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The FAR Academy, Whitsable

Special
Special post 16 institution
Mixed
Ages 16–25

The FAR Academy is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Whitsable.

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Data last updated 27 Oct 2026

The FAR Academy in detail

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other special schools to The FAR Academy are The Far Academy CIC (under 0.1 miles); ISP School Whitstable (1.4 miles, Good); SALT COLLEGE (2 miles); and Fairlight Glen Independent Special School (2.9 miles).

The Far Academy CICISP School WhitstableSALT COLLEGEFairlight Glen Independent Special School

Who goes there

The FAR Academy is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Chestfield & Swalecliffe Rail Station, about 840 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Highgate Road (adjacent), 320 metres away.

The area around the school

In August 2026, police recorded 61 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. 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

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Brent Lewis
LA:Kent
Address:Unit 77 - 80 John Wilson Business Park, Harvey Drive, Whitsable, CT5 3QT
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2011

Ofsted Rating

No inspection data available

URN:152248
UKPRN:10100876
Constituency:Canterbury
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Approved

Section 41

No

Special Measures

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby schools

See peer comparison with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Keep up with The FAR Academy

Getting There

Train Stations

Chestfield & Swalecliffe Rail Station
836m · 14 min walk

Bus Stops

Highgate Road (adj)
318m · 5 min walk
Foxgrove Road (o/s 7)
547m · 9 min walk
Grasmere Road (just after)
548m · 9 min walk
The Leas (opp)
560m · 9 min walk
Lismore Road (adj)
582m · 9 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to The FAR Academy from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. The FAR Academy 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
11
Fatal
0
Serious
5
Children hurt
2

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight.

2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.

1 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

See commute times and house prices with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Capacity & Demand

Area Demand Pressure - Whitsable

Low pressure
New homes approved:52
Projected new pupils:9

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Whitsable

Across Kent council

Low demand council-wide0.95 applications per place

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.

Special educational needs provision

The FAR Academy is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.

Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.

Questions parents ask about The FAR Academy

What is the catchment area for The FAR Academy?

No fixed boundary. When The FAR Academy is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.

Does The FAR Academy have specialist SEN provision?

The FAR Academy is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.

How do I apply to The FAR Academy?

Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming The FAR Academy 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 FAR Academy?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 1 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 FAR Academy?

The FAR Academy is at Unit 77 - 80 John Wilson Business Park, Harvey Drive, Whitsable, Kent, CT5 3QT.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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