The Malling School

The Malling School has demonstrated substantial progress since its last inspection, now rated as good overall, with outstanding performance in behaviour, personal development, and leadership. The school has successfully embedded character development and inclusivity into its ethos, fostering a strong sense of community among pupils. In addition, the curriculum improvements have addressed previous shortcomings, providing a broad and challenging educational experience that prepares pupils well for their future paths. However, there are still areas needing attention, particularly in ensuring consistent assessment practices across teaching staff to enhance student learning outcomes.

Strengths

• Exceptional behaviour and attitudes among pupils
• Outstanding personal development initiatives
• Strong leadership and management driving school improvement
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Staff show strong subject knowledge and engage pupils effectively
• A wide range of extracurricular activities enhancing student life
• Commitment to developing well-rounded citizens through community involvement

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checking of pupil understanding before advancing to new concepts

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Malling School attended 91.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 26.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 4.3% of pupils at The Malling School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Malling School had 12.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.6% of pupils at The Malling School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 16.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 115 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 The Malling School received £10,498 and spent £10,430 for each of its 1,055 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £379,000 (£359 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in West Malling · Kent local authority: places and applications

What is The Malling School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Malling School is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was The Malling School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Malling School was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does The Malling School have?

The Malling School has 1,051 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Malling School cover?

The Malling School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are The Malling School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 39.3, and 27% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Malling School?

The Malling School is at Beech Road, East Malling, West Malling, Kent, ME19 6DH.