School profile

The North School

Secondary · Academy converter · Ashford, TN24 8AL

Good

Map showing The North School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,735 of 3,312

Worse than 82% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,778 of 2,536

Worse than 70% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The North School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 26 Sept 2017

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 19
Pupils1,237
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Clair Ellerby
TrustSWALE ACADEMIES TRUST
Local authorityKent
Opened01 Jan 2022
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 148712.

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.39.4, worse than England, worse than Kent4746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.51.8%, worse than England, worse than Kent65.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.31.8%, worse than England, worse than Kent47.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.3.6%, worse than England, worse than Kent15.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths47.3%, worse than England, worse than Kent61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4220--

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 10.30.34, worse than England, worse than Kent34.8735
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels34.35, similar to England, similar to Kent36.1435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better21.7%, better than England, better than Kent17.3%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.47, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study86--
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 pupils1,237
Girls571
Boys666
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.33.5%
First language not English16.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,653
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.25.2%
Sixth form places2024/25275
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.195
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.69
Average class size22.5

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
72.5%
African
5.7%
Other White
4.3%
Other Asian
4%
Other mixed
3.6%
Indian
2.9%
White and Black Caribbean
1.1%
Other Black
1%
Caribbean
0.8%
Other ethnic group
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 teacher16
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.1
Teachers (FTE)77.39
Teaching assistants (FTE)22.37
Support staff (FTE)56.78
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2581.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2571.5
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/257.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

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.206
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.696
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.197
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.170
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 absence9.3%, worse than England, worse than Kent7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.24.9%, worse than England, worse than Kent21.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.4%, 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 rate15.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.2%
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.90%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.85.8%
Further education56.4%
School sixth form28.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.6%
Apprenticeship2.4%
Employment1.9%
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.78.9%
Higher education38.6%
Employment33.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.17.5%
Apprenticeship7%
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 North School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miSecondaryThe Norton Knatchbull SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miNot applicableAshford SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.7 miPrimaryVictoria Road Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryWillesborough Junior SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryWillesborough Infant SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryEast Stour Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryAshford, St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.2 miSecondaryHighworth Grammar SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.2 miPrimarySt Teresa's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimarySt Simon of England Roman Catholic Primary School, AshfordAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The North School

What is The North School's Ofsted rating?

The North School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 26 Sept 2017.

How does The North School rank in England?

The North School ranks 2,735 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 82% of schools) and 1,778 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 70% of schools).

What are The North School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 31.8% of pupils at The North School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 39.4 (England 46.2).

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

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The North School was C, and 21.7% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The North School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The North School made 206 offers from 696 applications (3.4 per offer), and 170 of 197 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The North School?

The North School has 1,237 pupils aged 11 to 19.

What is the capacity of The North School?

The North School had 1,653 school places in 2024/25.

Does The North School have a sixth form?

Yes, The North School has a sixth form with 275 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The North School?

At The North School, the average class had 22.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The North School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The North School missed 9.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 24.9% 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.