Caldecott Foundation School, Ashford
Caldecott Foundation School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 18 in Ashford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Caldecott Foundation School in detail
Caldecott Foundation School in its own words
In its own words: "Our aim is to have respect at the centre of everything we do at Caldecott School. We respect others even if they are different to us - we just accept others for who they are Respect doesn’t always come naturally - we have to learn how to do this"
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Caldecott Foundation School are Kings Park School (3.8 miles, selective); The T3 School (4 miles, Good); and The Wyvern School (Buxford) (5.1 miles, Good).
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 71% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 14% to a further education college.
Who goes there
37.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Caldecott Foundation School has an education, health and care plan (69 of 69 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Caldecott Foundation School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Caldecott Foundation School.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Caldecott Foundation School issued 31 suspensions, 50 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
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 Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2017 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
37.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Keep up with Caldecott Foundation School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Caldecott Foundation School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Caldecott Foundation School 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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
81%
Available places
69 pupils
85 places
16 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Ashford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ashford
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)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
69
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Caldecott Foundation School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
69
Total Pupils
45
Boys
24
Girls
2026 academic year
Pupil Absence2024/25
24.3%
Overall absence
61.9%
Persistent absence
63
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
Caldecott Foundation School
Questions parents ask about Caldecott Foundation School
What are GCSE results like at Caldecott Foundation School?
In the 2025 results, pupils at Caldecott Foundation School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.7. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Caldecott Foundation School's Ofsted rating?
Caldecott Foundation School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Caldecott Foundation School?
No fixed boundary. When Caldecott Foundation School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Caldecott Foundation School?
Caldecott Foundation School has around 69 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Caldecott Foundation School have specialist SEN provision?
Caldecott Foundation School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Caldecott Foundation School?
24.3% of sessions were missed at Caldecott Foundation School in 2024/25. 61.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Caldecott Foundation School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Caldecott Foundation School 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 Caldecott Foundation School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Caldecott Foundation School?
Caldecott Foundation School is at Station Road, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent, TN25 6PW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)