(updated 12 July 2011)

Ellington & Hereson School OFSTED 2011 Satisfactory. Excerpts: The Ellington and Hereson School is smaller than most secondary schools and is in an area where there is selective education. It opened as a Trust school in September 2009 after the amalgamation of separate boys’ and girls’ schools. Its roll is smaller than those of the two schools it replaced due to falling numbers of eligible students
in the area. Since amalgamation, most of the teaching has taken place in what was the girls’ school, newly built in 2007. Only the Year 11 boys were taught at the boys’ school site this year, but were the last students to do so. The site had been vacated by the time of the inspection. Boys and girls learn in separate classes for most lessons, with the exception of some Key Stage 4 option subjects. The school has specialist status for humanities and collaborates with a college of further education to provide Key Stage 4 courses. The great majority of students are White British and very few speak first languages other than English. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of students who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is much higher than in most schools. Government floor targets were not met in 2010. (some) Key findings: This satisfactory school has been through significant change and has established solid foundations for improvement; From low starting points, students make satisfactory progress. Attainment when they leave is below average but improving steadily, most notably in mathematics and English, and gaps in achievement between different groups are narrowing as their progress improves. Students achieve well on vocational courses; Better tracking of students’ progress and intervention when progress is slow are now embedded practice in mathematics and English but less established in other subjects; Teaching is satisfactory but inconsistent; Most students, and their parents and carers, say they feel safe and enjoy the new school; Behaviour in lessons is satisfactory. It is sometimes good, but students easily become restless when lessons are not engaging. Attendance is below average and improving, although the school is not fully engaging some parents and carers whose children attend poorly; The headteacher and senior team have steered the school securely through turbulent times. Most parents and carers take a positive view of school, but a significant minority have concerns over the level of communication with them about their children’s learning and about behaviour in lessons.

Folkestone School for Girls operates its own Independent Appeal Panel. Appeals are heard over an extended period, results often being given some time later (2010 entry). Shares an Executive Headteacher with the Marsh Academy at New Romney. Usually has a number of vacancies.

Fulston Manor School Sittingbourne. Outstanding OFSTED Report. Heavily oversubscribed. Uses an Independent Appeal Panel Administrator. 83 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010 and also coincidentally 2011. Became an Academy in October 2011.