ISP School, Kent
ISP School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 18 in Kent. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 4 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in September 2023.
- Ofsted report card
- 2 areas need attention
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
ISP School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades ISP School on 6 areas: 4 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils arrive at the school with very varied starting points."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "A culture of learning and positive behaviour permeates the school."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders are fully committed to ensuring pupils joining the school experience a positive, safe and happy environment."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have ensured the personal development programme at the school is broad, coherently planned and carefully considered to meet pupils' needs."
Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "There are inconsistencies in the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the school."
Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "The proprietor has not ensured that the independent school standards are met consistently over time."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers develop the necessary skills and expertise to deliver consistently effective learning across all subjects"; "Leaders and the proprietor should develop a robust understanding of their roles and responsibilities, ensuring that precise and appropriate actions drive swift improvements across all areas of the school's work and ensure the independent school standards are met consistently"; "Leaders should rigorously monitor the progress of all pupils and analyse data and information with precision to ensure their strategies to remove barriers to learning make a sustained difference to pupils' opportunities and experiences".
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 ISP School are Meadowfield School (2.4 miles, Outstanding); KITE College (2.8 miles); ALP Sittingbourne (3.4 miles, Good); and Infiniti School (4 miles, Good).
Meadowfield SchoolKITE CollegeALP SittingbourneInfiniti School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at ISP School has an education, health and care plan (59 of 59 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Teynham Rail Station, about 260 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Railway Station (outside), 290 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 52 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years 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 ISP School
Many pupils benefit from strategies that address their individual barriers to learning. They make progress from their starting points, particularly in the subjects where the curriculum is taught most effectively. This enables most to access and achieve the broad range of qualifications that are available, reflecting the high ambitions that leaders and staff have for all pupils. However, for some pupils, the quality of the curriculum and teaching is less effective than it could be. This results in some pupils not progressing as well as they could. Pupils enjoy attending school and quickly develop very positive relationships with staff. Pupils are valued and staff understand their wide-ranging needs. Pupils trust staff and know they will support them. Pupils know their voice matters and that staff will listen carefully to any concerns they have. This helps pupils feel happy and safe at school. Pupils learn how to regulate their emotions and to manage challenging situations very effectively. This gives them some essential skills for adulthood. Staff know all the pupils very well. They respond quickly when pupils need additional support. Pupils behave respectfully and calmly around the school. In lessons they demonstrate that they are keen to learn. During social times they play happily. This contributes to a sense of purpose that pervades the school. Attendance at the school is improving for most pupils. A well-considered and appropriate programme of personal development extends across the taught curriculum. In addition, all pupil have access to wider enrichment opportunities. The school works closely with parents and carers to provide well-considered and individualised support for each pupil's wellbeing. Encouraged by staff's ambition and care, pupils are helped to re-engage successfully with education and to be well prepared for their next steps.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that teachers develop the necessary skills and expertise to deliver consistently effective learning across all subjects.
- Leaders and the proprietor should develop a robust understanding of their roles and responsibilities, ensuring that precise and appropriate actions drive swift improvements across all areas of the school's work and ensure the independent school standards are met consistently.
- Leaders should rigorously monitor the progress of all pupils and analyse data and information with precision to ensure their strategies to remove barriers to learning make a sustained difference to pupils' opportunities and experiences.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 12 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
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 ISP School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
92%
Near capacity
59 pupils
64 places
5 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Kent
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Kent
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(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
59
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
ISP School 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
59
Total Pupils
46
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about ISP School
What are GCSE results like at ISP School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for ISP School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is ISP School's Ofsted rating?
ISP School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023.
Does ISP School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2023, ISP School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to ISP School?
ISP School has around 59 pupils on roll.
Does ISP School have specialist SEN provision?
ISP School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to ISP School?
ISP School 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 ISP School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 ISP School?
ISP School is at Castlewood Farm, Conyer Road, Kent, Kent, ME9 9EA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)