Orchards Academy
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–18 · Swanley, Kent
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
Every applicant was offered a place
From Kent County Council · offers on 2 March 2026
2023–2025 trend 🔒
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
Orchards Academy is a secondary school in Swanley, Kent for ages 11–18 (academy converter). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Not judged, from the inspection on 11 March 2025. Kent has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2023 to 2026 entry.
Orchards Academy catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2025 | 🔒 With a pass |
| Year 7 2024 | 🔒 With a pass |
| Year 7 2023 | 🔒 With a pass |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- In 2026 Year 7 entry, every applicant was offered a place, as at 27 of the 99 other Kent secondary schools with a published Year 7 2026 outcome.
- Places ran out, with a last distance published, in 2 of the 3 earlier years of Year 7 entry.
- For 2026 Year 7 entry there were 95 first-choice applications for 139 offers, and 44 offers went to families who ranked it second or lower.
- In 2024/25, 33% got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), the 2nd lowest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest secondary schools in Kent.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Kent schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- St Mary's Road, Swanley, BR8 7TE
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Kent
- Pupils on roll
- 554 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 42.8% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 15.4
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Not judged Inspected 11 March 2025
Strengths
- “The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour.”
- “This ensures a calm, orderly environment, free from disruption.”
- “Support from staff helps pupils to feel comfortable and safe at school.”
To improve
- “The school recognises that pupils' attainment in some subjects in key stage 4 national examinations has been lower than national averages.”
- “However, some elements of the curriculum are not so well developed, including aspects of religious education for older pupils.”
- “As a result, older pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different religions, faiths and beliefs is not secure.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 29 April 2025 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 33% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 41.3 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 95 first-preference applications, 139 offers in total, 95 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Kent.
- Leigh Academy Wilmington 2.4 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Wilmington Grammar School for Boys 2.5 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Wilmington Grammar School for Girls 2.6 mi Good Last distance published
- Dartford Science & Technology College 3.5 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Dartford Grammar School for Girls 3.6 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Dartford Grammar School 3.7 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy 4.0 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Stone Lodge School 4.8 mi Good Last distance published