The Sittingbourne School Review 2026: A large, mixed 11 to 19 academy with strong personal development structures and a broad sixth form offer

This is a big, mixed secondary with a sixth form, serving Sittingbourne and the surrounding villages. Scale is part of the story. With a published capacity of 1,350 places and an 11 to 19 age range, it is designed to take a wide range of learners and keep options open well beyond GCSE.

Leadership has been stable in recent years. Nick Smith has been headteacher since (and appointed from) April 2021, following a period of staffing and leadership change noted in the most recent inspection report.

The quality headline is clear. The latest Ofsted inspection (21 to 22 March 2023) judged the school Good overall, with Good grades across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.

The school’s culture leans heavily into personal development and inclusion, and there is unusually explicit structure around these themes. Ofsted describes a climate of high aspiration for all pupils, including those in specially resourced provision for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), where leaders adapt curriculum pathways to meet need.

There is also a strongly articulated stance on tolerance and on tackling discrimination. The inspection report records pupils describing themselves as tolerant and supportive, and it highlights established channels for reporting discrimination, racism and bullying (referred to in-school as DRB). It also points to character education and personal development lessons as the main vehicle for challenging intolerance, including pupils being able to request topics they want to learn more about, such as recently introduced learning about personal finance.

On the student side, these themes are not confined to posters and assemblies. The school’s own information describes a formal LGBTQ+ inclusion lead, mentor support, and a Pride club that brings together pupils from different year groups, alongside student ambassadors who support work across key stages. The same page also references Rainbow Flag Award status and a gender-neutral uniform approach.

Behaviour, in day-to-day terms, is described as largely settled. The inspection report notes calm movement around the site and few incidents of bullying, alongside clear routines and practical organisation such as year group zones. The important nuance is that this is a large school and leaders are managing behaviour at scale, so routines and consistency matter.

Headline outcomes in this review are presented using the FindMySchool ranking and metrics dataset, which draws on official performance data. These figures should be read as a snapshot rather than a verdict on individual children, but they do help families compare options fairly.

At GCSE level, the school’s most recent dataset places it at 3,692nd in England and 5th in Sittingbourne for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). On that measure, results sit below England average, falling within the bottom 40% band of schools in England for GCSE performance.

The underlying attainment and progress picture helps explain that positioning. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 33.2, and its Progress 8 score is -0.7. Progress 8 is designed to compare pupils with similar prior attainment, so a negative figure indicates that, on average, pupils made less progress than pupils nationally with similar starting points.

Sixth form outcomes show a similar pattern within the FindMySchool A-level dataset. The school is ranked 2,079th in England and 3rd in Sittingbourne for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), again placing results below England average within the bottom 40% band.

A-level grades indicate: 1.52% at A*, 10.61% at A, 19.70% at B, and 31.82% at A* to B. For families, that typically translates into a sixth form where outcomes can support a wide range of next steps, but where the very top end profile is not the dominant story in the way it is for highly selective sixth forms.

The most useful teaching detail in the evidence base is how leaders have organised curriculum and assessment across a large school, including vocational routes. Ofsted describes a carefully planned curriculum from Year 7 through to sixth form, with knowledge and skills mapped out for all pupils, including those with SEND.

A distinctive feature is the explicit reference to vocational pathways. The inspection report notes that sixth form students can study a broad range of academic and vocational subjects, including at the school’s Skills Centre, and it also references off-site provision used for some pupils in partnership with other schools in the trust.

Assessment practice is described as improving and increasingly precise. Inspectors report that staff use varied methods to check what pupils know and understand, and that leaders are using assessment information to identify gaps and target future teaching, with the approach described as especially well developed in English and mathematics. In sixth form, students are described as receiving more tailored support and being clear on what they need to do to improve.

Reading is singled out as a whole-school priority, with weekly opportunities for pupils to develop reading as part of personal development provision, alongside additional support for pupils who struggle to read fluently.

Language and academic breadth is an area where the inspection report is both positive and direct. Leaders are described as having increased modern foreign language take-up, but inspectors also note that too few pupils take the full set of subjects associated with the English Baccalaureate measure.

Where Students Go Next

The most important contextual point is that this is a sixth-form school with mixed destinations. It is not trying to be a single-track university pipeline, and the evidence supports that.

For the 2023 to 2024 leaver cohort (cohort size 87), the dataset indicates 26% progressed to university, 45% moved into employment, and 5% started apprenticeships. This distribution suggests a sixth form that supports both higher education and direct transition into the labour market, including technical and work-ready routes, which aligns with the school’s emphasis on vocational options and careers preparation.

Oxbridge is present but in small numbers. In the measurement period used there were 2 applications to Oxford or Cambridge combined, leading to 1 place accepted, recorded under Cambridge. For some families this will be reassuring rather than disappointing, because it suggests high aspiration exists, but the school remains focused on a wide set of post-18 destinations rather than a narrow elite track.

Careers education is a clear pillar in the official evidence. The inspection report describes a well-considered careers programme, including in the sixth form, and references leaders widening pupils’ awareness of career options.

Entry to Year 7 is coordinated through Kent County Council rather than direct application to the school. The school’s admissions information confirms a published admissions number of 270 for Year 7 intake, and it states that applications follow the local authority timetable.

