School profile

King Ethelbert School

Secondary · Academy converter · Birchington, CT7 9BL

Good

Map showing King Ethelbert School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,823 of 3,312

Worse than 85% of schools in England

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

King Ethelbert School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 4 Jun 2024

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils845
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Tom Sellen
TrustCOASTAL ACADEMIES TRUST
Local authorityKent
Opened01 Apr 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136584.

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.38.7, worse than England, worse than Kent4746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.50.3%, worse than England, worse than Kent65.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.25.5%, worse than England, worse than Kent47.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.2.8%, worse than England, worse than Kent15.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths46.9%, worse than England, worse than Kent61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4145--

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 pupils845
Girls399
Boys446
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.37.8%
First language not English6%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.870
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.2.9%
Sixth form places2024/25120
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.167
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.35
Average class size21.6

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
87.6%
Other White
3%
Other mixed
2%
White and Black Caribbean
1.5%
White and Black African
0.8%
White and Asian
0.7%
Indian
0.6%
Other Asian
0.6%
Other ethnic group
0.6%
Irish
0.4%

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 teacher16
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.8
Teachers (FTE)52.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.65
Support staff (FTE)28.93
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2553.9
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2547.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253

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.150
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.537
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.144
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.127
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 absence10.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.29.2%, worse than England, worse than Kent21.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.4%, 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 rate15.1%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.1%
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.91.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.85.5%
School sixth form45.7%
Further education37.7%
Apprenticeship4.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.2.9%
Employment1.4%
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 King Ethelbert School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miSecondaryUrsuline CollegeAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Saviour's Church of England Junior SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.6 miPrimarySt Crispin's Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.8 miPrimaryBirchington Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.7 miPrimaryGarlinge Primary School and NurseryFoundation school
Good

Frequently asked questions about King Ethelbert School

What is King Ethelbert School's Ofsted rating?

King Ethelbert School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 4 Jun 2024.

How does King Ethelbert School rank in England?

King Ethelbert School ranks 2,823 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 85% of schools).

What are King Ethelbert School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 25.5% of pupils at King Ethelbert School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 38.7 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into King Ethelbert School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, King Ethelbert School made 150 offers from 537 applications (3.6 per offer), and 127 of 144 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend King Ethelbert School?

King Ethelbert School has 845 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of King Ethelbert School?

King Ethelbert School had 870 school places in 2024/25.

Does King Ethelbert School have a sixth form?

Yes, King Ethelbert School has a sixth form with 120 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at King Ethelbert School?

At King Ethelbert School, the average class had 21.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at King Ethelbert School?

In 2025/26, pupils at King Ethelbert School missed 10.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 29.2% 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.