ALP Sittingbourne, Sittingbourne
ALP Sittingbourne is a special school for pupils aged 6 to 19 in Sittingbourne. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2026, ended in a report card: 6 strong standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in September 2023.
- Ofsted report card
- 6 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
ALP Sittingbourne in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 14 July 2026 inspection grades ALP Sittingbourne on 6 areas: 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils make sustained progress from their wide range of starting points."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders are determined in their work to ensure that all pupils attend school as much as possible and therefore benefit from the opportunities provided."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have a detailed and accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching in the school."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "The school has a highly inclusive culture that is matched carefully to the school values."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders are role models of aspiration, ambition and high expectations."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school provides a personal development programme that extends far beyond the classroom."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to refine and embed their identified priorities for improvement across all areas of the school's work in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to ALP Sittingbourne are Meadowfield School (1 mile, Outstanding); KITE College (1.1 miles); Aspire School (1.4 miles, Requires improvement); and Craftworks (2.8 miles, Good).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at ALP Sittingbourne has an education, health and care plan (40 of 40 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sittingbourne Rail Station, about 1120 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Northwood Drive Shops (opposite), 60 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at ALP Sittingbourne
Pupils thrive as individuals at ALP Sittingbourne and know they are valued members of their school community. From the moment pupils start at the school, leaders and staff take great care to understand their individual interests and barriers to learning. Pupils feel safe and know adults will really listen to them. Relationships between pupils and staff are built on firm foundations of care, trust and respect. Leaders develop positive and constructive relationships with parents and carers. These positive relationships across all members of the school community underpin the work of the school. Parents say that the school feels like a family. Pupils have access to a curriculum that is broad but also focused on the most important knowledge and skills they will need. Pupils have opportunities to study in areas that are of particular interest to them. They progress well through the carefully considered curriculum because barriers to learning and wellbeing are significantly reduced. Pupils recall prior learning well and build on it successfully as they move through the school. Careers education supports pupils well to make informed choices about the opportunities available when they leave the school. Pupils are provided with the support that they need to be very well prepared for their next steps and adulthood. Pupils behave very well across the school and meet the high expectations leaders and staff have for them. Bullying is rare and dealt with quickly and effectively when it does occur. Learning proceeds uninterrupted across the school. Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly manner. Break times are a happy and harmonious time that provide opportunities to socialise and build friendships. This makes for a friendly and relaxed environment. Pupils feel they belong and they can achieve well in this nurturing environment. Pupils benefit highly from the school's work to achieve its mission of ‘Empowering success through holistic and individualised learning'.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should continue to refine and embed their identified priorities for improvement across all areas of the school's work in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 14 July 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
ALP Sittingbourne excels at helping pupils who have experienced barriers to education return and thrive. Staff build deep, caring relationships with each child and provide carefully designed support that removes obstacles to learning. Parents consistently praise how the school transforms their children's confidence and prepares them exceptionally well for adult life.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional progress from pupils with diverse starting points, many returning to education after significant time away
- Highly effective curriculum that is ambitious, carefully sequenced, and tailored to individual needs
- Outstanding behaviour and attendance support with warm, caring relationships between staff and pupils
- Excellent personal development programme including trips, vocational activities, and leadership opportunities
- Inclusive approach with robust systems to identify needs and support all pupils to overcome barriers
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Forest school, beach school activities, talent show, residential trips, enterprise activities, vocational programmes, leadership roles, careers education
ALP Sittingbourne is a special school that provides education for pupils with a wide range of needs, helping them progress from varied starting points and leave school well-prepared for their next stage. The school creates a highly inclusive, calm, and supportive culture where pupils thrive and feel safe.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with ALP Sittingbourne
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
77%
Available places
40 pupils
52 places
12 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sittingbourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sittingbourne
Across Kent council
Places available
19,539
Applications
18,644
Got 1st preference
78.9%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
Independent school standard inspection - first
Met all the independent school standards.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
40
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
ALP Sittingbourne is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
40
Total Pupils
26
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
ALP Sittingbourne
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about ALP Sittingbourne
What is ALP Sittingbourne's Ofsted rating?
ALP Sittingbourne's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2023, it was rated Good.
Does ALP Sittingbourne meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2023, ALP Sittingbourne met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to ALP Sittingbourne?
ALP Sittingbourne has around 40 pupils on roll.
Does ALP Sittingbourne have specialist SEN provision?
ALP Sittingbourne is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to ALP Sittingbourne?
ALP Sittingbourne is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near ALP Sittingbourne?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is ALP Sittingbourne?
ALP Sittingbourne is at 60, Bell, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4HE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)