Ifield School, Gravesend
Ifield School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Gravesend, part of Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT). It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Ifield School in detail
Ifield School in its own words
In its own words: "Ifield School is a Foundation co-educational school for pupils aged 4 to 19 years of age with Profound, Severe and Complex learning needs, including Communication and Interaction difficulties. The majority of pupils have learning difficulties associated with Autism, Speech, Language and Communication and, in addition, some pupils have complex medical conditions."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Ifield School are LINK19 College (1.4 miles, Requires improvement); Pier View Academy (1.7 miles, Good); Rowhill School (3 miles, Good); and Helen Allison School (3 miles, Good).
LINK19 CollegePier View AcademyRowhill SchoolHelen Allison School
The trust
Ifield School is one of 11 schools run by Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT), an academy trust.
All 11 schools in Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT)
Where pupils go next
Of the 20 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 10% to a further education college.
Who goes there
47.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 19.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Ifield School has an education, health and care plan (282 of 282 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Ifield School provides for pupils with other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gravesend Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Christian Fields Avenue (just before), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Ifield School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 205 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Ifield School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from February 2014, 12 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 February 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
47.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Other, Speech and language, Autism +2
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Ifield School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Ifield School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Ifield 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
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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
126%
Over capacity
282 pupils
223 places
59 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Gravesend
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gravesend
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
282
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Ifield School provides for pupils with other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
282
Total Pupils
208
Boys
74
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
44
Teachers
6.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,198
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.9%
Overall absence
33.2%
Persistent absence
214
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
Ifield School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Ifield School
What are SATs results like at Ifield School?
Of the pupils at Ifield School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Ifield School's Ofsted rating?
Ifield School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Ifield School?
No fixed boundary. When Ifield School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Ifield School?
Ifield School has around 282 pupils on roll. 47% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Ifield School have specialist SEN provision?
Ifield School provides for pupils with other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Ifield School?
9.9% of sessions were missed at Ifield School in 2024/25. 33.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Ifield School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Ifield 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 Ifield School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 9 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Ifield School?
Ifield School is at Cedar Avenue, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 5JT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)