Birchwood, Folkestone
Birchwood is a pru school for pupils aged 14 to 16 in Folkestone. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Birchwood in detail
Birchwood in its own words
In its own words: "At Birchwood, our purpose is to work collaboratively with students to create a safe, inclusive and engaging educational environment. We will help to develop students' confidence and self-esteem by encouraging a culture of ambitious goal setting and the celebration of individual achievements."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Birchwood (as of September 2025): 73% would recommend the school, 73% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Folkestone West Rail Station, about 730 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Stoddart Road (adjacent), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 153 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from February 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Birchwood excels at rebuilding confidence in young people who have struggled with education. The school creates a genuinely caring environment where pupils feel listened to and valued, while maintaining high expectations that challenge them to succeed. Staff are skilled at identifying pupils' needs and providing targeted academic support alongside therapeutic help.
Key Strengths
- Staff provide effective therapeutic and emotional support that helps pupils feel understood and valued
- Strong focus on core skills - pupils develop reading, writing and maths effectively with targeted help for those who need it
- Clear routines and high expectations create a safe, calm environment where pupils are motivated to succeed
- Excellent personal development programme including trips, talking therapies and careers guidance
- Robust processes to help pupils successfully transition back to mainstream or specialist education
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching is not always adapted to meet individual pupils' needs - sometimes tasks are too challenging or lack sufficient support, limiting achievement for some pupils
- Some pupils stay for extended periods, preventing them from accessing the full national curriculum they would receive in mainstream school
- The school's aim to be short-term provision is not fully realised - clearer expectations and stronger support needed to help pupils transition faster
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong processes in place that put pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits to London, residential trips, overseas trips, talks from charities and local services, talking therapies, careers guidance
Birchwood is a pupil referral unit that provides a fresh start for young people aged 11-16 who have had negative experiences of education. The school effectively builds pupils' resilience and self-belief while preparing them to return to mainstream education.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
11 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Keep up with Birchwood
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Birchwood from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Birchwood is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 18 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
5 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
Area Demand Pressure - Folkestone
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Folkestone
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(10)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
-%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
0
Total Pupils
0
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
£57,603
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Birchwood
What is Birchwood's Ofsted rating?
Birchwood's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Birchwood?
No fixed boundary. When Birchwood is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to Birchwood?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Birchwood on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Birchwood?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 18 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 5 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 Birchwood?
Birchwood is at Bowen Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 4FP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)