King Ethelbert School
Canterbury Road, Birchington, CT7 9BLOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
King Ethelbert School is a secondary school in Birchington for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 692 schools in Kent. It ranks 78th of 99 secondary schools in Kent. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 4 June 2024, report published 7 July 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 4 June 2024
The school's core values of ASPIRE (attitude, success, pride, inspire resilience and enterprise) underpin all aspects of school life. Pupils uphold these values and respond well to the school's expectations of them. The school have designed a curriculum to ensure that there is ambition for all pupils. The high-quality pastoral support on offer to all pupils is based on the positive relationships between staff and pupils. There are high expectations for pupils' behaviour. The vast majority respond well to these. Classrooms are mostly calm and orderly. During social times, pupils behave well and are respectful and polite. Pupils are safe here and know who to talk to if they need help or guidance. They say that on rare occasions bullying does occur, but teachers are quick to intervene and act on concerns raised. Pupils' talents and interests are nurtured through the wide range of enrichment clubs on offer. These include chess, science, netball and tennis clubs that are well- attended. Some pupils take part in 'student voice' and take on roles such as anti- bullying and wellbeing ambassadors. Staff recognise the importance of pupils' deepening their knowledge of different cultures and faiths. Work is underway to strengthen this to ensure pupils understanding of diversity.
What the school should improve
- In some subjects, the curriculum is not consistently organised in a precise, logical sequence. As a result, not all pupils learn as much as they could. The school should continue developing its curriculum in these subject areas by identifying the essential knowledge it intends pupils to learn and the order of learning to support pupils' achievements.
- In some subjects, lesson activities are not always helping all pupils learn well, particularly pupils with SEND. As a result, some pupils are not building their knowledge and skills to ensure they can achieve well. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise they need to help all pupils achieve well across the curriculum.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
141 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
845 pupils on roll, with places for 870
Schools near King Ethelbert School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ursuline College | 0.2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 36.1 |
| Hartsdown Academy | 2 miles | Report card: Needs attention to strong standard | Attainment 8: 32.1 |
| The Royal Harbour Academy | 4 miles | Report card: Urgent improvement to expected standard | Attainment 8: 28.9 |
| St George's Church of England Foundation School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 37.7 |
| Dane Court Grammar School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 65.3 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- COASTAL ACADEMIES TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Tom Sellen
- Phone
- 01843831999
- Address
- Canterbury Road, Birchington, CT7 9BL
- Local authority
- Kent
- URN
- 136584
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.