should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check their location relative to the school and to compare likely competitiveness across nearby Maidstone options.

Sixth form entry

Sixth-form applications use a different route. The Kent Prospectus listing for the school shows applications opening on 10 November 2025 and closing on 6 February 2026, with an entry expectation of five GCSEs at grades 4 to 9 including English, with mathematics described as desirable. It also indicates applications are made via KentChoices.

For internal Year 11 students, the key question is how GCSE profile interacts with sixth-form course availability. For external applicants, ask how oversubscription is handled for popular subjects and what guidance is provided for subject combinations.

Pastoral strength here is most clearly expressed through consistency. Clear routines, calm corridors and predictable classroom expectations are described as helping pupils focus and behave well, including at social times.

A practical advantage of this approach is that it supports pupils who need structure to manage anxiety or transitions. It also tends to support staff wellbeing, because boundaries and routines reduce daily negotiation. For parents, the best due diligence is to ask about the pastoral model (year teams, tutors, safeguarding roles), how concerns are escalated, and how attendance and punctuality are managed, because those are often the indicators of how well a school supports families in real life.

The extracurricular offer is one of the more distinctive positives in the recent inspection evidence, because it points to breadth plus specificity, rather than a generic “lots of clubs” claim.

A wide menu of clubs and activities is described, including sports and arts, alongside more specialised options such as a Criminology club and a Raspberry Pi club. That mix matters. It suggests the school provides both mainstream access points and niche pathways for pupils who are motivated by particular interests, which can be a real driver of engagement for teenagers.

There is also an element of leadership and service in the wider programme. Pupils are described as acting as sports leaders to organise events with local primary school children. For pupils who thrive when given responsibility, this kind of structured leadership role can build confidence, communication and organisation in a way that classroom learning alone does not.

Trips are referenced as increasing in number, including local and overseas opportunities. Parents will want to ask about the practicalities: how trips are funded, what support is available for families who need help with costs, and how the school ensures trips are accessible rather than just available.

This is a large school serving Maidstone families and, for many, travel and daily logistics will shape the experience as much as curriculum. Ask about transport patterns, drop-off pressures, cycling routes and how the school manages the start and end of day for different year groups.

Because published day-to-day timings and wraparound arrangements can change over time and may vary by key stage, it is sensible to confirm the current school day structure directly with the school before relying on a particular schedule.

• Outcomes and progress signals. A Progress 8 score of -0.55 indicates below-average progress from starting points. Families should ask how improvement work is targeted, especially in subjects where outcomes have been weaker.

• Competition for Year 7 places. Demand is high in the available admissions figures, and the school’s oversubscription arrangements prioritise proximity when applications exceed places. Be realistic about how likely your address is to secure a place.

• Sixth-form fit varies by pathway. Destination measures show substantial progression into employment as well as university and apprenticeships. This can be a strength for some students, but university-focused applicants should ask for course-level guidance and support detail.

• Large-school experience. Scale supports subject breadth and activity choice, but some pupils prefer smaller settings. Consider how your child responds to busy environments and whether they benefit from structure and routine.

The Maplesden Noakes School offers a stable, well-organised comprehensive experience with a meaningful sixth form and a co-curricular programme that includes both mainstream and specialist clubs. Official evidence supports a picture of calm routines, positive relationships and pupils who feel safe.

It best suits families who want a large, mixed Maidstone secondary with clear expectations, a broad menu of activities and multiple post-16 pathways. The main trade-off is that outcomes and progress measures point to improvement still needed, so parents should scrutinise how that improvement is being delivered at department level.