School profile

The Holmesdale School

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Snodland, ME6 5HS

Good

Map showing The Holmesdale School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,693 of 3,312

Worse than 81% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,534 of 2,536

Worse than 99% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Holmesdale School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 1 Apr 2025

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 18
Pupils606
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Glenn Prebble
TrustSWALE ACADEMIES TRUST
Local authorityKent
Opened01 Sept 2022
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 147897.

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.39.7, worse than England, worse than Kent4746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.58.4%, worse than England, worse than Kent65.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.22.1%, worse than England, worse than Kent47.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.3.9%, worse than England, worse than Kent15.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths55.8%, worse than England, worse than Kent61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 477--

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 10.5, worse than England, worse than Kent34.8735
Average A-level gradeE---
Average grade, best three A-levelsz--
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-1.22, worse than England--
A-level progressWell below average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study32--
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 pupils606
Girls323
Boys283
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.35.5%
First language not English4%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,097
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.44.8%
Sixth form places2024/25197
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.118
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.7
Average class size23.4

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
89.1%
African
2.1%
Other mixed
2%
Other White
1.8%
White and Black Caribbean
0.8%
Indian
0.8%
Other Asian
0.7%
Other ethnic group
0.7%
White and Asian
0.5%
Other Black
0.5%

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 teacher14.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.2
Teachers (FTE)41.12
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.26
Support staff (FTE)22.2
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2543.3
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2536.7
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253.2
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.4

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.151
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.221
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.104
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.104
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)52

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 absence8.1%, similar to England, similar to Kent7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.23.7%, worse than England, similar to Kent21.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.6%, 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 rate34.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions10.2%
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.81.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.73.2%
Further education46.3%
School sixth form25.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.13.4%
Apprenticeship4.9%
Employment3.7%
Sixth form college0%

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.79.2%
Employment41.7%
Higher education20.8%
Apprenticeship16.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.16.7%
Further education0%

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 Holmesdale School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimarySt Katherine's School & NurseryAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.5 miPrimarySnodland CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryValley Invicta Primary School at Holborough LakesAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
1.5 miPrimaryHalling Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.5 miPrimaryLunsford Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.5 miPrimaryBrookfield Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.5 miPrimaryBrookfield Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miPrimaryLeybourne, St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.7 miPrimaryWouldham, All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.8 miPrimarySt Mark's Church of England Primary School, EcclesAcademy converter
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about The Holmesdale School

What is The Holmesdale School's Ofsted rating?

The Holmesdale School is rated Good, last inspected on 1 Apr 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Holmesdale School rank in England?

The Holmesdale School ranks 2,693 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 81% of schools) and 2,534 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 99% of schools).

What are The Holmesdale School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 22.1% of pupils at The Holmesdale School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 39.7 (England 46.2).

What are The Holmesdale School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Holmesdale School was E-.

How hard is it to get into The Holmesdale School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Holmesdale School made 151 offers from 221 applications (1.5 per offer), and 104 of 104 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Holmesdale School?

The Holmesdale School has 606 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Holmesdale School?

The Holmesdale School had 1,097 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Holmesdale School have a sixth form?

Yes, The Holmesdale School has a sixth form with 197 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Holmesdale School?

At The Holmesdale School, the average class had 23.4 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 14.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Holmesdale School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Holmesdale School missed 8.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 23.7% 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.