(updated Jun 2011)
Hartsdown Technology College, Margate. Some of the worst school buildings in the county, and sadly the biggest casualty of the aborted BSF project, with a large number of vacancies for 2011 entry. Became an Academy in April 2011. OFSTED 2011 - Good School. Excerpts: "Hartsdown Technology College is larger than the average secondary school, and has a designated hearing impaired unit for five students. A significant proportion of students are known to be eligible for free school meals and the proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is very high. The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is above average and increasing with significant numbers of students from migrant families, especially Czech and Slovak Roma. Mobility is high and approximately a quarter of the students joined the college since September. The college is designated as a specialist technology college. Hartsdown Technology College provides a good standard of education. Care, guidance and support, as well as engagement with the community, are outstanding. Under the inspirational leadership of the Principal and senior staff, as well as the increasingly competent and confident middle managers, the college has continued to secure improvements in external examinations. The proportion of students gaining five A* to C grade GCSE passes, including English and mathematics, has improved from 12% to 43% over the past five years. The college confidently predicts the 2011 results to show further improvement.The last inspection report described the college as good with some outstanding features, and the college has worked extremely hard to consolidate and improve upon this, with a particular focus on raising attainment in English and mathematics. The demanding targets of the National Challenge programme have been met and exceeded. Progress is good for most students, and outstanding for hearing impaired students and those who speak English as an additional language. Provision and outcomes in the sixth form are satisfactory, but also improving as new staff are establishing their roles. Students enjoy college and value the guidance and support they receive. Business partnerships are used well to introduce students to the world of work and build their self-esteem. Students' behaviour is good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and builds well upon the seven ethos values which permeate the work of the college and are highlighted in displays. The quality of teaching is good, with supportive relationships between staff and students. Behaviour management is good and teachers' subject knowledge, as well as their understanding of examination requirements, is secure. Students talk confidently and positively about the support they receive from their teachers and their key workers. Leadership and management are good. The Principal and senior staff have a strong commitment to improvement which is unequivocally shared by all staff. The college has an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses, gained through regular reviews.
The Harvey Grammar School Regularly has vacant spaces.
Hayesbrook School An Outstanding OFSTED school, became an Academy in 2010. Oversubscribed. 50 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010, 12 in 2011. All 50 appeals were successful in 2010. Reported all successful in 2011.
Hereson & Ellington School, Ramsgate. One of the biggest casualty of the scrapped BSF scheme. Ellington School has been completely rebuilt under PFI in preparation for the merger of the two schools in September 2010.The project was to be finished by additional accommodation through the BSF project on the Ellington site, but this has now been scrapped. However popularity has increased as the admission number has fallen and 33 first choices were turned away in March 2011.
Herne Bay High School Being rebuilt under BSF. Used to be heavily oversubscribed. Number of first choices has fallen recently.43 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010. Is now an academy. 32 first choices oversubscribed for September 2011 in March.
Highsted Grammar School Sittingbourne. Sometimes has spare places. Independent Appeals Panel Administrator. Outstanding School according to OFSTED. 3 qualified first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010. Became an Academy October 2010. March 2011 news: Newspaper articles reported that some two dozen girls living on the Isle of Sheppey, who passed the eleven plus, have no grammar school to go to. This was because their nearest grammar, Highsted Grammar School, was full as is Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Faversham. A total of 22 qualifed first choices were initially turned away. Highsted became an Academy in October, and so is independent of Kent County Council. All girls who had passed the Kent test and appelaed on grounds of oversubscription were offered places on appeal. This should not be taken as a precedent for 2012 entry.
Highworth Grammar School for Girls. Became a 'Gove' Academy in January 2011. Usually heavily oversubscribed. Local girls will get in. Outstanding OFSTED May 2009. 16 spare places on 2nd March 2010. However for 2011 entry it was 18 qualified first choices oversubscribed.
