The Beacon Folkestone, Folkestone
The Beacon Folkestone is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Folkestone, part of Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT). It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2019)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Beacon Folkestone in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Beacon Folkestone are Compass Community School Coastal Park (0.4 miles, Good); Folkestone Beacon Plus (0.8 miles, Good); Elms School (5.1 miles, Good); and The Sallygate School (5.9 miles, Good).
Compass Community School Coastal ParkFolkestone Beacon PlusElms SchoolThe Sallygate School
The trust
The Beacon Folkestone 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 29 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 7% to a further education college.
Who goes there
54.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Beacon Folkestone has an education, health and care plan (469 of 469 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
The Beacon Folkestone provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Folkestone Central Rail Station, about 870 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bookers (opposite), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 511 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Beacon Folkestone issued 6 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2019, 7 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
All pupils at The Beacon Folkestone are exceptionally well cared for and supported. Staff have a deep understanding of each child's special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including their communication needs. Pupils say that staff take very good care of them. Those pupils who do not express themselves verbally are able to use their communication systems to express their preferences, and to communicate when they need help. Staff are consistently attentive and responsive to the needs of all pupils.
Pupils achieve exceptionally well because the school ensures that all staff are expert in how to best support them to learn and thrive. Each pupil's curriculum is planned extremely carefully to enable them to access learning, and the wider life of the school, in a way that works for them. Staff know exactly what each pupil's next step is and utilise every available opportunity to help pupils make progress. Pupils who spoke to inspectors said that the teaching and support the school provides helps them to learn in an enjoyable way, but also helps them in their wider lives.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum for all pupils is driven by its ambition for pupils' futures. Right from the start of early years, the curriculum has been designed to develop children's independence and to prepare them for life beyond The Beacon. Staff in early years have expert understanding of child development, and of the early years foundation stage. They ensure that every child's curriculum is underpinned by their education, health and care (EHC) plan, and that the next step for each child is precisely what will make the biggest difference to their learning, or their ability to access learning. Every opportunity is utilised to help children make progress towards their targets.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its February 2019 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
54.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Speech and language, Autism, Physical +3
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 3% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 5% to 0% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 5% to 0% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with The Beacon Folkestone
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Beacon Folkestone from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Beacon Folkestone 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
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 19 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 on a bicycle.
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
132%
Over capacity
469 pupils
354 places
115 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Folkestone
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Folkestone
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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
469
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Beacon Folkestone provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, 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
469
Total Pupils
308
Boys
161
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
69
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,848
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.3%
Overall absence
27.6%
Persistent absence
355
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
The Beacon Folkestone
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Beacon Folkestone
What are GCSE results like at The Beacon Folkestone?
In the 2025 results, pupils at The Beacon Folkestone achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.3. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Beacon Folkestone's Ofsted rating?
The Beacon Folkestone's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2019, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Beacon Folkestone?
No fixed boundary. When The Beacon Folkestone is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Beacon Folkestone?
The Beacon Folkestone has around 469 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Beacon Folkestone have specialist SEN provision?
The Beacon Folkestone provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Beacon Folkestone?
8.3% of sessions were missed at The Beacon Folkestone in 2024/25. 27.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Beacon Folkestone?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming The Beacon Folkestone 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 The Beacon Folkestone?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 19 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 on a bicycle. 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 The Beacon Folkestone?
The Beacon Folkestone is at Park Farm Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5DN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)