Last Update: November 2011)

Castle Commmunity College (Deal) OFSTED Outstanding school. Became a 'new' Academy, on 1st October 2010. Was slightly oversubscribed in March 2010 for 2010 entry. Falling rolls in the area are seen as the school has vacancies for 2011 entry.

Canterbury High School. Heavily oversubscribed. Is in Federation with Canterbury Primary School, and  several sporting centres providing excellent facilities. Children at Canterbury Primary (Previously Beauherne Primary) have priority for admission after Children in Care and 15% of places going to children with musical ability. The Federation of the two schools is now an Academy. Second highest number of permanent exclusions (9) in Kent September - Easter 2010/11. (Highest also a new academy). 57 first choices oversubscribed for September 2011, but well worth appealing - all 22 appeals were successful for 2010 entry.

Charles Dickens School, Broadstairs. OFSTED May 2011 found it a good school: "The Charles Dickens School is a larger-than-average secondary school. It is a non-selective school in an area which operates a policy of selection by ability. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is below average. The main group represented in the school is of White British heritage. The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is lower than that found nationally. The proportion of students who, when they join the school, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, is well-above average. These cover a wide range of additional needs. The school has a visually impaired unit which caters for a small number of students. The school first gained specialist status as a mathematics and computing school in 2006. It provides a number of vocational courses in partnership with two other local providers. At the time of the inspection, the school had just completed a move into new, or extensively refurbished, buildings". Excerpt from judgment follows: "This school continues to give its students a good standard of education. The new premises provide an attractive and stimulating learning environment. However, the redevelopment process has been lengthy and has been subject to some considerable delays. Students throughout the school, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress, particularly in the core areas of English and mathematics. The quality of teaching is good, although leaders recognise the need to ensure that more is outstanding in order to improve students' achievement still further. Students, including those who are potentially vulnerable due to their circumstances, receive excellent care, guidance and support. Those who are visually impaired benefit a great deal from dedicated and expert staff who help to ensure that they are fully included in school life. Students like and respect their new school buildings. They behave well, and say that they feel safe in school. Students make a good contribution to the school and wider community, and a high proportion of potentially vulnerable students take on positions of responsibility. Heavily oversubscribed. 82 first choices turned away in 2009, 53 initially in March 2010 and 30 in 2011.

Chatham House and Clarendon House Grammar Schools (The Federation of Ramsgate Grammar Schools) The two Thanet grammar schools become a Federation in the light of falling rolls in Thanet in September 2009 and are now a 'Gove' Academy. The combined sixth form of some 500 students provides scope for new teaching options and specialities.  Following the controversy at Chatham House last year, when it selected boys on high scores, the Federation with Clarendon House has reverted to a more traditional set of oversubscription criteria for admission in September 2011. This gives priority, after siblings, to eligible students who live within Thanet, Broomfield, Chestfield, Herne, Herne Bay, Reculver, Swalecliffe and Whitstable areas (defined by a map), those living closest to the school having priority. Chatham House was oversubscribed for admission in September 2010, but all local eligible boys were successful on appeal. Chatham House just about full for 2011 entry, but as in previous years likely to take additional boys on appeal. Clarendon House again has spaces.

Chaucer Technology College Canterbury. OFSTED May 2011, Satisfactory. Excerpts follow. Description of school: "The school has more students on roll than the average for this type of school. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is much higher than the national average. This proportion includes relatively few with a statement of special educational needs. The percentage of students from minority ethnic groups is below the national average, as is the percentage who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national figure. The school has specialist technology status". Some key judgements: " Chaucer Technology School provides a satisfactory quality of education. It is improving rapidly, and has improved especially over the last two years. Since the last inspection, under the strong leadership of the Principal and new senior leadership team, significant changes have taken place. These changes are already having a positive impact on the quality of students' education, even though they are not yet fully embedded in the practice of all staff. Students' low attainment, particularly in mathematics, is largely related to previous levels of underachievement. Progress and achievement are now satisfactory and gaining pace quickly and securely. As a result, attainment is rising strongly. In some subjects, such as English literature and drama, progress is good. Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve as well as others because of the carefully targeted intervention and quality of support provided. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, so that there is now more good teaching than there was before. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. The curriculum has also been improved and is now good because the range of courses provided better matches the needs and interests of students. The behaviour of students around the school and in lessons is most often good, but is satisfactory overall as some misbehaviour disturbs a very small minority of lessons. Students are welcoming and polite. Attendance levels are low because a high proportion of students are persistently absent. Nevertheless, the school is taking strong and effective steps to tackle this issue, thus halving the number of students with poor attendance so far this academic year. The quality of care, guidance and support has improved and is now good" The school usually makes offers to all applicants and popularity has slumped with 96 free spaces for 2011 entry, probably related to previous problems, highlighted by OFSTED and now perhaps resolved.

