Orion Spires, Canterbury
Orion Spires is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Canterbury, part of Orion Education. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 5th-highest of the 7 schools in Canterbury with published results, and 2,748th of 3,298 across England. It was 89% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Well below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 6 days
Deadline Monday 2 November 2026. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Orion Spires in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Orion Spires averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.
31% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.
That is up from 36.1 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -1.12: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 30.8, against 44.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.5 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Geography.
Getting a place at Orion Spires
For September 2026 entry, 76 families put Orion Spires as their first choice and 268 named it as one of their preferences, for 106 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Orion Spires are Barton Manor School (3.4 miles); The Archbishop's School (3.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 32.1); Barton Court Grammar School (3.5 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 66.1); and Herne Bay High School (3.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 35.5).
Orion Spires's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Barton Manor SchoolThe Archbishop's SchoolBarton Court Grammar SchoolHerne Bay High School
The trust
Orion Spires is one of 8 schools run by Orion Education, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 139 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 78% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 53% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.
Who goes there
43.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 9.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sturry Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Spires Academy (outside), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 19 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Orion Spires issued 201 suspensions, 30.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Orion Spires are Water Meadows Primary School (0.5 miles), Sturry Church of England Primary School (1 mile) and Hoath Primary School (1.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Water Meadows Primary SchoolSturry Church of England Primary SchoolHoath Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Leadership & management.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Personal development (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
43.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from -0.93 to -1.12 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 33.7 to 39.2 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 17% to 31% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 39.2 | 31.1% |
| Disadvantaged(51) | - | 30.8 | 13.7% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(84) | - | 44.3 | 41.7% |
| Boys(67) | - | 36.0 | 23.9% |
| Girls(68) | - | 42.4 | 38.2% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(17) | - | 45.7 | 35.3% |
| Non mobile(122) | - | 40.8 | 33.6% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 5 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 139 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
201
Suspensions
30.13%
Suspension rate
95 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 667 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Orion Spires
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Orion Spires from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Orion Spires 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
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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
Your chances of a place at Orion Spires
Will you get a place at Orion Spires? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Orion Spires's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Orion Spires:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Orion Spires.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Orion Spires for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Kent got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
89%
Available places
666 pupils
750 places
84 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Canterbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Canterbury
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.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
110
SEN Support
35
EHC Plans
23.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
620
Total Pupils
301
Boys
319
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
42
Teachers
14.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,227
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,456
Per pupil
£5424k
Total funding
£293k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.6%
Overall absence
29.3%
Persistent absence
745
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
Questions parents ask about Orion Spires
What are GCSE results like at Orion Spires?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Orion Spires achieved an Attainment 8 score of 39.2. 31% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Orion Spires's Ofsted rating?
Orion Spires was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023.
What is the catchment area for Orion Spires?
No fixed boundary. When Orion Spires is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Orion Spires?
Orion Spires was not full in 2025: it ran at 89% of its 750 places.
How big are the classes at Orion Spires?
Classes at Orion Spires average 23.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Orion Spires?
Orion Spires has around 620 pupils on roll. 44% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Orion Spires?
8.6% of sessions were missed at Orion Spires in 2024/25. 29.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Orion Spires?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Orion Spires on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Monday 2 November 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Orion Spires?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 11 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Orion Spires?
Orion Spires is at Bredlands Lane, Sturry, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 0HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)