Astor Secondary School
Academy converter · sixth form · 732 pupils
72% stayed in education · Attainment 8 27.9
Academy converter
The Whitstable School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,112of 1,220 places
- Free school meals
- 28.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 217
- Ofsted
- Good, 12 March 2024Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Community College Whitstable (URN 118803, until 20 January 2017).
What the data says
Of the 153 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Whitstable School in 2023, 44% stayed on in The Whitstable School’s own sixth form (Kent average 56%), 35% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 41 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 41% went to university (Kent 39%, England 37%), and 6% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Statistics is unusually popular at GCSE: 97% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 39.3 against 46.1 across England and 46.7 in Kent, with 29% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Kent and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Whitstable School | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 153 | 17,954 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 85% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 80% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 44% | 56% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | — | 13% |
| — further education college | 35% | 28% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 4% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 7% | 5% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 8% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Whitstable School | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 41 | 14,947 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 76% | 80% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 41% | 39% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 6% | 20% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 32% | 30% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 15% | 15% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Whitstable School | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 39.3 | 46.7 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 29% | 47% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 59% | 65% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 67% | 47% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.50 | 4.18 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 22% | 25% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 28.1 | 32.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 42.5 | 51.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 1% | 12% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 215 | 99% | 88% | 4% | 22% | 66% |
| English Language | 215 | 99% | 89% | 7% | 20% | 61% |
| English Literature | 211 | 97% | 86% | 9% | 21% | 64% |
| Statistics | 210 | 97% | 5% | 1% | 20% | 53% |
| Combined Science | 209 | 96% | 65% | 5% | 9% | 55% |
| Geography | 159 | 73% | 41% | 7% | 25% | 49% |
| Spanish | 90 | 41% | 19% | 0% | 27% | 21% |
| History | 60 | 28% | 41% | 25% | 26% | 70% |
| French | 57 | 26% | 18% | 0% | 29% | 11% |
| Fine Art | 31 | 14% | 9% | 26% | 28% | 87% |
| Design and Technology | 31 | 14% | 11% | 0% | 23% | 35% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 30 | 14% | 8% | 13% | 21% | 57% |
| Textiles | 20 | 9% | 2% | 15% | 27% | 100% |
| Drama | 20 | 9% | 7% | 5% | 27% | 35% |
| Photography | 20 | 9% | 6% | 15% | 19% | 95% |
| Computer Science | 20 | 9% | 13% | 5% | 30% | 50% |
| Religious Studies | 16 | 7% | 31% | 50% | 32% | 81% |
| Citizenship Studies | 12 | 6% | 3% | 8% | 19% | 42% |
| Polish | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Japanese | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Dance | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 27% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 69 | 100% | — |
| Finance / Accounting (General) | 52 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | 40 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 37 | 100% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 13 | 100% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 13 | 100% | — |
| Dance: General | 6 | 86% | — |
| Health Studies | 3 | 43% | — |
| Small Business Management | 3 | 43% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 2 | 29% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Whitstable School | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 116 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 7 | 7,794 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 33.75 | 34.87 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | — | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | — | 17% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multimedia | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 16 | 100% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 15 | 100% | — |
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 15 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 10 | 100% | — |
| Finance / Accounting (General) | VRQ Level 3 | 9 | 100% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 7 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 86% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Self Development | IBO Diploma Programme Core | — | — | — |
| Film Studies | IBO Standard level component | — | — | — |
| Mathematical Studies | IBO Standard level component | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 2 | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Kent
Aylesford School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 916 pupils
73% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.6
Barton Court Grammar School
Academy converter · sixth form · 995 pupils
97% stayed in education · Attainment 8 66.4
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,913 pupils
95% stayed in education · Attainment 8 54.0
Borden Grammar School
Academy converter · sixth form · 938 pupils
94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 63.2
Brockhill Park Performing Arts College
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,314 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.