School profile

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre

Secondary · Academy converter · Ashford, TN24 9AL

Requires improvement

Map showing Towers School and Sixth Form Centre

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,269 of 3,312

Worse than 68% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,933 of 2,536

Worse than 76% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 15 Oct 2024

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 19
Pupils1,538
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Tara McVey
TrustTOWERS SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityKent
Opened01 Apr 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136583.

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.42.4, worse than England, worse than Kent4746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.59.6%, worse than England, worse than Kent65.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.37.7%, worse than England, worse than Kent47.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.7.3%, worse than England, worse than Kent15.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths50%, worse than England, worse than Kent61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4260--

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 10.29.02, worse than England, worse than Kent34.8735
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels28.57, worse than England, worse than Kent36.1435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better14.3%, worse than England, similar to Kent17.3%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.04, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study110--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist---

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 pupils1,538
Girls828
Boys710
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.28.6%
First language not English11.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,664
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.7.6%
Sixth form places2024/25440
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.177
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.30
Average class size21.8

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
75.4%
Other White
4.5%
African
4%
Other mixed
2%
Other Asian
1.7%
White and Black Caribbean
1.6%
White and Asian
1.6%
Other ethnic group
1.3%
Indian
1.2%
Other Black
1.2%

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 teacher15.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.6
Teachers (FTE)100.36
Teaching assistants (FTE)27.61
Support staff (FTE)77.81
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/25104
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2591.4
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/258

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.240
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.838
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.242
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.207
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)2

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 absence9.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.28.9%, worse than England, worse than Kent21.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.3%, similar to England, similar to 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 rate18.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions8.6%
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.91.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.84.9%
School sixth form42.2%
Further education42.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.2%
Employment3.6%
Apprenticeship3.2%
Sixth form college0.4%

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.82.2%
Employment36.7%
Higher education31.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12.2%
Apprenticeship8.9%
Further education4.4%

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 Towers School and Sixth Form Centre
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimaryKennington Church of England AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.3 miPrimaryDowns View Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miPrimaryGoat Lees Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryPhoenix Community Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
1.5 miPrimarySt Teresa's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.6 miSecondaryHighworth Grammar SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.7 miNot applicableAshford SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.7 miNot applicableSpring Grove School 2003 LtdOther independent school
Unrated
1.8 miPrimaryAshford, St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.8 miPrimaryRepton Manor Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Towers School and Sixth Form Centre

What is Towers School and Sixth Form Centre's Ofsted rating?

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 15 Oct 2024. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Towers School and Sixth Form Centre rank in England?

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre ranks 2,269 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 68% of schools) and 1,933 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 76% of schools).

What are Towers School and Sixth Form Centre's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 37.7% of pupils at Towers School and Sixth Form Centre got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 42.4 (England 46.2).

What are Towers School and Sixth Form Centre's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Towers School and Sixth Form Centre was C, and 14.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Towers School and Sixth Form Centre?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Towers School and Sixth Form Centre made 240 offers from 838 applications (3.5 per offer), and 207 of 242 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Towers School and Sixth Form Centre?

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre has 1,538 pupils aged 11 to 19.

What is the capacity of Towers School and Sixth Form Centre?

Towers School and Sixth Form Centre had 1,664 school places in 2024/25.

Does Towers School and Sixth Form Centre have a sixth form?

Yes, Towers School and Sixth Form Centre has a sixth form with 440 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Towers School and Sixth Form Centre?

At Towers School and Sixth Form Centre, the average class had 21.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Towers School and Sixth Form Centre?

In 2025/26, pupils at Towers School and Sixth Form Centre missed 9.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 28.9% 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.