The John Wallis Church of England Academy, Ashford

In its own words: "At the heart of our Academy vision is a deeply rooted belief in the Christian promise of life in all its fullness. This powerful verse inspires our purpose as a Church of England school: to educate not only the mind, but to nurture the heart and spirit of every child within a loving, inclusive community."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are an all-through Academy serving children and young people from their earliest months in Nursery through to Sixth Form. That gives us something very special: the opportunity to know, support and inspire young people throughout the whole of their educational journey."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, yoga, karate, dance, choir, chess, Lego, gardening and art.

In 2026, pupils at The John Wallis Church of England Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 36.4, 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 up from 30.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.72: 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 31, against 39.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 138 families put The John Wallis Church of England Academy as their first choice and 401 named it as one of their preferences, for 215 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 John Wallis Church of England Academy are Chilmington Green School (1.7 miles); The North School (1.7 miles, Attainment 8 39.4); Highworth Grammar School (1.9 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 69.2); and The Norton Knatchbull School (2 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 64.2).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The John Wallis Church of England Academy.

The John Wallis Church of England Academy is run by its own single-school academy trust.

Of the 236 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 51% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 55 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 56% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 27% into work. 7% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

38.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 304 pupils (18.4%) received SEN support and 31 (1.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Ashford International Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hadrian Gardens (adjacent), 150 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The John Wallis Church of England Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 170 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, The John Wallis Church of England Academy issued 1550 suspensions, 89.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to The John Wallis Church of England Academy are Beaver Green Primary School (0.6 miles); St Simon of England Roman Catholic Primary School, Ashford (0.7 miles); Kingsnorth Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles); and The John Wesley Church of England Methodist Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.