Demand looks high. In the most recent dataset, there were 809 applications for 265 offers, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed, equating to 3.05 applications per offered place. A first-preference pressure indicator of 1.03 suggests that first-choice demand is broadly in line with places but slightly higher, which is consistent with a popular local school where securing a place can be competitive depending on year-to-year patterns.

For September 2026 Year 7 entry, Kent County Council’s published timetable states that applications opened 01 September 2025 and closed 31 October 2025, with offers released on 02 March 2026 and the accept or refuse deadline on 16 March 2026. Families reading this in 2026 should note that the on-time deadline has already passed, but late applications and in-year applications still run through the local authority process.

Sixth form entry is open to internal and external applicants. The school directs students to apply through the Kent Choices process, and the Kent Prospectus listing for the provider sets out an applications opening date of 03 November 2025 and a closing date of 24 July 2026 for the 2026 entry cycle.

A practical tip for families is to use the FindMySchool Map Search when comparing likely eligibility for oversubscribed schools, and to keep a shortlist organised in Saved Schools while you track open events, forms, and deadlines across multiple options.

Pastoral support is closely tied to the school’s personal development model. The inspection report describes character education lessons that give pupils structured space to discuss ethical issues and sensitive topics, and it references planned activities aimed at building resilience, alongside support for mental health and wellbeing.

Safeguarding is clearly stated as effective in the inspection evidence, including staff training, detailed record keeping, and prompt action when concerns arise, with pupils taught how to keep themselves safe, including online.

The caution for parents is that wellbeing is linked to attendance and behaviour systems. Inspectors note that persistent absence and the frequency of suspensions were affecting some pupils’ learning at the time of inspection, and that this work was ongoing. For families considering the school, it is sensible to explore how attendance support, behaviour intervention, and reintegration work in practice, particularly if a child is anxious about school or has had attendance challenges previously.

The school positions enrichment as part of its wider development offer, and there are concrete examples in both official and school sources.

One clear strand is student leadership and inclusion work. The LGBTQ+ provision is not presented only as policy; it includes a Pride club, mentor support, and student ambassadors delivering assemblies across key stages. This matters because it creates peer-led visibility and gives pupils social permission to talk about identity and respect, while also supporting those who need a safe space.

Performing arts also has identifiable shape. The Dance department describes distinct clubs and mixed year-group dance companies from Year 8, spanning styles including contemporary, lyrical, street, and musical theatre, with sixth form students involved in leadership. For pupils who thrive on performance and structured rehearsal, this can become a major anchor in school life, not just an occasional showcase.

For outdoor and challenge-based activities, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is offered, with Bronze aimed at Years 9 and 10, and Silver aimed at Years 11 and 12. The programme description highlights volunteering, skills, physical recreation, and expedition elements, and it is led by a named DofE lead. This route suits pupils who respond well to long-term goals and practical independence.

The school also states that after-school extracurricular activities run each night and are free, which matters in a state school context because it reduces barriers to participation.

The school day is clearly set out. Tutor and personal development time runs from 8.35am to 8.55am, and the final period ends at 3.10pm, with six 50-minute lessons and a two-week timetable cycle.

Term dates are published on the school website, including the 2025 to 2026 year and an outline for 2026 to 2027. This helps families planning childcare and travel well in advance.

Transport information on the school website indicates that many students use public transport, and the school provides guidance for bus and rail travel. Practical arrangements can change, so parents should treat published transport pages as a starting point and confirm the current approach during transition events.

As a state school, there are no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual extras such as uniform, equipment, trips, and optional activities.

• Results profile. The school’s FindMySchool rankings place GCSE and A-level outcomes below England average. For some students this will be entirely appropriate, especially where vocational routes, strong pastoral structures, and consistent routines matter more than a highly academic peer group. For others, particularly the most academic learners, it is worth exploring stretch, setting, and high prior attainer support.

• Attendance and suspension context. The latest inspection identifies persistent absence and the frequency of suspensions as areas that were impacting some pupils’ learning, and it sets expectations for continued improvement work. Families should ask clear questions about attendance support, behaviour intervention, and reintegration after suspension.

• Academic breadth at Key Stage 4. Inspectors note that too few pupils take the full combination of subjects associated with the EBacc measure, even though modern foreign language participation has increased. If your child is aiming for a more traditional academic suite, ask how options are guided and what support exists for languages.

• Competition for places. The admissions dataset indicates oversubscription, with roughly three applications per offered place in the most recent year captured. Families should keep backup options and track deadlines closely.

The Sittingbourne School suits families looking for a large, mixed 11 to 19 academy where personal development is deliberately structured and inclusion work is visible, including clear mechanisms for tackling discrimination and supporting identity. The sixth form and Skills Centre model, alongside destinations that include university, apprenticeships, and employment, point to a school that takes multiple routes seriously rather than promoting a single definition of success.

Best suited to students who respond well to clear routines and a curriculum that balances academic and vocational pathways, and to families who will engage closely with attendance and behaviour expectations. The main constraint for many households will be admissions competition, so disciplined planning around the Kent timetable is essential.