School profile

The Canterbury Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Canterbury, CT2 8QA

Good

Map showing The Canterbury Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,108 of 3,312

Worse than 93% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,180 of 2,536

Worse than 85% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Canterbury Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 6 Jan 2026

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Post-16 provision
Strong standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 19
Pupils1,984
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Jon Watson
TrustTHE CANTERBURY ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityKent
Opened07 Oct 2010
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136302.

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.35.2, worse than England, worse than Kent4746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.46.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent65.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.24.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent47.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.0.4%, worse than England, worse than Kent15.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths38.2%, worse than England, worse than Kent61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4228--

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

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.26.59, worse than England, worse than Kent34.8735
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels24.85, worse than England, worse than Kent36.1435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsD+--
AAB or better1.5%, worse than England, worse than Kent17.3%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.27, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study422--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,984
Girls964
Boys1,020
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.26%
First language not English8.6%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,750
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25700
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.349
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.153
Average class size16.9

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
79.4%
Other White
5.9%
African
3.4%
Other mixed
2.6%
White and Black Caribbean
1.6%
White and Black African
1.2%
Gypsy/Roma
1%
White and Asian
1%
Other ethnic group
0.9%
Other Asian
0.8%

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 teacher15.5
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.1
Teachers (FTE)128.24
Teaching assistants (FTE)39.77
Support staff (FTE)67.05
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/25125.8
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/25106.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/258.2
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/2510.7

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.203
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.844
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.248
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.178
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)3

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 absence11.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.32.7%, worse than England, worse than Kent21.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.5.6%, worse than 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 rate5.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions3.2%
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.86.4%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.81.4%
School sixth form56.8%
Further education23.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8%
Apprenticeship3%
Employment2%
Sixth form college0.5%

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

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.74%
Employment35.5%
Higher education28.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.17.1%
Apprenticeship4.9%
Further education3.5%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 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 The Canterbury Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryThe Canterbury Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimarySt Peter's Methodist Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryWincheap Foundation Primary SchoolFoundation school
Requires improvement
0.8 miNot applicableKent College Nursery, Infant and Junior SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.9 miPrimarySt Johns Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.9 miNot applicableSt Edmund's School CanterburyOther independent school
Unrated
0.9 miNot applicableThe King's School CanterburyOther independent school
Unrated
1.0 miPrimarySt Thomas' Catholic Primary School, CanterburyVoluntary aided school
Good
1.1 miNot applicableKent College International Study CentreOther independent school
Unrated
1.1 miNot applicableKent College (Canterbury)Other independent school
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about The Canterbury Academy

What is The Canterbury Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Canterbury Academy is rated Good, last inspected on 6 Jan 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Canterbury Academy rank in England?

The Canterbury Academy ranks 3,108 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 93% of schools) and 2,180 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 85% of schools).

What are The Canterbury Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 24.1% of pupils at The Canterbury Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 35.2 (England 46.2).

What are The Canterbury Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Canterbury Academy was C-, and 1.5% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Canterbury Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Canterbury Academy made 203 offers from 844 applications (4.2 per offer), and 178 of 248 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Canterbury Academy?

The Canterbury Academy has 1,984 pupils aged 11 to 19.

What is the capacity of The Canterbury Academy?

The Canterbury Academy had 1,750 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Canterbury Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, The Canterbury Academy has a sixth form with 700 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Canterbury Academy?

At The Canterbury Academy, the average class had 16.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.5 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Canterbury Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Canterbury Academy missed 11.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 32.7% 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.