School profile

The Abbey School

Secondary · Academy converter · Faversham, ME13 8RZ

Requires improvement

Map showing The Abbey School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,022 of 3,312

Worse than 91% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,309 of 2,536

Worse than 91% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Abbey School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 13 Jan 2026

Area360 rating
Requires improvement
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Needs attention
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
Pupils1,061 of 1,443 places
GenderMixed
Head teacherDr Rowland Speller
TrustTHE HOWARD ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityKent
Opened01 Apr 2023
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 149893.

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 score36.74746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and maths56%65.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and maths27.5%47.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and maths2.9%15.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths45.9%61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4207--

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 entry24.5934.8735
Average A-level gradeD+--
Average grade, best three A-levelsc--
A-level progress score-0.44--
A-level progressBelow average--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study51--
Average applied general gradeDist---

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

Pupils

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils1,061
Girls517
Boys544
Eligible for free school meals38.2%
First language not English9.4%
SEN support163
EHC plan73
Average class size19.9

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Pupils ethnicity

White British
81.1%
Other White
6.2%
African
5.5%
Gypsy/Roma
1.1%
Other mixed
1.1%
White and Asian
1%
White and Black Caribbean
0.9%
Other ethnic group
0.7%
Traveller of Irish heritage
0.3%
White and Black African
0.3%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed. Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means missing 50% or more.

MeasureThis schoolKentEngland
Overall absence12.5%7.8%8%
Persistent absence36.1%21.9%21.6%
Severe absence8.5%3.2%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 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)168
Applications (Year 7)314
First preference applications (Year 7)119
First preference offers (Year 7)119
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.

Capacity

2024/25
MeasureThis school
School places1,443
Pupils on roll1,111
Unfilled places23%
Sixth form places393
Sixth form pupils on roll97

Source: DfE, School capacity, Academic year 2024/25, published 19 Mar 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.9
Pupils per adult14
Teachers (FTE)62.84
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.71
Support staff (FTE)69.12
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2566.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2551.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255.1
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/259.2

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25
MeasureThis school
Suspension rate30.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions13.2%
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 destination89.7%
Staying in education81.5%
Further education42.6%
School sixth form36.9%
Not sustained5.6%
Apprenticeship4.1%
Employment4.1%
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 destination86%
Higher education38%
Employment36%
Apprenticeship6%
Not sustained6%
Further education4%

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 Abbey School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimaryEthelbert Road Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryOspringe Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt Mary of Charity CofE (Aided) Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.9 miSecondaryQueen Elizabeth's Grammar SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryDavington Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryBysing Wood Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.4 miNot applicableLorenden Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.7 miPrimaryLuddenham SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Abbey School

What is The Abbey School's Ofsted rating?

The Abbey School is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 13 Jan 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Abbey School rank in England?

The Abbey School ranks 3,022 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 91% of schools) and 2,309 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 91% of schools).

How many pupils attend The Abbey School?

The Abbey School has 1,061 pupils aged 11 to 19, with capacity for 1,443.

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.