Community College Whitstable. OFSTED 2011 shows a much improved school on previous years, and it is given a Good Assessment. Excerpt from Report: Information about the school. The college is an average-sized non-selective school in a selective area. Students are predominantly of White British heritage and the proportion of students with English as an additional language is below average. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above the national average, although the number with a statement of special educational needs is well below average. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The college has specialist mathematics and computing status and has gained an International School Award. Main findingsThe Community College Whitstable is a good school. Strong leadership and management at all levels have brought about significant key improvements since the college was last inspected. The college’s leadership team is clear about what needs to be done to improve further, and the governing body makes a strong contribution to ensure that the work of the college is kept constantly under review. As a result, outcomes for students of all abilities are good and improving. Attainment is broadly average and students make increasingly good progress on the basis of their prior attainment, which is often low. Unvalidated data from the 2011 examination results and the robust assessment evidence relating to current Year 11 students confirm that attainment is rising and that learning and progress are good. The proportion of students attaining five or more A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics, is rising at a faster rate than seen nationally. The quality of teaching and learning is at the heart of improved performance, and the college’s drive for high-quality teaching is evident in the continual and very successful review of classroom practice, based upon close monitoring and evaluation of outcomes. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is now good overall. An increasing number of lessons are outstanding and there are very few which are inadequate.Teachers and other college staff know students very well as individuals, and outstanding care, guidance and support contribute greatly to students’ security, enjoyment, participation and achievement. Behaviour is good and students say it has improved significantly, with reducing numbers of exclusions. Attendance is improving and is now average, with a decreasing number of persistent absentees. Student Inclusion Leaders work relentlessly with students to encourage attendance at college, making use of home visits, personalised timetables and, in exceptional circumstances, the use of penalty notices.The headteacher and senior leadership team are passionate, determined and effective. Their vision for the college is shared by staff, students and the community, as well as member of the governing body who are effective in supporting and challenging the college as a result of their regular monitoring visits. Engagement with parents and carers is outstanding and the college makes every effort to ensure their involvement and their commitment. Safeguarding is outstanding; the college is recognised as a beacon of exemplary practice, offering support and advice to neighbouring schools and colleges. Outcomes for students in the sixth form are currently satisfactory but, as a result of improved provision, attainment and progress are now on an upward trend. There is a culture of high expectations and an impressive track record of improvement which, together with the college’s accurate assessment of its own strengths and priorities, means that the college has a good capacity to continue to improve.

Cornwallis Academy, Maidstone This was formed from the Cornwallis School, previously a heavily oversubscribed successful secondary school in south Maidstone. The Academy is being rebuilt at a cost of some £31 million, building having started in 2009. The Academy places great emphasis on technology. The Academy linked up with the failing Senacre and Oldborough Manor Schools and is now federated with their replacement (see below) the New Line Learning Academy, under one Governing Body. Details are here. March 2010 OFSTED found the Academy was good with some outstanding features.

The Appeal Panel for 2009 had to deal with a large number of appeals because of its chance of oversubscription criteria, but some parents found alternatives and in the end, the Panel sensibly decided in view of the evidence presented to them, that the Academy could cope with places for all appellants. It remains to be seen if this can be repeated when the Academy takes over its new premises. 30 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010, but all appeals were successful. 27 first choice oversubscribed in March 2011.

Cranbrook School. Entry at 13+. Grammar School with many boarders, often from private schools. A maximum of 92 places available for day students, a high proportion being taken up by pupils from local private schools who specialise in coaching for the school's own tests. The School Admission policy states that the selection tests are as follows: "Candidates take an objective test set by NFER and the school also sets supplementary papers in Mathematics and English. The objective NFER test is the primary test". There is no indication of how candidates are selected from the results of these tests. There have been a number of successful complaints to the Ombudsman over admission appeals. Outstanding, OFSTED 2011. Excerpts: Cranbrook School is a smaller than average secondary school educating students from Year 9 to Year 13. The sixth form constitutes two fifths of the student population. Students are selected to join the school which means their attainment on entry in Year 9 is well above average. The school was awarded specialist status in science in 2004 and is also a designated training school. A third of students are boarders but the boarding provision was not assessed during this inspection. Cranbrook School is an outstanding school. Students' achievement is outstanding and students benefit from outstanding levels of care, guidance and support, and a richly diverse curriculum. Students exhibit mature attitudes to learning, to one another as fellow students and have a good rapport with staff. Students' behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the school, and their strong work ethic helps them achieve exceedingly well. Students are courteous and polite; the inspection team were impressed by the welcome from students. Students are excellent ambassadors for Cranbrook School and leaders are rightly proud of their students. Through the combination of consistently good teaching, an outstanding curriculum and excellent care, guidance and support, students make outstanding progress to achieve results at GCSE, AS and A level which exceed those found nationally, a trend sustained for the last three years. The proportion of students attaining five or more GCSEs at A* to C grades including English and mathematics is well above national average, reaching 100% in 2008 and 2009 and 99% in 2010. Attainment of the higher grades of A* and A is equally impressively sustained at 60%. The quality of teaching is good overall, but some lessons do not provide sufficient opportunity for students to develop independence as learners. The quality of marking is too variable and not all students receive detailed guidance about how to improve. The curriculum is an outstanding feature of the school's provision and makes a significant contribution to students' progress. A good range of GCSE courses is complemented by vocational pathways delivered in partnership with a local school. Cranbrook School has an outstanding sixth form where student achievement is high. As a dynamic duo, the new joint heads of sixth form challenge one another as 'critical friends' and set high expectations for teaching. As a result, teaching is good and continually improving. Students are increasingly challenged to undertake independent research and engage in high levels of critical debate. The headteacher and senior leaders have grasped the nettle to eradicate inadequate teaching.