Will Adams Academy, Gillingham
Will Adams Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 14 to 17 in Gillingham, part of Alternative Learning Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Will Adams Academy in detail
Will Adams Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very proud to be the Head of School where all staff are passionate about ensuring that all students have the opportunity to be the best person that they can possibly be. In fact, many ex-students have said that without the school they would not be in the positive place in their lives that they are now."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Will Adams Academy
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).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Will Adams Academy are The Robert Napier School (0.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 30.2); Chatham Grammar (0.9 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 60.6); Hospital and Medical Tuition Service (1.1 miles); and Brompton Academy (1.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35.7).
The Robert Napier SchoolChatham GrammarHospital and Medical Tuition ServiceBrompton Academy
The trust
Will Adams Academy is one of 7 schools run by Alternative Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 20 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 20% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 20% to a further education college and 15% into work.
Who goes there
0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (69%), Mixed (13%) and Black (6%).
In 2026, 11 pupils (68.8%) received SEN support and 4 (25%) 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.
Will Adams Academy has a resourced provision: 45 places, 45 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gillingham (Kent) Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodlands Family Practice (opposite), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Will Adams Academy stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Will Adams Academy are The Academy of Woodlands (0.1 miles), Featherby Infant and Nursery School (0.4 miles), Featherby Junior School (0.4 miles) and Barnsole Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
The Academy of WoodlandsFeatherby Infant and Nursery SchoolFeatherby Junior SchoolBarnsole Primary School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Will Adams Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as Will Adams Centre (URN 133767), it was rated Good in February 2014.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school specializes in supporting young people who have struggled in mainstream education, helping them rebuild their confidence and love of learning. Staff genuinely get to know each pupil, understand their individual needs, and create personalized learning paths. Most importantly, the school gives pupils a real sense of belonging and prepares them thoroughly for employment, training, or further education.
Key Strengths
- Pupils build warm, respectful relationships with staff who quickly identify their barriers to learning and create personalized programs
- School has designed a bespoke curriculum that helps pupils improve resilience and behavior regulation, leading to positive attitudes to learning
- Strong focus on reading - staff assess all pupils on entry and provide effective interventions for those in early stages
- High ambitions for all pupils with clear pathways to GCSEs, vocational qualifications, and careers matched to their potential
- Comprehensive career guidance including weekly lessons and well-planned work experience with employers
Areas for Improvement
- Activities teachers select don't always allow pupils to apply and deepen their knowledge - pupils understand content but don't deepen understanding consistently
- Small number of pupils not arriving punctually to school or lessons, missing opportunities to maximize learning
- Some systems are in early stages of development and require additional work
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff acting as positive role models and applying school systems calmly and consistently.
Extracurricular Activities
Work experience activities, career lessons, employer engagement events
Will Adams Academy is a pupil referral unit that has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. The school successfully helps pupils with low attendance and social-emotional needs to rekindle their passion for learning and prepare for their next steps.
At a Glance
31.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Latest from Will Adams Academy
Choices and Opportunities: Preparation for Adulthood Event
1 Oct 2026
Education, Inclusion & SEND Support Event
24 Sep 2026
Family Horizons Online Course and Resources for Parents and Carers
22 Sep 2026
Crisis and Resilience Fund
17 Sep 2026
Free Parent Counselling
10 Sep 2026
Alternative Learning Trust Response to the Port Protests
10 Sep 2026
From Will Adams Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Will Adams Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Will Adams Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Will Adams Academy is in Medway; for families living there:
Apply to Medway for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 33
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 26 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 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
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Gillingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gillingham
Across Medway council
Places available
3,844
Applications
3,586
Got 1st preference
80.4%
Got preferred school
96.8%
All secondary applications across Medway council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
11
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
93.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Will Adams Academy has a resourced provision: 45 places, 45 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
16
Total Pupils
12
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
1.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,240
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Will Adams Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Will Adams Academy
What is Will Adams Academy's Ofsted rating?
Will Adams Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as Will Adams Centre (URN 133767), it was rated Good in February 2014.
What is the catchment area for Will Adams Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Will Adams Academy is oversubscribed, Medway allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Will Adams Academy?
Will Adams Academy has around 16 pupils on roll. 31% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Will Adams Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Will Adams Academy has a resourced provision: 45 places, 45 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Will Adams Academy?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming Will Adams 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 Will Adams Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 26 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Will Adams Academy?
Will Adams Academy is at Woodlands Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 2BX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)