The Robert Napier School, Gillingham

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 5 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Robert Napier School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 30.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.3 in Medway and 47 across England.

11% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Medway and 47% in England.

That is down from 32.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -1: 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 26.2, against 34.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.9 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 86 families put The Robert Napier School as their first choice and 375 named it as one of their preferences, for 202 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 Robert Napier School are Chatham Grammar (0.6 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 60.6); Hospital and Medical Tuition Service (0.8 miles); Brompton Academy (1 mile, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35.7); and The Victory Academy (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.9).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The Robert Napier School.

The Robert Napier School is one of 10 schools run by Beyond Schools Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.9 in 2024/25.

148 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Robert Napier School (as of September 2025): 57% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 49% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (70%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (49%).

Of the 163 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 75% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 46% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 6% into work.

Of the 42 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 43% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 2% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

49.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 226 pupils (21.6%) received SEN support and 43 (4.1%) 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 Robert Napier School has a resourced provision for visual impairment: 15 places, 10 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Gillingham (Kent) Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Third Avenue West (opposite), 150 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 529 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 Medway (250), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Robert Napier School issued 941 suspensions, 93.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 21 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Robert Napier School are The Academy of Woodlands (0.4 miles), Barnsole Primary School (0.4 miles), Napier Community Primary and Nursery Academy (0.5 miles) and Byron Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.