The Norton Knatchbull School
Ofsted: GoodAcademy converter · Secondary
Ashford · TN24 0QJ · Kent
Ages 11–18
- Att864.2
- P80.3
- EM5+86%
- Absence5.2%
0.3 miles away
OpenSecondaryOfsted: Standards maintainedURN 148712
The North School
Academy converter · Ashford · TN24 8AL
Ages 11–19 · 1,237 pupils · Kent
Ofsted
Standards maintained
Attainment 8
39.6
Overall absence
10.0%
Admissions demand
0.97 · Balanced demand
Ofsted
Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.
Headline
Standards maintained
Inspection date
2024-12-17
Performance
Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.
Key stage 4 (2023/24)
Progress 8-0.26
−20+2
Attainment 839.6
English & maths grade 5+34%
English & maths grade 4+55%
EBacc entry34%
EBacc APS: 3.5
Absence
Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.
Overall absence10.0%
Persistent absence (10%+)29.6%
Unauthorised5.3%
- Authorised absence
- 4.7%
- Severe absence (50%+)
- 5.1%
- Enrolments in measure
- 1,230
Absence trend
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
- Overall
- Persistent (10%+)
Admissions demand
Coordinated admissions for secondary entry (2024/25 cycle, national offer day). Demand ratio compares families who listed this school 1st with total offers made — not a catchment or distance guarantee.
Demand ratio
0.97 · Balanced demand
1st preferences
197
Places offered
206
1st-preference offers
172
- Total preferences (any rank)
- 722
- Preferred offers (top 3)
- 206
- Applications from outside LA
- 0
- Offers to outside-LA applicants
- 0
- Admissions policy (GIAS)
- Non-selective
Source: DfE primary and secondary school applications and offers. Figures reflect offers on national offer day; late applications, appeals and waiting lists are not included.
Size & intake
From the GIAS school census (15 Jan 2026).
Capacity fill98%
1,237 pupils · 1,265 places
- Pupils on roll
- 1,237
- Boys / girls
- 666 / 571
- School capacity
- 1,265
- Capacity fill
- 1,237 / 1,265 (98%)
- Free school meals
- 34.6%
- FSM pupils
- 380
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Gender
- Mixed
- School type
- Academy converter
Age range
Ages 11–19
05111619
Provision
Official GIAS characteristics
2 / 6
- Nursery
- Sixth formHas a sixth form
- Boarding
- Special school
- Independent
- Academy
School characteristics
- Governance
- Academy trust: SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST
- Academy trust
- SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST
- Sponsor
- Swale Academies Trust
- Headteacher
- Mrs Clair Ellerby
Location
- Address
- Essella Road
- Postcode
- TN24 8AL
- Town
- Ashford
- County
- Kent
- Local authority
- Kent
- District
- Ashford
- Constituency
- Ashford
- Urban/rural
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
SEN & specialist provision
As recorded in GIAS — provision detail, not an Ofsted judgement.
- SEN types
- ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- Resourced provision
- Resourced provision
- Resourced places
- 33 on roll / 30 capacity
Local context
How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.
Mixed academy converter (secondary), Ages 11–19, in Ashford, Kent, 1,237 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: sixth form, academy, non-selective admissions. Free school meals: 34.6%. SEN provision includes: ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
Nearby secondary schools
Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.
Highworth Grammar School
Ofsted: Not judgedAcademy converter · Secondary
Ashford · TN24 8UD · Kent
Ages 11–18
- Att868.8
- P80.7
- EM5+89%
- Absence5.6%
1.2 miles away
Towers School and Sixth Form Centre
Ofsted: Not judgedAcademy converter · Secondary
Ashford · TN24 9AL · Kent
Ages 11–19
- Att840.2
- P8-0.3
- EM5+35%
- Absence9.6%
2.1 miles away
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Contact
- Headteacher
- Mrs Clair Ellerby
- Telephone
- 01233614600