Hillview School for Girls Heavily oversubscribed. 33 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010.Outstanding School - OFSTED Nov 2010: "Hillview School for Girls is a larger than average performing arts specialist school serving an area that contains some selective schools. Since September 2006 it has collaborated with neighbouring schools for sixth form provision. In addition, it has achieved Investor in People status. Most students are from White British backgrounds. The percentage of students eligible for free school meals is just below average. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average but increasing. This is an outstanding school of which most students, parents and members of the community are justifiably proud. As one parent said, reflecting the views of many others, 'The decision to send our daughter to Hillview has simply been the best decision we have made for her education and overall preparation for adult life.' The headteacher's high expectations and belief that all children can succeed permeate the ethos of the school and underpin clear priorities that put the needs of students at the heart of everything. Together, the governing body and senior leaders have generated a strong, shared commitment to continuous improvement and established robust and accurate procedures to evaluate the quality of provision and outcomes for students. Achievement overall has risen and the quality of leadership and management has improved since the school was last inspected. Students make good progress and by the end of Year 11 attainment is high. In the sixth form, most students make good progress in relation to their prior GCSE results. Attainment at the end of Year 13 is generally above average". 47 first choices oversubscribed for 2011.
Holmesdale Technology College Snodland. OFSTED May 2011, Good School (Excerpt from Report): Holmesdale is a smaller-than-average secondary school. It is formally federated with a neighbouring school, under the leadership of an executive principal and a single governing body. Nearly all students come from White British heritages. A low percentage comes from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds and, within this, few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is above average. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The school has been a specialist technology college since 2001. Holmesdale Technology College is a good school on an upward journey of improvement. Under the dynamic leadership of the executive principal and school principal, supported well by other school leaders, effective actions have been taken to tackle weaknesses so that outcomes for students of all abilities are improving rapidly. The governing body makes a strong contribution across the federation to ensure that the school is kept constantly under review. When students join the school, their attainment is below and sometimes well below average. School leaders are now successfully working to raise attainment. Taking into account the rates of progress of students currently taking examinations, and the current progress of groups of students, including students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achievement is good and progress is accelerating rapidly and securely. Good-quality teaching is helping students to learn well overall. The school cares for and supports students well in their personal development and provides them with effective academic and personal guidance. The students' positive relationships with their teachers and their peers are demonstrated by their good behaviour around the school and in almost all lessons. 25 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010, 9 for 2011.Completely rebuilt under PFI scheme 2008. Is in a Federation with the less successful Malling School, the Federation currently applying for academy status.
Homewood School, Tenterden. OFSTED 2010 - Satisfactory. 'Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre is larger than most secondary schools and is in an area where there is selective education. It is a foundation school with specialist status for performing arts and vocational education. A new principal started this term. The school has a farm on site and manages extended provision for students and the community before and after the school day and at weekends and in holidays. Most students are White British. The proportion of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities is slightly below that in most secondary schools. The school operates a shortened Key Stage 3 so that students can start courses such as GCSEs in Year 9. Some students move on to advanced level study in Year 11, with lessons sometimes including students from mixed year groups'.102 first choices turned away in 2009. Admits 20% of its children by ability, no matter where they live. The new headteacher is Sally Lees, previously Head of Dover Grammar Boys. An interesting appointment, given Homewood's implacable opposition to grammar schools over the past decade or more, but perhaps indicative of its academic aspirations. 110 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010. Dramatic fall in popularity for 2011 entry (reasons unclear) with just 10 first choices turned down. Applyinging to beocme an academy.
Hugh Christie Technology College, Tonbridge. Rebuilt under PFI. Oversubscribed. Some parents expressed concerns over the new oversubscription rules. The school has introduced ability banding in an attempt at getting a good spread of ability. This is allowable under the rules and if applied fairly is a sensible approach to oversubscription. 19 first choices oversubscribed on 2nd March 2010. Had vacancies for 2011 entry.