Waterfront UTC, Chatham

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my pleasure to welcome you to Waterfront UTC. I am delighted to lead a fantastic team of staff, working alongside ambitious and hardworking students and supported by our parents, carers and wider community. Waterfront UTC offers a distinctive education for young people aged 13-19."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, athletics, basketball, badminton, multi-sports and chess.

In 2026, pupils at Waterfront UTC averaged an Attainment 8 score of 31.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.3 in Medway and 47 across England.

17% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Medway and 47% in England.

That is up from 30 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.9: 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 29.7, against 32.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 2.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 11 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Construction and the Built Environment and Art and Design.

Across Medway, 80% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Medway lodged 534 appeals against secondary school offers; 489 reached a hearing and 135 succeeded (27.6% of those heard).

The nearest other state secondary schools to Waterfront UTC are Brompton Academy (1.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35.7); Hospital and Medical Tuition Service (1.4 miles); The Robert Napier School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 30.2); and Chatham Grammar (1.6 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 60.6).

Waterfront UTC's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

Waterfront UTC is one of 9 schools run by The Howard Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 73 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 70% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 22% to a further education college, 10% to an apprenticeship and 6% into work.

Of the 41 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 2% went on to university or other higher education, 17% to apprenticeships and 49% into work.

8.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Black (9%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 95 pupils (24.9%) received SEN support and 11 (2.9%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Waterfront UTC had 28 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 Gillingham (Kent) Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Purser Way (w-bound), 190 metres away.

In 2024/25, Waterfront UTC issued 73 suspensions, 20.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to Waterfront UTC are Burnt Oak Primary School (0.3 miles), Oasis Academy Skinner Street (0.6 miles), Saxon Way Primary School (0.7 miles) and St Mary's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.