School profile

Orion Spires

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Canterbury, CT2 0HD

Good

Map showing Orion Spires

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,758 of 3,312

Worse than 83% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Orion Spires Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 10 Jan 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils620
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Ricky Archer
TrustORION EDUCATION
Local authorityKent
Opened01 Sept 2007
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 135305.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.39.2, worse than England, worse than Kent4746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.51.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent65.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.31.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent47.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.3.7%, worse than England, worse than Kent15.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths43.7%, worse than England, worse than Kent61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4135--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils620
Girls319
Boys301
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.43.7%
First language not English9.4%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.750
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.17.3%
Sixth form places2020/21100
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.110
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.35
Average class size23.9

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
80.2%
Other White
3.7%
African
2.7%
Gypsy/Roma
2.3%
Other mixed
1.8%
Other Asian
1.3%
Indian
1.1%
Chinese
1%
Other ethnic group
1%
White and Black Caribbean
0.6%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.7
Teachers (FTE)40.74
Teaching assistants (FTE)7.31
Support staff (FTE)23.92
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2546.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2535.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/257

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.106
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.268
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.76
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.76
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Overall absence9.2%, worse than England, worse than Kent7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.29.3%, worse than England, worse than Kent21.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.9%, similar to England, worse than Kent3.2%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate30.1%
Pupils with one or more suspensions14.2%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.82.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.77.7%
Further education53.2%
School sixth form23%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.10.1%
Apprenticeship4.3%
Employment0.7%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Orion Spires
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miPrimaryWater Meadows Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.0 miPrimarySturry Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.5 miNot applicableJunior King's SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.7 miPrimaryHoath Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Orion Spires

What is Orion Spires' Ofsted rating?

Orion Spires is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 10 Jan 2023.

How does Orion Spires rank in England?

Orion Spires ranks 2,758 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 83% of schools).

What are Orion Spires' GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 31.1% of pupils at Orion Spires got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 39.2 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Orion Spires?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Orion Spires made 106 offers from 268 applications (2.5 per offer), and 76 of 76 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Orion Spires?

Orion Spires has 620 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Orion Spires?

Orion Spires had 750 school places in 2024/25.

Does Orion Spires have a sixth form?

Yes, Orion Spires has a sixth form with 100 places in 2020/21.

How big are classes at Orion Spires?

At Orion Spires, the average class had 23.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Orion Spires?

In 2025/26, pupils at Orion Spires missed 9.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 29.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.