Orchards Academy, Swanley

Good
Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.9km)Possible (~4.1km)Unlikely (~5.4km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Hannah Carter
Pupils:554 / 828 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01322665231
Address:St Mary's Road, Swanley, BR8 7TE
Trust:THE KEMNAL ACADEMIES TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 November 2010

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Inspected 11 March 2025View full report
URN:136304
UKPRN:10032208
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Sevenoaks
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2012 inspection — up from Requires Improvement.

Rated Good for

Leadership & management.

A plain-English summary of the full inspection report is coming soon.

At a Glance

42.9%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

61 responses
Would recommend48%
Child is happy59%
Well taught64%
Good progress64%
Feels safe69%
Well behaved48%
Bullying dealt with15%
Kept informed64%
Handles concerns34%
Wider development43%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

24.9

Avg class size

17

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Swanley Rail Station (north entrance)
295m · 5 min walk

Bus Stops

Orchards Academy (adj)
68m · 1 min walk
Railway Station (opp)
284m · 5 min walk
Cherry Avenue (S-bound)
328m · 5 min walk
Lesley Close (opp)
353m · 6 min walk
Station Approach (adj)
361m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

67%

Available places

554 pupils

828 capacity

274 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Swanley

Low pressure
New homes approved:516
Projected new pupils:93

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Swanley

Admissions Demand - Kent

Low demand0.94x oversubscription

Places available

19,410

Applications

18,281

Got 1st preference

80.6%

Got preferred school

96.5%

Secondary admissions across Kent (2025/26)

Inspection History(4)

11 March 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
1 July 2021
12 July 2016

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

10.1091%

Overall absence

32.88136%

Persistent absence

590

Enrolments

Authorised2.34766%
Unauthorised7.76144%
Persistent (10%+)32.88136%
Severe (50%+)4.57627%

Absence trend

5.98067%
18/19
5.89754%
20/21
10.88757%
21/22
10.13701%
22/23
9.44035%
23/24
10.1091%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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