The Orchard School

State-Funded School

the-orchard-school-kent-south-east

South EastRegion

KentLocal Authority

CanterburyConstituency

CT1 3QQPostcode

0.8

Academic Performance

Previous Ofsted

About the School

The Orchard School is a state-funded special for pupils aged 7–16, located in Kent, South East.

Ofsted's most recent inspection is published as a report card rather than a single overall grade. It currently serves 119 pupils.

Ofsted Report Card

Inspected 3 Feb 2026 · published 26 Apr 2026

Current inspection

Safeguarding standards

Met

Evaluation areas

Inclusion
Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Needs attention

Previous Ofsted Rating

Subject Areas (previous framework)

Leadership &management

Good

Academic Performance

Well below average

Ranked against secondary schools in England · 2024-25

Attainment 8: 6.6
Grade 5+ in English & maths: 0%
EBacc average point score: 0.67

Ethnicity

White

96%

Black

<1%

Mixed

Pupils

119

Total Pupils

85%Boys

15%Girls

Pupil Characteristics

Free school meals

73%

England average

27%

First language not English

England average

22%

Young carers

England average

0%25%50%75%100%

DfE school census, January 2026.

Key Information

Phase: Special
Age range: 7 – 16
Deprivation band: Deprived
Total pupils: 119
IDACI quintile: 4 (Less deprived)

Inspection history

Ofsted has published one graded inspection for this school. The most recent ungraded inspection is shown below.

School remains Good

Ungraded inspection on 7 October 2021. An ungraded inspection checks whether the existing grade still holds; it does not award a new one.

Read the inspection letter on Ofsted

Report published					Overall
20 Sept 2016	Good	Not reported in this inspection	Not reported in this inspection	Not reported in this inspection	Good

A grey dot means Ofsted did not report that judgement in the inspection of the day — the sub-judgements shown here were introduced with the 2019 framework.

Ofsted data as at 31 December 2024. A school may have been inspected since, or had an ungraded visit that does not change its grade — check Ofsted’s own record.