The Holmesdale School, Snodland

In its own words: "This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents/carers about what to expect from remote education if local restrictions require entire cohorts (or bubbles) to remain at home, or if we have to ask students to self-isolate due to a positive case of COVID-19 in school."

In 2026, pupils at The Holmesdale School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.1 in Kent and 47 across England.

22% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Kent and 47% in England.

That is down from 41.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.52: 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 33.8, against 43.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 18 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Statistics, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 104 families put The Holmesdale School as their first choice and 221 named it as one of their preferences, for 151 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 The Holmesdale School are Aylesford School (2.1 miles, Attainment 8 37.2); The Malling School (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.3); Medway Secure Training Centre (3.6 miles); and The Thomas Aveling School (3.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.8).

The Holmesdale School's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

The Holmesdale School is one of 19 schools run by Swale Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.5 in 2024/25.

69 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Holmesdale School (as of September 2025): 78% would recommend the school, 75% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).

Of the 82 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 73% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 46% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 24 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 21% went on to university or other higher education, 17% to apprenticeships and 42% into work. 5% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

35.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 118 pupils (19.5%) received SEN support and 7 (1.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The Holmesdale School has a resourced provision for autism: 8 places, 1 pupil on roll.

The Holmesdale School had 45 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Snodland Rail Station, about 990 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Holmesdale School (in), 60 metres away.

In 2024/25, The Holmesdale School issued 206 suspensions, 34.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Holmesdale School are St Katherine's School & Nursery (0.1 miles), Snodland CofE Primary School (0.5 miles), Valley Invicta Primary School at Holborough Lakes (0.8 miles) and Halling Primary School (1.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.