Hartsdown Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 February 2026

Pupils are proud to attend Hartsdown. Many pupils arrive with previously low attendance and engagement with school. The school works hard to overcome these challenges. They do this through the carefully designed support that pupils receive. Staff also forge meaningful relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to engage well. They become confident and resilient in school. This is evident in the way pupils proudly introduce themselves to adults and talk about their time in school. Pupils are great advocates for the school. They are well prepared for life outside of school. Pupils develop a range of skills that will help them to become active citizens. For example, pupils are tolerant and show mature attitudes to difference and diversity. Pupils behave very well in school. They are kind and courteous to each other. For example, breaktimes are calm and happy. Pupils interact positively with each other and greet staff warmly. This continues in lessons. Pupils listen carefully to staff and work hard to complete their tasks. This creates a purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils have trusted adults in school. They know that they will deal quickly with any concerns they have. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy in school. Staff have high ambition for pupils. This aspiration has increased considerably in recent years. For example, students in sixth form have become increasingly successful over time. Pupils make steady progress from their often low starting points. However, achievement in national tests remains below national averages. This is improving for many pupils. However, a significant minority of pupils do not yet reach the expected standards in mathematics and English. Pupils have begun to attend more frequently. However, pupils do not yet attend well enough. Persistent absence also remains stubbornly high. As a result, too many pupils miss too much of their education.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that they maintain high levels of support for pupils who do not attend as well as they should. Leaders should continue, and further strengthen, the work they have begun to improve attendance for all pupils and to reduce the number of pupils who miss too much of their crucial education through persistent absence.
• Leaders should ensure that they continue to establish a well-designed curriculum to help pupils achieve well in the wide range of qualifications they undertake. This should include an increased number of pupils reaching expected standards in English and mathematics.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils have increased opportunities to develop increasingly detailed knowledge and understanding of key British values, such as democracy, to even better prepare them for life outside of school.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)