St Augustine Academy, Maidstone

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades St Augustine Academy on 6 areas: 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have prioritised pupils' attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Pupils are well supported and cared for in this inclusive school."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have taken effective action to address weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching since the last inspection."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a coherent and appropriate personal development programme."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Overall attainment and progress in national examinations have been below national averages over time, including for disadvantaged pupils."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school and that teachers consistently use checks on learning to adapt their teaching precisely, so that all groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, learn and achieve well"; "Leaders should maintain their focus on improving attendance and continue their work to enable pupils to be highly engaged in, and show dedication to, their learning".

In its own words: "Together with God, every member of our school family is supported and shown compassion on their own learning journey to live life in all its fullness. We are an aspirational and inclusive school community of learners, offering a wide range of enriching opportunities enabling all to contribute positively to society. Courage is needed as a student within the school community."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am incredibly honoured to be the Principal of St Augustine Academy and to be part of the Woodard Academies Trust family of schools. Our academy is a small, inclusive, and nurturing school dedicated to providing an education that enables every student to thrive and succeed within our Christian community, welcoming students of all faiths and none."

In 2026, pupils at St Augustine Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 35.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.

24% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 35.1.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.8: 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 29.9, against 38.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 59 families put St Augustine Academy as their first choice and 344 named it as one of their preferences, for 170 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St Augustine Academy are Oakwood Park Grammar School (under 0.1 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 66.1); St Simon Stock Catholic School (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42); The Maplesden Noakes School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36); and Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (0.9 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 62.7).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than St Augustine Academy.

St Augustine Academy is one of 6 schools run by Woodard Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.5 in 2024/25.

91 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Augustine Academy (as of April 2026): 81% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (82%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (64%).

Of the 140 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 76% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 51% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

35.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

St Augustine Academy has a resourced provision for autism: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Maidstone West Rail Station, about 1150 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oakwood Park Grammar School (outside), 190 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 332 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St Augustine Academy issued 109 suspensions, 14.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to St Augustine Academy are St Francis' Catholic Primary School, Maidstone (0.3 miles); West Borough Primary School (0.4 miles); St Michael's Church of England Infant School Maidstone (0.5 miles); and Maidstone, St Michael's Church of England Junior School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.