Highworth Grammar School
Ofsted: Not judgedAcademy converter · Secondary
Ashford · TN24 8UD · Kent
Ages 11–18
- Att868.8
- P80.7
- EM5+89%
- Absence5.6%
1.6 miles away
OpenSecondaryOfsted: Not judgedURN 136583
Towers School and Sixth Form Centre
Academy converter · Ashford · TN24 9AL
Ages 11–19 · 1,538 pupils · Kent
Ofsted
Not judged
Attainment 8
40.2
Overall absence
9.6%
Admissions demand
0.95 · Balanced demand
Ofsted
Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.
Headline
Not judged
Inspection date
2024-10-15
- Overall effectiveness
- Not judged
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Requires improvement
- Safeguarding effective
- Yes
Performance
Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.
Key stage 4 (2023/24)
Progress 8-0.29
−20+2
Attainment 840.2
English & maths grade 5+35%
English & maths grade 4+61%
EBacc entry62%
EBacc APS: 3.7
Absence
Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.
Overall absence9.6%
Persistent absence (10%+)33.0%
Unauthorised3.0%
- Authorised absence
- 6.6%
- Severe absence (50%+)
- 3.3%
- Enrolments in measure
- 1,398
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
0.95 · Balanced demand
1st preferences
244
Places offered
259
1st-preference offers
221
- Total preferences (any rank)
- 849
- Preferred offers (top 3)
- 259
- Applications from outside LA
- 2
- 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 fill95%
1,538 pupils · 1,625 places
- Pupils on roll
- 1,538
- Boys / girls
- 710 / 828
- School capacity
- 1,625
- Capacity fill
- 1,538 / 1,625 (95%)
- Free school meals
- 30.9%
- FSM pupils
- 400
- 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
- Special classes
- No Special Classes
- Governance
- Academy trust: TOWERS SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST
- Academy trust
- TOWERS SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST
- Headteacher
- Mr Richard Billings
Location
- Address
- Faversham Road, Kennington
- Postcode
- TN24 9AL
- Town
- Ashford
- County
- Kent
- Local authority
- Kent
- District
- Ashford
- Constituency
- Ashford
- Urban/rural
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
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, 1,538 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: sixth form, academy, non-selective admissions. Free school meals: 30.9%.
Nearby secondary schools
Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.
The Norton Knatchbull School
Ofsted: GoodAcademy converter · Secondary
Ashford · TN24 0QJ · Kent
Ages 11–18
- Att864.2
- P80.3
- EM5+86%
- Absence5.2%
1.9 miles away
The North School
Ofsted: Standards maintainedAcademy converter · Secondary
Ashford · TN24 8AL · Kent
Ages 11–19
- Att839.6
- P8-0.3
- EM5+34%
- Absence10.0%
2.1 miles away
Wye School
Ofsted: School remains GoodFree schools · Secondary
Wye · TN25 5EJ · Kent
Ages 11–18
- Att848.9
- P80.3
- EM5+48%
- Absence8.2%
2.6 miles away
New to reading school data? See Ofsted ratings explained and how to compare schools.
Contact
- Headteacher
- Mr Richard Billings
- Telephone
- 01233634171