Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #100 in Kent public Top 45% UK

Astor Secondary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Lee Kane

corporate_fareSAMPHIRE STAR EDUCATION TRUST

location_onDover, CT17 0AS

language Visit Website phone 1304201151

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

803

trending_up

Attainment 8

27.9

leaderboard

GCSE Rank

#100 in Kent

#3,206 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

Astor Secondary School is a Academy converter secondary school in Dover, serving ages 11-18. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

article

School Summary

Astor Secondary School is an academy converter in Dover, Kent, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of SAMPHIRE STAR EDUCATION TRUST. The school has approximately 770 pupils on roll, of whom 62% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 27.9, placing the school #100 in Kent and #3,206 of 3,216 nationally. 10.10% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 2.4% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 15 A-level subjects. 25.4% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 10.4% at A*–A. A-level value added: -0.3 — students made below-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.8× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 15.6:1. There are 2 teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 18.7 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

27.9

Grade 5+ E&M

10.10%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)2.4%

Entering EBacc9.40%

EBacc APS2.31

2024

Progress 8 Score

-1.04

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

28.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc7.10%

EBacc APS2.35

2023

Progress 8 Score

-1.37

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

26.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc4%

EBacc APS2.21

2022

Progress 8 Score

-1.2

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

31.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc4%

EBacc APS2.64

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc4%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.81

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

33.3

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc14%

EBacc APS2.82

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.76

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

33.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc13%

EBacc APS2.67

explore

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

78%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)72%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)10%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

85%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)78%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)14%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

83%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)78%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)14%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)6%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

workspace_premium

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

-0.3

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

D+

Students

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*1.5%

Achieving A*–A10.4%

Achieving A*–B25.4%

VA Banding Below average

Retention rate90.0%

A-level subjects offered15

2024

A-Level Value Added

-0.49

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

Students

Retention rate84.60%

2023

Avg Grade

D+

Students

Retention rate77.40%

2022

Avg Grade

Students

Retention rate94.6%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

31 October 2023

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

06 July 2021

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

04 March 2021

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

03 November 2020

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

28 January 2020

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

13 November 2018

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

19 September 2017

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

25 January 2016

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

26 March 2015

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

10 August 2012

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

Inspection Report

Inspection History

6 Evaluations

2023-10-31

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 3 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2020-01-28

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2018-11-13

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2017-09-19

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2016-01-25

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2015-03-26

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

15.3%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

10.1%(78 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 770 pupils. During this period, there were 118 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 15.3%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	770	118	15.3%	7.3%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	782	173	22.1%	7.8%
2023/24 (Summer term)	785	185	23.6%	7.4%
2023/24 (Spring term)	782	185	23.7%	7.1%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	795	105	13.2%	8.2%
2022/23 (Summer term)	783	57	7.3%	6.6%
2022/23 (Spring term)	803	92	11.5%	6.4%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	814	91	11.2%	5.9%
2021/22 (Summer term)	833	50	6.0%	4.7%
2021/22 (Spring term)	830	79	9.5%	4.9%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	839	134	16.0%	4.4%
2020/21 (Summer term)	807	144	17.8%	3.6%
2020/21 (Spring term)	807	38	4.7%	1.0%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	808	111	13.7%	3.9%
2019/20 (Summer term)	802	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	802	120	15.0%	3.2%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	815	154	18.9%	4.2%
2018/19 (Summer term)	831	109	13.1%	3.1%
2018/19 (Spring term)	837	92	11.0%	3.8%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	851	57	6.7%	3.8%
2017/18 (Summer term)	866	97	11.2%	3.4%
2017/18 (Spring term)	879	81	9.2%	3.0%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	890	85	9.6%	3.7%
2016/17 (Summer term)	890	101	11.3%	3.0%
2016/17 (Spring term)	899	103	11.5%	3.3%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	915	85	9.3%	3.1%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 67 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 35 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 26 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 23 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 17 pupils

Physical Disability 7 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

Visual Impairment 2 pupils