Bradfields Academy, Chatham
Bradfields Academy is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Chatham, part of Fortis Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bradfields Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Bradfields Academy are INSPIRE Free Special School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Blue Skies School (1.5 miles, Good); Alchemy School (2.1 miles, Good); and Ripplevale School Rochester (2.2 miles).
INSPIRE Free Special SchoolBlue Skies SchoolAlchemy SchoolRipplevale School Rochester
The trust
Bradfields Academy is one of 3 schools run by Fortis Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 50 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 2% to a further education college.
Of the 28 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 0% went on to university or other higher education and 4% into work.
Who goes there
51.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Black (9%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Bradfields Academy has an education, health and care plan (452 of 452 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chatham Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Burma Way Top (opposite), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bradfields Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bradfields Academy issued 70 suspensions, 16.8 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from March 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2017 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
51.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Bradfields Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bradfields Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bradfields Academy is in Medway; for families living there:
Apply to Medway for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 13 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 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
102%
Over capacity
452 pupils
444 places
8 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Chatham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chatham
Across Medway council
Places available
3,844
Applications
3,586
Got 1st preference
80.4%
Got preferred school
96.8%
All secondary applications across Medway council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
452
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
452
Total Pupils
288
Boys
164
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
68
Teachers
6.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,904
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.3%
Overall absence
26.6%
Persistent absence
320
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Bradfields Academy
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Bradfields Academy
What are GCSE results like at Bradfields Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Bradfields Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.4. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Bradfields Academy's Ofsted rating?
Bradfields Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Bradfields Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Bradfields Academy is oversubscribed, Medway allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Bradfields Academy?
Bradfields Academy has around 452 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bradfields Academy?
9.3% of sessions were missed at Bradfields Academy in 2024/25. 26.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bradfields Academy?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming Bradfields Academy 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 Bradfields Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 13 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bradfields Academy?
Bradfields Academy is at Churchill Avenue, Chatham, Kent, ME5 0LB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)